i prefer the sram trigger shift because its the only system to have completely unrestricted shifting regardless of braking, up or down the cassette. i also prefer sram because you can go up the cassette slightly faster, 5 gears at a time. however, shimano allows you to go back down the cassette slightly faster, 2 at a time vs 1 at a time. in practice, ive found going up the cassette is more important than down. dumping speed and climbing unexpectedly happens more often than gaining speed unexpectedly.
My first mountain bike had grip shifts and they were great, but noisy. Drove my buddy nuts with the constant clicks and clacks. The main weakness of the old grip shift system was shifting the front derailleur because it had long throws to move between the chain rings and necessitated repositioning of hand either before and after the shift. My next bike had xt rapid fires with integrated v-brake levers. Ergonomically, they are great. Thumb and index fingers stays on the shift leavers and the remaining three fingers on the brakes.
I run my grips longer with gripshift to avoid misshifts, but that sets the brake levers even farther in... not ideal. However, since I have been using gripshift since 1997, I find it telepathic at this point. Another plus is if you get arthritis in your thumb joint. The twist shift is much easier on the thumb in this condition. There is nothing wrong with trigger shifters, but I'm glad Sram still makes gripshift.
The main disadvantage with gripshift is having to reposition the hand a bit before and after shifts. I have used trigger shifters and noticed not having to move my hand much at all when shifting. It does make me think about switching sometimes.
For me the lack of index finger shifting on sram triggers isn't an issue at all cause I prefer to change gears with thumb anyway, having my index finger always ready for braking.
As the owner of Shimano™ I can tell you when aehy was a bicycle courier for 3.5 years aehy tried the main manual gear shifters #1 is the Shimano™ XT topbar shifter in the shortest movement you can slam from top gear to first gear perfect for stop/start city riding at high speed or off road on undulating surface, #2 rapidfire shifters if you're only cruising because you can't shift more than 1 gear at a time requiring "lift spin" at traffic lights and big plan ahead off road, #3 grip shift "crap shift" they've not been perfected and it's easy to accidentally change gears, #4 consider for MTB riding a continuous rear derailer cable outer using electrical cable ties for securing cable outer to frame and for super smooth shifting get the Avid™ Rollamjig®.
I have an old 3 x 7 huffy rigid mountain bike with shimano "thumb Shifters" You use your thumb to shift up or shift down, same movement, and with the downshift Lever/shifter, you can downshift 3 at a time, great bike.
Thanks for the detailed video, but there is one key point in practical terms, where trigger shifters really excell: city stop and go riding: you start from a stand still in a low gear, you accelerate and within seconds you get to the point, where you have to go up to the next gear. While you shift, you actually have to coordinate two things: 1. trigger the shift exactly the right moment 2. release the pressure on the pedal for a split second while the shift is happening. This process is repeated over and over again while you go through the cassette until you hit your cruising speed - until the next stop comes and you repeat this all over again. I´ve ridden all three systems you show here, they are all good systems, but for someone who is riding in the city, the trigger systems are a much better choice as you don`t have to adjust your grip on the shifter with every little shift (grip shift). Shimanos rapid fire really takes the crown here as you can move through the gears in a super fluid motion, having the upshift at the tip of your index finger. (PS: Sram doesn´t do the index finger upshift, because shimano still holds the patent on that)
I've run Grip Shift on my Rocky Mountain Altitude for 3 years, love it! I've never had accidental shifts and I do not shift when breaking. Its so quick to run through gears.
Sram twister shifter for me. Never had accidental shifts or any break-downs in 15 years. It's a mather of preference, but I don't understand why so many people dislike it. Maybe they didn't gave it enough time to get used to. Or really had some bad luck. Bike manufacturers should give some more shifting options IMO. Maybe use a bike configurator instead of fixed bike models.
That's not true at all. I've been using Gripshift for 24 years, and it hasn't hindered me in any way when racing or riding fast; I've never had any issues with shifting by accident, and the shifting is way faster than triggers. I've gone back to triggers twice, but I always go back to GS because I can dump and pickup every gear in one motion. The action on the shifter is also light enough to use just your thumb and index finger to twist the shifter. If I had any gripes about GS, it is the limited grip options. Also, many World Championship Cross Country races have been won with Gripshift.
Had Gripshift late 90's into the early 2000s and loved them. Since then I've been on various triggers and I've never liked them as much. Looking at a Ripley build and I think I'm going back to Grips! PS Don't remember ever accidentally shifting, but I have a really light grip when I ride.
I have not tried Sram, but am super happy with my 2x10 XTR shifter with XT mech. I have never had difficulty with the thumb or index triggers, and love go rapidly up or down the cassette. I had an old SLX system before and was surprised at the difference - so crisp.
I have used SRAM Twist Shifters for years on my Shimano derailers for all the reasons you mentioned. Now that I am an older rider and have thumb surgery, they are especially helpful. I am considering a 1x12 ( I have watched and rewatched your "4 Big Problems Of 1x ..." video) and find that only SRAM provides a twist shifter, so I am going with SRAM, probably GX rear derailer. Thank you for all your help!!!
I had grip shift on my Cannondale V800 which I've ridden for the last 23yrs. I just upgraded and the bike came with SRAM Eagle GX Thumb shifters. The first thing I noticed is the greater strain on my thumb. I'm waiting to see if it's going to cause any pain long term, but really considering upgrading to Grip shifter if it becomes an issue.
@@sandorgyetvai6046 Since the time I wrote my answer I bought a fantastic full suspension mountain bike, Commencal 29 TR Meta. SRAM 1x12, GX Derailleur w/thumb shifter. Rode a bit and upgraded to SRAM GX Twist shifter. It is absolutely wonderful, zipping up and down the gears through mountain trails and logging roads. What a joy!!!
