What do Rivendell Riders use for thumb shifters?

[lum gim fong]

1.What kind do you like?

2.Are they easy to use? I am used to whole fist shifting with bar ends, but wonder how easy it is to accurately flip the lever into the next cog with thumbies.

3.Can you really  just use your thumb, or do you wind up trimming alot with thumb and index/middle grip?

4. Do they work well on mountain/comfort bike straight bar setups?

5. Can I use my Silver shifter levers mounted to a Paul type stop, or are those dog hind leg shaped shimano levers better for thumb shifting?

Thanks for the info.

My wife's bike has index twist shifters which have never performed that well and was thinking of redo-ing her cockpit with ergo grips, Shimano MTN type levers and thumb shifters.

I'd really like to get her a Rivendell mixte, but she likes her Raleigh.

Good thing is the thumbie setup would be totally transferable to an RBW bike later.

[Kellie]

I have thumbies with paul's on my Saluki; drop bar. They work great. I put Shimano 9 Dura Ace with the Paul's. I use One-At-A-Time SunRace on my Atlantis on a Choco (norm) bar. I flipped them into the inside of the bar (Rivendell way) which is so comfortable and natural. And yes you can really use your thumb. 

[Garth]

I have multiple pairs of Sun Tour thumbshifters and have used them on bikes since 1983.

I have never shifted with just my thumb. Imagine if you extend your arm out a bit, and with your thumb and forefinger together in a circle like you're turning a dial, flex your wrist a bit.

I just love 'em. I have a bunch of Sun Tour Sprint shifters too, but have never tried using any of the mounts these dayze. The ones I have work fine and love that they are thick and stubby and ergonomic , which the Sprint/Silver shaped ones are not. I always thought they were too thin even as dt shifters. It befuddles me why no one but the "cheap" Sun Race and Falcon thumbshifters make them nice and thick with a rubber coating, instead everyone keeps copying the dt style and mounting them on some doo-dad. Jack of all mounts and master of none.

[drew]

I also like the shimano's on paul mounts. i could be wrong but i think thats the only way to get good quality indexed thumb shifting with new parts. that being said, that one model of suntour thumb shifter is the prettiest and best feeling thumb shifter ever. if i see them at a decent price, i always buy them. 

[Joe Bernard]

Index thumbies work great, which I think is what you're going to need. If your wife is used to index twisters, talking her into the glories of friction shifting may not be - shall we say - an effective communication strategy ;-)

[EsCargoCycler]

I like older Shimano shifters, ratcheted, but not indexed, the ones shown here:

[RichS]

Just converted my Atlantis to a Paul thumbie/Shimano "dog leg" style shifter mounted on Albatross bars. Friction mode. Sorry I can't comment on the indexed setting. My first experience with this setup and I'm enthusiastic about it! I think it's a keeper.

Shifting with thumb or forefinger. Very smooth, comfortable, no problems at all. 8 spd. cassette. Previous setup used Silver barends. Silver shifter now on the downtube for the front derailer.

Best of luck with your efforts!
Richard

[adam leibow]

these are incredible. I have them on my cheviot. 

On Saturday, August 26, 2017 at 6:30:36 AM UTC-7, lum gim fong wrote:

[dougP]

I had Shimano Ultegra 8 speed bar ends on my Atlantis, & simply added a set of Paul's Thumbies when I converted it to flat bars.  Works like a champ.  Index is same as before.  I use my thumb when pushing away & sorta nudge the lever with a knuckle on my forefinger going the other way.  I like the set-up a lot. 

+1 for Ergon grips.  If she uses the brake hoods for climbing, Ergon makes some versions with extensions that are quite useful.  But if not, the basic unit looks a lot cleaner. 

dougP

On Saturday, August 26, 2017 at 6:30:36 AM UTC-7, lum gim fong wrote:

[Ron Mc]

If you want 9 or 10s indexing, Microshift are great

[Kieran J]

Agreed. I have two sets of the Deore DX MT60 version, and they are so great. Nice crisp, soft click indexing action. I also wish that Microshift had modelled their thumb shifters on these rather than the kludge of Shimano BE shifters mounted on the Paul units. The ergonomics of this design is far better IMHO.

KJ

[R. Alexis]

I am using Suntour XC-Pro/Comp/LTD thumbies on several bikes. Using friction Suntour XC thumb shifters on my 1994 Bridgestone MB-1 retro build and Shimano Deore XT/DX thumb shifters on Wilderness Trail Bikes (WTB) shifter mounts on a couple WTB Dirt Drop WTB Phoenix bikes. I like the friction set up on the Bridgestone, but I started riding years ago with friction and I haven't lost my ability to use fricton in the years since I went away from it. Now have my Schwinn Voyageur set up with NOS Suntour Sprint index shifters on the down tube. Despite not extensively using a bike with downtube shifters, especially friction I am taking to it just fine. 

The shape of the microShift made thumb shifters reminds me of the index/ghost index/friction Suntour shifters back in the 90's. I prefer that shape over the Shimano thumbies for that personal reason.

What index shifters are on your wife's bike now? SRAM? Shimano? Other? I would probably go with one of the thumb shifters that indexes and can convert to friction. If she has never done friction it may be much to go to that for her. I know I have worked on a couple of bikes with Shimano rotational shifters that didn't work well despite my going over the bike. They are bad shifters. Entry level SRAM has worked well, when set up correctly for me.

Hope this help.

Reginald Alexis 

[Patrick Moore]

Has anyone rigged up thumbshifters to work nicely on a drop bar?