I had to use the twist shift for a while and and found I was not able to brake and downshift at the same time. I like being able to brake on the downhill section that’s going to go into an uphill section and be in the right gear when it’s time to start to climb and I cannot do this with the twist shift. I drive race cars so be able to brake well downshifting is a necessity. In racing The rapid fires are very much like Heel and Toe Downshifting in stick shift cars.
I am going to upgrade my not so good SRAM SX on my Stumpy and I was torn on keeping my cool grips and staying with triggers but if SickBiker likes the GripShift then I’m going with what I really want. GripShift it is. Thanks for making my mind. And thanks for all the great videos!
I personally think twist grips are not very good, for some reason they have always been poor shifting (I have only used shimano twists grips) on the few bikes I have had with them and have changed to trigger shifts, love the shimano triggers and am disappointed by the sram system on my fat bike to the point that I would consider changing the whole lot. Sram crankset snapped less than 100km old and normal riding no off road and just don't like the sram trigger feel. As you say Maybe Shimano own the patent for that style they have but for my and my riding I like the shimano best. Just my experience not looking for an argument from anyone about what is best. I don't do any racing just recreational riding.
Thanks for the video. I finally bought a new bike after 23 years and it has a 1x with a trigger shifter. My 1996 bike has a 9 speed Grip Shift and I am so used to it. I am guessing I will adjust but it’s nice to know that GS is still available.
I have used SRAM Twist Shifters for years - automatically switching whenever I buy a new bike. I am 68yrs old and am planning on a new 1x12 (keeping my 3x8 Trek as my commuter). I will choose SRAM because SRAM, unlike Shimano, have a 12 gear Twist Shifter available.
Lol! I still use lever shifters (Suntour 8 speed with a Dura Ace 8 speed derailleur on a mountain bike; limited to 28 tooth on the rear though). Still works great!
You mainly brake with the right? So you like skidding out and drifting all over the place when it's just a tiny bit wet or you have to brake hard? For your own safety's sake, use your front brake more than your rear brake. You cannot fly over the handlebar if you push back your center of mass while braking. Only morons fly over the handlebars on a flat road.
Using Shimano trigger shifters since 1995, tried gripshift too, but never felt it was as crisp as triggers, in my opinion... always try to use the higher group you can (XT or Saint are excellent options).
Thank you Dan, I am rewatching your SRAM GX (etc) videos. Last week I received my new mtn bike, Commencal with NX but immediately upgraded to GX Chain and Derailleur. I will, if needed, upgrade Cassette, which will mean new hub/wheel. In the meantime SRAM upgraded their GX Derailleur and set, but I think I like 10-50 better than 10-52. Of course I have 11-50 now, but wish more for 10 than 52.🤪 Thank you again Dan, for all your help.
I have a 1998 Specialized Rockhopper with Sram grip shifters and they still work perfectly today. This is my commuter bike which gets heavy use and I've never done any kind of maintenance on the shifters.
Plus, you cannot even compare the robustness of the systems. Grip shift is SOOO Robust. I one time ripped the cable out of the cable sleave but the grip shift was perfect after I replaced the cable set. Nothing even compares to robustness of Grip Shift!
I too have been using GS since 1996. I've gone back to triggers twice, but I always come back to GS. The latest Gripshift is very good, I just wish the shifter was only as wide as the XRays, and that there were some more grip options out there.
This is so weird, because i've ridden with Grip Shifters for about 23 years and don't think I have ever had accidental shiftings. I usually have my index and middle finger on my rear brake lever when I'm riding and only bring them down when I have to shift. What fingers do you keep on your rear brake? I ride pretty technical stuff and bunny hop constantly and it's never been an issue for me.
I did not like twisters mostly because you have to move your wrist all the time! It is very hard and annoyng for casual ride. It also do burn palms if you do not wear gloves.
@@isthisnametaken978 I have been using grip shifters ever since I have upgraded my old mountain bike more than fourteen years ago. They are a lot faster to shift between the biggest gear to the smallest gear. Peace!
Just got a new bike with SRAM EAgle coming from XTR 3x 10. Shifting wise I actually prefer the XTR, its much faster up shifting which surprised me considering how new Eagle is. I think its because XTR literally pushes the cable out rather than just lets go of the cable, relying on the rear derailleur spring to take it up.
However we put it and tweak it Shimano is superior and more refined than Sram. I also have experience both systems but shimano is more reliable and is also cheaper. Shimano is a win win system.
Shimano has been making gears waaayyyyy longer than Sram. They know gearing mechanics better than anyone. I had been in the fishing world before I got into mountain biking and they make the best fishing reels BY FAR. So much more smooth than any other company. Diawa(Japanese company, like Shimano) makes smooth high end reels but Shimano has incredibly refined reels at every budget.
@@Kayvoyager They are the best when it comes to gears, they just aren't flashy and hip like Sram. Shimano products are all so simplistic and they're all about functionality. Mountain bikers love flashy so many love Sram. As far as how refined their shifting is, Sram can't compete with Shimano.
My Impression on 2 of the shifting system´s: 1st XT Trigger; It is nice and was already build on my Bycicle with 2x11. Dont´t like it so i moved to 1x11 and always having one big problem with shimano, the Push Trigger was always so hard for me to use. Even oiled inner Cable didnt fix it. 2cend Just for fun and try out new things on my bycicle; I Buyed Sram GX Trigger and derailleur. And now iam super happy with that! Pushing only with Thumps is a big Thumbs UP =P and it is smooth and easy to use. And mounting on shimano was normal but Sram is fixed on my Fomula Brake. Nothing better than German Engineering!
The SRAM X9, Attack and MRX PRO Twist Shifters are compatible with Shimano derailleur. I was introduce to SRAM Twist Shifters in 1998 with a set of SRAM MRX PRO 200-10. The shifting is easy and precise. After 20 years I still have that bike and the SRAM MRX PRO 200-10 have not require any service or adjustments and still shift like the first day. just purchase a new 2018 mountain bike with Shimano Rapid Fire trigger shift and I hate that hurt my thumbs. will be changing those for SRAM Grip Shifters.
I have experience with all 3. I have used the shift shifters for the last 2 plus years with a 1x system, and I love it. I have had no issues with it; low maintenance part. Function is simple up and down simple. I use Ergon grips for those shifters that come with one smaller to offset the size difference created by that shifter. I had another brand that we cut down to keep things matchy matchy if you get what I am saying.
thank you you are very smart to tell people that this is very personal choice I like the twisters for mtb so much that I might not get thumb shifters again. We are talking about a very small movement of your wrist unless you are doing a super rare full spin out from one end of the gears to the other. That being said, I could use either thumb shifters effectively if i had to. I hope SRAM migrates their e-shifting tech to the mtb. That would be interesting, and you could compare both of those systems. Have you used the Di2 on an mtb? IMHO tech like syncho-shift on Di2 with a 2x or 3x system would potentially help less experienced riders ride smoother and cross chain less.
7:23 until you do it too hard and your grip shift turns way past the end, messing up the whole indexing in the progress. Never again will I use grip shifters. They are for children.
Definitely not, I overturned the shifter, so the 1st gear was actually way past the 1 and when it said 1, I was in 5th gear. I installed shift levers now and everything works perfectly.
I love my grip shift but it got brittle and won’t click and moves around really easily so it’s on the shop. It has advantages such as like he said, being able to jump between gears faster and you can move the shifter between gears and such. Of course I am biased because I haven’t been exposed to many trigger type shifters. I think both shifters have potential but I am personally accustomed to grip shifters. Maybe if I tried to put time into adjusting to trigger type I would change my mind.
I changed to grip shift on both my MTB's 5 years ago. XO on my first grip bike build. XX on my second one. Wet thumb? No problem. Having a moment of hand numbness and need to make a shift? No problem. Multiple shifting from a single motion is a big plus for me. Something not mentioned is that you can put a piece of white tape on the inside (fixed) part of the shifter mechanism and put a dot on the movable part. Make hash marks on the fixed tape at every other gear position. Then you can see at a glance (without looking back at the cassette) exactly which gear combination you're resetting to when you add or dump multiple cogs in advance of a change in terrain. Of course, you could mark every gear position but it gets visually busy. I mark only the even gears.
I have a Shimano V-brake shifter on my MTB. I'd like to change to a grip shifter cause I like it better. Can I do that or would there be a possible unforseen problem. What I meant to say is is it inter changeable. I was asking cause you seem real knowledgeable to this video.
Chris Mancakes I'll jump in and answer anyway even if this is old. If you have brake/shift combo levers you'll probably need new brake levers unless you can unscrew the shifter from the lever. Other than that there is no compatibility issues, I've run grip shift with XT V brakes, but the one caveat from the video is true, shifting while braking is tricky to do with one hand. I still have grip shifts on one bike and trigger/rapid fire shimano on the other, both have upsides and downsides, to me on 3x9 shifting both front and back is easy with grip shift, not so much with rapid fire. Basically I shift mostly when I'm accelerating so the brake thing doesn't bother me, I guess it depends on how you ride and what terrain.
Even if they're ancient, they still work. Pros and cons are pretty much explained in video, so I'm not going to talk about them more. Generally I like triggers more too, but they're annoying when you'd need to scroll thru gears fast. If you're riding trails you know, you can pretty much prepare for what's coming so it's not a big deal. Riding unknown trails I like my fatbike's gripshifter too, since I can scroll down to lowest gear literally in half of a second when I hit rough terrain after a fast curve for example. I don't really get it why people hate gripshifters so much.
Shifting the front gears is a nightmare on a grip shifter. It's never accurate and you always have to trim... I can't wait to change mine to a click shifter.
I don't like the idea of having to loosen my grip and twiat the hand in a techy section. I love that I can hold on normal and click through with sti shifters
I was in a muddy race and went down. My gloves got all muddy and wet, which rendered the grip shift useless. Went with triggers, and will stay with them
Doubt anyone could really explain it all but I have have searched everywhere for information and comparisons between SRAM and Shimano 12 speed trigger shifters. Sram looks to be extremely simple with a series of indexed notches, spring and bearing whereas Shimano appears to have invested a lot of Rand D into theirs with far more intricate parts, a lot more also. There's just a lot more complicated mechanisms presumably to eek out faster and more precise shifts along with dual up shifts. Would be really interesting to understand all the tech involved. I always thought Shimano was weird in how they never really market their technology like some companies. Guys love hearing about all the steps it takes to machine out a part or the tolerances, you know the details that go into a given product but Shimano just kinda says here's our new 12 speed Xtr. I suppose they do market things like hyoerglide plus but there's almost nothing on what seperate xtr from xt derailleur or shifter beyond weight yet they ask double the price. My observation on Shifters between sram and Shimano is that they take very different approaches to what you pay for. Sram goes crazy on external materials and finish. With carbon fiber levers and external housing but the internals look almost identical to gx except I read they have bearings instead of bushings. Shimano on the other hand looks to use similar basic plastic on all it's shifters housing and the levers use alloy for the down shifts and what looks like steel with plastic up shifter. The rest is presumably inside the guts.
I have rapid fire shifters on my trail bike and grip shifters on my old 98 cannondale f700 I purchased new (tells my age) I converted to a Hybrid for cruising. I like them both never any issues. I probably would prefer trigger shifters for single track or mountain biking.
one vote for sram trigger shifter! I like it, because of the responsiveness when accelerating a mtb. sram trigger is sort of standardized and predictable system, you start developing a muscle memory how much power you need in different kind of accelerating situations. maybe shimano fits my way of thinking, I just don't have experience in shimano mtb shifters.