[Joe Bernard]

Paul used to make a thumbie mount to fit road bars..an old Reader showed them on the tops near the stem. The MicroSHIFT thumbies on my Clem look like they could be dremeled out to do the same thing. I'll bet they would work well mounted Riv-style on the inside of the hoods.

[Surlyprof]

1.  I've tried the Sunrace and Paul thumbies and am currently running Silver shifters on Paul thumbies.  I like them both but prefer the Silver/Paul combo.  They are very long compared to the Sunrace shifters but they work very well.  Nice and smooth with a great look with the CNC'ed aluminum.

2.  Once I got used to thumbies, instead of bar ends, I liked them.  Very easy to use once you get them in the position you like.  That took a little experimentation.  I'll go back to Albastache with bar ends when the shoulder heals.  I really miss that set up.

3.  I use only a thumb when shifting them down but use my index finger and thumb when shifting up and trimming.

4.  Haven't tried them on a straight bar.  I use them now because I shifted from Albastache to Albatross due to a shoulder injury.  I found bar ends were too long on the Albatross bars and I'd occassionally shift with my knees when turning.  I used the Sunrace thumbies with Boscos and they worked well.  The "not indexing click" was a little weird at first but then you just forget about it. 

5.  I moved mine right over from the bar end pods without a hitch.   Don't forget that you will need to get the adapter for the Silver shifters (https://www.rivbike.com/products/paul-thumbie-silver-shifer-adapter-hardware-pair-17145).  I forgot about that and it stalled my build for days.  Torture! 

I feel your marital pain.  I've been trying to convince my wife how much she'd love the Riv mountain mixte but she will not give up her bright orange Public with twist shifters.  I also think she saw right through my thinly veiled attempt to add a Mountain Mixte to the household for my personal use.  I'm sure she could hear my future argument for a 650b Hunq... "But the mountain mixte is your bike dear!"

John

On Saturday, August 26, 2017 at 6:30:36 AM UTC-7, lum gim fong wrote:

[lum gim fong]

It is a Raleigh comfort bike with twist shifters.

Always had problems with the front chainring shifts not working well and chain drop. Hesitations, etc. Ever since it was new.

I figure that friction shifting will get her an easy shift every time.

I think that IRD set Riv sells looks good, and it is a set. I might try them on the straight bar and see what she thinks.

Would be nice if she had a Rivbike, then the maintenance would be easier for me. And I'd feel better buying new components for the build rather than putting things on her Raleigh that maybe can't be used later on a possible Rivbike.

Maybe I should just get her a rivbike anyway one day without asking. A Cheviut would give her a comfort type bike so it would not be so different, and the maintenance would be easier for me and hopefully she would like the shifters better.

[Jon BALER]

IRD Silver SOS power ratchet Thumb shifters on Choco bars.  I have left and right switched, so I can mount them on the inner part of the grip.

1.  I like that they have enough cable pull to use with Shimano Dynasys (10 speed mountain)
2.  Yes, easy to use.
3.  I'd say I shift one direction with thumb, and the other direction up with pointer finger. 
4. I have micro-shift on my surly ICT, which has a more traditional mountain bike bar.  But I use the rear der with index shifting.

[Joe Bernard]

You'll get friction front, index rear with Shimano or MicroSHIFT thumbies. She might be happy with that..friction front is easy to learn. Beyond that I would warn against buying her shifters or a bike YOU like better.

[Ron Mc]

Microshift indexed thumbies 

she will like you for it

[Ron Mc]

ps - try Universal Cycles

[Ron Mc]

if it will make you feel better, think of Microshift as the new SunTour, because that's what it is.  

Between my daughter and I, we have Microshift index on two bikes, bar-ends and thumbies, and they're Perfect after years and long miles.  

[Surlyprof]

Maintenance.  That is exactly why I'd like to upgrade my wife's Public.  Bikes like that are pretty cheaply outfitted.  I always struggle with her brakes and keeping the Nexxus hub dialed in.  I'm scheming to slowly change out Riv quality parts as the cheaper parts wear out or become problematic.  Eventually... the frame.  Gotta play the long game!

For straight bars, I've only used mtb click shifters.  Don't know what thumbies would be like.

John

[Ash [who works to bike]]

Another vote for Microshift.

I have them mounted on Albatross on the inside so that (a) they won't obstruct when I want to move hands to the curves (b) I get the sweet ratcheting type shifting for the rear DR- which is 98% of the shirting on my setup.  I push with the thumb for slower gears and index finger for coming back to faster gears.

As with many other things, I was interested in experimenting with different types.  So I also got XT trigger shifter.  After using Microshift I don't feel like even trying those.  They feel too bulky and clunky.  I also like not having to listen to the clicking noise.

I think they will work fine on flat bars.  I do feel that shifting method is not as ergonomic as trigger shifters.  If I didn't mind the bulk/real estate needs and the clicking sound, I would have gone with the trigger shifter. 

[R. Alexis]

As mentioned before, using Shimano Deore XT/DX thumb shifters on dirt drop equipped WTB Phoenix and Suntour Command Shifters on the WTB Dirt Drop equipped OX Brand Ti Cruiser 29er. I also have some early SRAM Grip Shift rotational Road/Mountain shifters on my 1993 Bridgestone XO-1 on some Nitto Mustache bars on the ends. They work well, don't stick out like regular bar ends. Seems like it would work well on the ends of some dirt drops.

Forgot to mention, also using Paul shifter mounts with Shimano bar ends on my Waterford 1400 on ti Jones H-Bar with J bends and some lower end Shimano GS-200 (?) on a couple bikes that were modified by drilling and tapping to take barrel adjusters. All work well.

Thanks,

Reginald Alexis