Another disadvantage of the twist shift is you forget which way to shift. With trigger it's up and down with twist it's forward and backward. ( Example forward goes down the cassette and backward goes up the cassette ) I could be wrong. Secondly it takes up more space handlebars. Which means you will need handlebars that are a lot wider
never liked Sram grip twister because of often accidental shifting specially when standing up on the bike.For this reason prefer trigger and I like Shimano more.
I have one bike with 10speed XTR triggers which are awesome but as an old guy I have used Gripshift and actually currently own an 8 speed shimano with Sachs power gripwhich were just before Sram bought them out and these are easily the best gripshift type shifters I have owned. Had the XRay and their plastic sucked as it was way too brittle but these built in France ones use very good plastic and shift brilliantly. There is something to be said for the combination of sheer simplicity, build quality and shift performance of these particulr twist shifters. They are very easy to use too. I would like to try the new Sram twisties with the bearings.
@3:54. why is this rumor still alive? sram grip shift works perfectly with a shimano derailleur on my bike. maybe the older were not compatible, but 2010+ models are universally compatible after adjusting the stop screws correctly
SickBiker turns out its not, i have been running shimano derailieur with sram max grip shifts for years and they work like a charm together. whatever gear number i select on the rotating selector, the deraileur goes to that exact sprocket without any issues
Its not uncommon to find people using Sram Shifters with some Shimano Derailluers. The Shimano Zee rear mech works perfectly well with an X0 shifter, trigger or grip shift
Thomas John Solidum could be some specific derailers by shimamo, probably the low range ones. also another quick tip, if the grip shift is too sensitive and twists just by the hand moving over it, the spacer can be removed and the grips can be pressed against it, it makes it a bit stiffer and eliminates accidental shifta that many riders experience when doing technical tracks
Because it used to be an issue with SRAM & Shimano shifters having different acuations, 1:1 & 1:2 respectively; however these days they are both the same.
am i the only one who prefer the old school mountain lever shifter? heh i remember 95s bikes they had thumb levers shiftier and Cantilevers brakes. even on the cheapest mountain bike... wait was the bikes of this time better than actual bikes...?
Very informative video. I think it's a shame allmost every new bike today comes with a SRAM groupset. I just can't get used to the thumb-only shifting.
I HATE those bloody awful Gripshift things. They can be almost impossible to operate, when I'm sweating (heavily), when it is raining ( a lot, and no gloves), or when I'm wearing very thick gloves. This renders those things almost useless in two of four seasons. Great! Also, they often have Rubber on the outside. Now that again is all sunshine and rainbows, until the rubber inevitably wears down and breaks. Because this often means, you'll have to replace the entire thing! The rubber on my right shifter is defective and since I HAVE to replace an otherwise perfectly functionally bike part, I'm gonna replace it with a regular shifter. I'd rather get a fixed gear then having to deal with those awful things again. (I'm serious bout that tough. It is winter and therefore I'm more or less riding single speed - again, those things become almost complely useless with thick gloves, it's not like I'd be loosing much at this point)
He's not from the UK, so that hasn't crossed his mind, really 😆. On a serious note, I'm interested, how long did it take for the rubber on your grip shifters to wear down? Were you using the ones made by sram or some other ones?
Very nicely made video fella 👍 About 15:15 a golden chain, and a golden cassette, and then they strapped some rubber protector on with plastic cable ties... pretentious much 😂
i'm a little bit sad because you did not talk about the best feature on the sram trigger and it is that you are able to adjust the up shift (lighter gear) button to fit your thumb because this is verry useful for people with verry big or small hands
I have xt 1x10 and find it very hard changing gear going to the big cogs, I believe the xt derailer spring is to stiff. It feels like I will break the shifter cable sometimes
First of all, Thank You Very Much for your videos, they are helping me a lot I have a question, i hope someone could answer it: is sram sxx1 cassette, rear derailleur and grip shift compatible with Shimano xtr 3x11 crankset, front derailleur and shifter? I've chosen those because i think is the best lightweight groupset i can get for my budget and I certainly want a 3x11, and if there is any other suggestion, i would be glad to hear it Thank you very much
I was using the original Shimano XT rapidfire on my Klein Atti back in 1990 when I tried on a Grip Shift for the rear derailleur around 1991 .. I was sold! I have installed Gripshift on pretty much every mtn bike I've had since, incl the two mtn bikes I bought last year. The XX1 11sp and X0 10sp grip-shifters are great. BTW I never liked grip-shift for front derailleur .. but all my mtn bikes have single chainring now.
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Your indexing finger has to be on your brake lever...
am i the only one who prefer the old school mountain lever shifter?
i prefer the sram trigger shift because its the only system to have completely unrestricted shifting regardless of braking, up or down the cassette. i also prefer sram because you can go up the cassette slightly faster, 5 gears at a time. however, shimano allows you to go back down the cassette slightly faster, 2 at a time vs 1 at a time. in practice, ive found going up the cassette is more important than down. dumping speed and climbing unexpectedly happens more often than gaining speed unexpectedly.
My first mountain bike had grip shifts and they were great, but noisy. Drove my buddy nuts with the constant clicks and clacks. The main weakness of the old grip shift system was shifting the front derailleur because it had long throws to move between the chain rings and necessitated repositioning of hand either before and after the shift.
My next bike had xt rapid fires with integrated v-brake levers. Ergonomically, they are great. Thumb and index fingers stays on the shift leavers and the remaining three fingers on the brakes.
I have the sram XO grip shifter for more than 8 years now still works great
Grip shift is my preferred due to quickness of shifting. I never accidentally shift with this product. Been riding grips since 94
I run my grips longer with gripshift to avoid misshifts, but that sets the brake levers even farther in... not ideal. However, since I have been using gripshift since 1997, I find it telepathic at this point. Another plus is if you get arthritis in your thumb joint. The twist shift is much easier on the thumb in this condition. There is nothing wrong with trigger shifters, but I'm glad Sram still makes gripshift.
The main disadvantage with gripshift is having to reposition the hand a bit before and after shifts. I have used trigger shifters and noticed not having to move my hand much at all when shifting. It does make me think about switching sometimes.
For me the lack of index finger shifting on sram triggers isn't an issue at all cause I prefer to change gears with thumb anyway, having my index finger always ready for braking.
As the owner of Shimano™ I can tell you when aehy was a bicycle courier for 3.5 years aehy tried the main manual gear shifters #1 is the Shimano™ XT topbar shifter in the shortest movement you can slam from top gear to first gear perfect for stop/start city riding at high speed or off road on undulating surface, #2 rapidfire shifters if you're only cruising because you can't shift more than 1 gear at a time requiring "lift spin" at traffic lights and big plan ahead off road, #3 grip shift "crap shift" they've not been perfected and it's easy to accidentally change gears, #4 consider for MTB riding a continuous rear derailer cable outer using electrical cable ties for securing cable outer to frame and for super smooth shifting get the Avid™ Rollamjig®.
I have an old 3 x 7 huffy rigid mountain bike with shimano "thumb Shifters" You use your thumb to shift up or shift down, same movement, and with the downshift Lever/shifter, you can downshift 3 at a time, great bike.
Thanks for the detailed video, but there is one key point in practical terms, where trigger shifters really excell: city stop and go riding: you start from a stand still in a low gear, you accelerate and within seconds you get to the point, where you have to go up to the next gear. While you shift, you actually have to coordinate two things: 1. trigger the shift exactly the right moment 2. release the pressure on the pedal for a split second while the shift is happening. This process is repeated over and over again while you go through the cassette until you hit your cruising speed - until the next stop comes and you repeat this all over again. I´ve ridden all three systems you show here, they are all good systems, but for someone who is riding in the city, the trigger systems are a much better choice as you don`t have to adjust your grip on the shifter with every little shift (grip shift). Shimanos rapid fire really takes the crown here as you can move through the gears in a super fluid motion, having the upshift at the tip of your index finger. (PS: Sram doesn´t do the index finger upshift, because shimano still holds the patent on that)
But also because you nee your indexfinger for braking. In Mountainbiking you always have a Finger on your brakes so theres no need of Index shifting
In the end, all systems work great and is a matter of preference...
I've run Grip Shift on my Rocky Mountain Altitude for 3 years, love it! I've never had accidental shifts and I do not shift when breaking. Its so quick to run through gears.
Doing it like a boss!
Grip shift rules
Sram twister shifter for me. Never had accidental shifts or any break-downs in 15 years. It's a mather of preference, but I don't understand why so many people dislike it. Maybe they didn't gave it enough time to get used to. Or really had some bad luck.
Bike manufacturers should give some more shifting options IMO. Maybe use a bike configurator instead of fixed bike models.
Grip Shift is ideal for those who are not into competitive cycling.
There are those in competitive biking that utilize twist shifting for the ability to rapidly move through multiple gears.
That's not true at all. I've been using Gripshift for 24 years, and it hasn't hindered me in any way when racing or riding fast; I've never had any issues with shifting by accident, and the shifting is way faster than triggers. I've gone back to triggers twice, but I always go back to GS because I can dump and pickup every gear in one motion. The action on the shifter is also light enough to use just your thumb and index finger to twist the shifter. If I had any gripes about GS, it is the limited grip options. Also, many World Championship Cross Country races have been won with Gripshift.
I LOVE Grip shifts, they are so fast and when adjusted correctly the work wonders both on the road and on trails
Had Gripshift late 90's into the early 2000s and loved them. Since then I've been on various triggers and I've never liked them as much. Looking at a Ripley build and I think I'm going back to Grips! PS Don't remember ever accidentally shifting, but I have a really light grip when I ride.
I have not tried Sram, but am super happy with my 2x10 XTR shifter with XT mech. I have never had difficulty with the thumb or index triggers, and love go rapidly up or down the cassette. I had an old SLX system before and was surprised at the difference - so crisp.
I have used SRAM Twist Shifters for years on my Shimano derailers for all the reasons you mentioned. Now that I am an older rider and have thumb surgery, they are especially helpful. I am considering a 1x12 ( I have watched and rewatched your "4 Big Problems Of 1x ..." video) and find that only SRAM provides a twist shifter, so I am going with SRAM, probably GX rear derailer.
Thank you for all your help!!!
I had grip shift on my Cannondale V800 which I've ridden for the last 23yrs. I just upgraded and the bike came with SRAM Eagle GX Thumb shifters. The first thing I noticed is the greater strain on my thumb. I'm waiting to see if it's going to cause any pain long term, but really considering upgrading to Grip shifter if it becomes an issue.
@@sandorgyetvai6046
Since the time I wrote my answer I bought a fantastic full suspension mountain bike, Commencal 29 TR Meta. SRAM 1x12, GX Derailleur w/thumb shifter. Rode a bit and upgraded to SRAM GX Twist shifter. It is absolutely wonderful, zipping up and down the gears through mountain trails and logging roads. What a joy!!!
I have that shimano rapid fire and it's awesome
Siklistang pinoy
If you didn't repeat some concepts almost 20 times each this video would have been 4 minutes shorter
I had to use the twist shift for a while and and found I was not able to brake and downshift at the same time.
I like being able to brake on the downhill section that’s going to go into an uphill section and be in the right gear when it’s time to start to climb and I cannot do this with the twist shift.
I drive race cars so be able to brake well downshifting is a necessity.
In racing The rapid fires are very much like Heel and Toe Downshifting in stick shift cars.
i used sram twisters gripshift with shimano derailleurs, no problem
I have been looking for this comperation for two days. Thank you
I am going to upgrade my not so good SRAM SX on my Stumpy and I was torn on keeping my cool grips and staying with triggers but if SickBiker likes the GripShift then I’m going with what I really want. GripShift it is. Thanks for making my mind. And thanks for all the great videos!
How are they after one year? I'm interested in trying them myself!
I personally think twist grips are not very good, for some reason they have always been poor shifting (I have only used shimano twists grips) on the few bikes I have had with them and have changed to trigger shifts, love the shimano triggers and am disappointed by the sram system on my fat bike to the point that I would consider changing the whole lot. Sram crankset snapped less than 100km old and normal riding no off road and just don't like the sram trigger feel. As you say Maybe Shimano own the patent for that style they have but for my and my riding I like the shimano best. Just my experience not looking for an argument from anyone about what is best. I don't do any racing just recreational riding.
Thanks for the video. I finally bought a new bike after 23 years and it has a 1x with a trigger shifter. My 1996 bike has a 9 speed Grip Shift and I am so used to it. I am guessing I will adjust but it’s nice to know that GS is still available.
I have used SRAM Twist Shifters for years - automatically switching whenever I buy a new bike. I am 68yrs old and am planning on a new 1x12 (keeping my 3x8 Trek as my commuter). I will choose SRAM because SRAM, unlike Shimano, have a 12 gear Twist Shifter available.
Lol! I still use lever shifters (Suntour 8 speed with a Dura Ace 8 speed derailleur on a mountain bike; limited to 28 tooth on the rear though). Still works great!
shimano user, its good all the way since I bought my first mtb back in 1995
I think it's better to put the grip shifter on the left side. That's what I'll do since I mainly brake with the right
Oh, please use both brakes for your safety.
You mainly brake with the right? So you like skidding out and drifting all over the place when it's just a tiny bit wet or you have to brake hard?
For your own safety's sake, use your front brake more than your rear brake. You cannot fly over the handlebar if you push back your center of mass while braking.
Only morons fly over the handlebars on a flat road.
Using Shimano trigger shifters since 1995, tried gripshift too, but never felt it was as crisp as triggers, in my opinion... always try to use the higher group you can (XT or Saint are excellent options).
Thank you Dan,
I am rewatching your SRAM GX (etc) videos. Last week I received my new mtn bike, Commencal with NX but immediately upgraded to GX Chain and Derailleur. I will, if needed, upgrade Cassette, which will mean new hub/wheel.
In the meantime SRAM upgraded their GX Derailleur and set, but I think I like 10-50 better than 10-52. Of course I have 11-50 now, but wish more for 10 than 52.🤪
Thank you again Dan, for all your help.
the only thing i hate on grip shifts is that they are rubber and breaks down over time
I have a 1998 Specialized Rockhopper with Sram grip shifters and they still work perfectly today. This is my commuter bike which gets heavy use and I've never done any kind of maintenance on the shifters.
I've been using Grip shift Sram since 1996 and never returned to Shimano rapidfire. Much faster and more accurate changes!
Same here. Trigger shifters just don't cut it for me. I've been a Grip Shifter since day one.
Plus, you cannot even compare the robustness of the systems. Grip shift is SOOO Robust. I one time ripped the cable out of the cable sleave but the grip shift was perfect after I replaced the cable set. Nothing even compares to robustness of Grip Shift!
I too have been using GS since 1996. I've gone back to triggers twice, but I always come back to GS. The latest Gripshift is very good, I just wish the shifter was only as wide as the XRays, and that there were some more grip options out there.
Grip shift always shifts by accident when bunny hopping :(
This is so weird, because i've ridden with Grip Shifters for about 23 years and don't think I have ever had accidental shiftings. I usually have my index and middle finger on my rear brake lever when I'm riding and only bring them down when I have to shift. What fingers do you keep on your rear brake? I ride pretty technical stuff and bunny hop constantly and it's never been an issue for me.
I did not like twisters mostly because you have to move your wrist all the time! It is very hard and annoyng for casual ride. It also do burn palms if you do not wear gloves.
1:37 that's what she said
Grip shift is the best for me.
I love it too.
Yeah I grip shifters too. I don't get all the hate surrounding it.
@@isthisnametaken978
I have been using grip shifters ever since I have upgraded my old mountain bike more than fourteen years ago. They are a lot faster to shift between the biggest gear to the smallest gear. Peace!
@@cannondany I've been running it 1x11 on my enduro bikes for 5 years now. flawless and fast.
Just got a new bike with SRAM EAgle coming from XTR 3x 10.
Shifting wise I actually prefer the XTR, its much faster up shifting which surprised me considering how new Eagle is. I think its because XTR literally pushes the cable out rather than just lets go of the cable, relying on the rear derailleur spring to take it up.
However we put it and tweak it Shimano is superior and more refined than Sram. I also have experience both systems but shimano is more reliable and is also cheaper. Shimano is a win win system.
Shimano has been making gears waaayyyyy longer than Sram. They know gearing mechanics better than anyone.
I had been in the fishing world before I got into mountain biking and they make the best fishing reels BY FAR. So much more smooth than any other company. Diawa(Japanese company, like Shimano) makes smooth high end reels but Shimano has incredibly refined reels at every budget.
@@Kayvoyager They are the best when it comes to gears, they just aren't flashy and hip like Sram. Shimano products are all so simplistic and they're all about functionality. Mountain bikers love flashy so many love Sram. As far as how refined their shifting is, Sram can't compete with Shimano.
My Impression on 2 of the shifting system´s:
1st XT Trigger; It is nice and was already build on my Bycicle with 2x11.
Dont´t like it so i moved to 1x11 and always having one big problem with shimano, the Push Trigger was always so hard for me to use. Even oiled inner Cable didnt fix it.
2cend Just for fun and try out new things on my bycicle; I Buyed Sram GX Trigger and derailleur. And now iam super happy with that! Pushing only with Thumps is a big Thumbs UP =P and it is smooth and easy to use. And mounting on shimano was normal but Sram is fixed on my Fomula Brake.
Nothing better than German Engineering!
The SRAM X9, Attack and MRX PRO Twist Shifters are compatible with Shimano derailleur. I was introduce to SRAM Twist Shifters in 1998 with a set of SRAM MRX PRO 200-10. The shifting is easy and precise. After 20 years I still have that bike and the SRAM MRX PRO 200-10 have not require any service or adjustments and still shift like the first day. just purchase a new 2018 mountain bike with Shimano Rapid Fire trigger shift and I hate that hurt my thumbs. will be changing those for SRAM Grip Shifters.
Twisters are the best
yup
nope
Totally agree. For all the riders I've had try them in the past, they all swear by them now. Once a gripper, always a gripper :) This is the way.
@@terrybest3700 nope
@@drwang699 also acts as a clicker to alert the trigger people you're passing them
I have experience with all 3. I have used the shift shifters for the last 2 plus years with a 1x system, and I love it. I have had no issues with it; low maintenance part. Function is simple up and down simple. I use Ergon grips for those shifters that come with one smaller to offset the size difference created by that shifter. I had another brand that we cut down to keep things matchy matchy if you get what I am saying.
Thanks for sharing!
thank you
you are very smart to tell people that this is very personal choice
I like the twisters for mtb so much that I might not get thumb shifters again. We are talking about a very small movement of your wrist unless you are doing a super rare full spin out from one end of the gears to the other.
That being said, I could use either thumb shifters effectively if i had to. I hope SRAM migrates their e-shifting tech to the mtb. That would be interesting, and you could compare both of those systems. Have you used the Di2 on an mtb? IMHO tech like syncho-shift on Di2 with a 2x or 3x system would potentially help less experienced riders ride smoother and cross chain less.
7:23 until you do it too hard and your grip shift turns way past the end, messing up the whole indexing in the progress.
Never again will I use grip shifters. They are for children.
Maybe an issue with these limit screws ?
Definitely not, I overturned the shifter, so the 1st gear was actually way past the 1 and when it said 1, I was in 5th gear.
I installed shift levers now and everything works perfectly.
They are not even for children because to movement is forward and backwards
Because you were running a childs shifter, Sram GX, XO, and XX1 dont have that problem... that said I dont shift like an ape.
Triggers are the best, grip shifters suck because you can accidentally shift depending how you hold the handlebars
Not true, Ive been running XO grip shift on my enduro bikes for 5 years never phantom shifts
I love my grip shift but it got brittle and won’t click and moves around really easily so it’s on the shop. It has advantages such as like he said, being able to jump between gears faster and you can move the shifter between gears and such. Of course I am biased because I haven’t been exposed to many trigger type shifters. I think both shifters have potential but I am personally accustomed to grip shifters. Maybe if I tried to put time into adjusting to trigger type I would change my mind.
@@ledgend599 nah its a more intuitive system upgade ti the new GX its bang for you buck the best system
I changed to grip shift on both my MTB's 5 years ago. XO on my first grip bike build. XX on my second one. Wet thumb? No problem. Having a moment of hand numbness and need to make a shift? No problem.
Multiple shifting from a single motion is a big plus for me.
Something not mentioned is that you can put a piece of white tape on the inside (fixed) part of the shifter mechanism and put a dot on the movable part. Make hash marks on the fixed tape at every other gear position. Then you can see at a glance (without looking back at the cassette) exactly which gear combination you're resetting to when you add or dump multiple cogs in advance of a change in terrain. Of course, you could mark every gear position but it gets visually busy. I mark only the even gears.
I have a Shimano V-brake shifter on my MTB. I'd like to change to a grip shifter cause I like it better. Can I do that or would there be a possible unforseen problem. What I meant to say is is it inter changeable. I was asking cause you seem real knowledgeable to this video.
Chris Mancakes I'll jump in and answer anyway even if this is old. If you have brake/shift combo levers you'll probably need new brake levers unless you can unscrew the shifter from the lever. Other than that there is no compatibility issues, I've run grip shift with XT V brakes, but the one caveat from the video is true, shifting while braking is tricky to do with one hand. I still have grip shifts on one bike and trigger/rapid fire shimano on the other, both have upsides and downsides, to me on 3x9 shifting both front and back is easy with grip shift, not so much with rapid fire. Basically I shift mostly when I'm accelerating so the brake thing doesn't bother me, I guess it depends on how you ride and what terrain.
When you rear wheel is spinning on the video, you can see the brake rotor through the cassette. looks pretty weird
get your hands on box one components,try their push push shifter
I tried it on Eurobike. Pretty nice.
I've been running gripshift for 10+ years and NEVER had an issue
It does have a small learning curve but once mastered you'll never go back
You gotta be kidding me. Twistshift is ancient. I had it on 3 bikes and I'm so glad I have sti shifters
Even if they're ancient, they still work. Pros and cons are pretty much explained in video, so I'm not going to talk about them more. Generally I like triggers more too, but they're annoying when you'd need to scroll thru gears fast. If you're riding trails you know, you can pretty much prepare for what's coming so it's not a big deal. Riding unknown trails I like my fatbike's gripshifter too, since I can scroll down to lowest gear literally in half of a second when I hit rough terrain after a fast curve for example. I don't really get it why people hate gripshifters so much.
Dean Waring way cool clean looking and very smooth shifting . Going to install xx1 grip shift on my giant anthem advance pro
Shifting the front gears is a nightmare on a grip shifter. It's never accurate and you always have to trim... I can't wait to change mine to a click shifter.
I don't like the idea of having to loosen my grip and twiat the hand in a techy section. I love that I can hold on normal and click through with sti shifters
SRAM NX 11s twist shifter woks with Shimsno 11s. For street bikes staying off the rear brake during hard stops is actually a pretty good idea.
I was in a muddy race and went down. My gloves got all muddy and wet, which rendered the grip shift useless. Went with triggers, and will stay with them
Di2 puts them all into a single package, as it can be programmed!
electronic shifting is one of the best innovations in bike technology?
Doubt anyone could really explain it all but I have have searched everywhere for information and comparisons between SRAM and Shimano 12 speed trigger shifters.
Sram looks to be extremely simple with a series of indexed notches, spring and bearing whereas Shimano appears to have invested a lot of Rand D into theirs with far more intricate parts, a lot more also. There's just a lot more complicated mechanisms presumably to eek out faster and more precise shifts along with dual up shifts.
Would be really interesting to understand all the tech involved.
I always thought Shimano was weird in how they never really market their technology like some companies. Guys love hearing about all the steps it takes to machine out a part or the tolerances, you know the details that go into a given product but Shimano just kinda says here's our new 12 speed Xtr. I suppose they do market things like hyoerglide plus but there's almost nothing on what seperate xtr from xt derailleur or shifter beyond weight yet they ask double the price.
My observation on Shifters between sram and Shimano is that they take very different approaches to what you pay for.
Sram goes crazy on external materials and finish. With carbon fiber levers and external housing but the internals look almost identical to gx except I read they have bearings instead of bushings.
Shimano on the other hand looks to use similar basic plastic on all it's shifters housing and the levers use alloy for the down shifts and what looks like steel with plastic up shifter. The rest is presumably inside the guts.
Gripshift is the best by far. Sorry, thems the facts
I have rapid fire shifters on my trail bike and grip shifters on my old 98 cannondale f700 I purchased new (tells my age) I converted to a Hybrid for cruising. I like them both never any issues. I probably would prefer trigger shifters for single track or mountain biking.
I used to have gripshift. Main problem i had is wrist pain and skin burn on my palm. You don't have that problem with triggers.
How do you get a skin burn on your palm? Lmao.
PS: Oh, nevermind. I get it now lol.
Wear gloves to protect your palm
@@cle4tle most of the drivers don't want to wear gloves.
I got eagle gripshift and I do not use gloves and never had your problems.. Maybe you do not know how to use it properlY?
@@z3ro0ne75 it is not rocket science you know? :) It's no problem for short distances, but after shifting for many hours it is.
What about Box One system?
I hate twist shifters, will never use them again
I agree... My 8-speed grip shifter goes from 5 to way below 1 and the indexing is all messed up because I turned it too hard one time.
The newer shifters are great
Good stuff man, thanks for posting it.
I wrote a lengthy essay about this in 1999 .
one vote for sram trigger shifter! I like it, because of the responsiveness when accelerating a mtb. sram trigger is sort of standardized and predictable system, you start developing a muscle memory how much power you need in different kind of accelerating situations. maybe shimano fits my way of thinking, I just don't have experience in shimano mtb shifters.
That canyon exceed is gorgeous!
I was shifting my Shimano Tourney 1 at a time until I found I found change up 3 gears. Right down to 2nd. That required always a 1.
Great in depth demonstration!
Another disadvantage of the twist shift is you forget which way to shift. With trigger it's up and down with twist it's forward and backward. ( Example forward goes down the cassette and backward goes up the cassette ) I could be wrong. Secondly it takes up more space handlebars. Which means you will need handlebars that are a lot wider
You often forget which way to move pedals?
Great video & great effort!
Concise!
Thanks, this was super helpful!
im using nx sram 12 speed - the shifter is bad , after replace shimano group set is much better and smooth shifting
Hmmm 🤔 I have Sram NX 12 speed as well as a Shimano SLX 11 speed, I prefer the Sram better 🤷
never liked Sram grip twister because of often accidental shifting specially when standing up on the bike.For this reason prefer trigger and I like Shimano more.
GripShift since the release of X-800 (X-ray version)
Wonderful analisis!!
I have one bike with 10speed XTR triggers which are awesome but as an old guy I have used Gripshift and actually currently own an 8 speed shimano with Sachs power gripwhich were just before Sram bought them out and these are easily the best gripshift type shifters I have owned. Had the XRay and their plastic sucked as it was way too brittle but these built in France ones use very good plastic and shift brilliantly.
There is something to be said for the combination of sheer simplicity, build quality and shift performance of these particulr twist shifters. They are very easy to use too. I would like to try the new Sram twisties with the bearings.
Also used the Sachs. They were better than the X-rays.
I just bought some sram x9 now I'm thinking I should've got shimano shifters
GRIP SHIFT!!!!!
@3:54. why is this rumor still alive? sram grip shift works perfectly with a shimano derailleur on my bike. maybe the older were not compatible, but 2010+ models are universally compatible after adjusting the stop screws correctly
Man, that would be a big surprise to me. Isn't the cable pulling ratio different on these?
SickBiker turns out its not, i have been running shimano derailieur with sram max grip shifts for years and they work like a charm together. whatever gear number i select on the rotating selector, the deraileur goes to that exact sprocket without any issues
Its not uncommon to find people using Sram Shifters with some Shimano Derailluers. The Shimano Zee rear mech works perfectly well with an X0 shifter, trigger or grip shift
Thomas John Solidum could be some specific derailers by shimamo, probably the low range ones.
also another quick tip, if the grip shift is too sensitive and twists just by the hand moving over it, the spacer can be removed and the grips can be pressed against it, it makes it a bit stiffer and eliminates accidental shifta that many riders experience when doing technical tracks
Because it used to be an issue with SRAM & Shimano shifters having different acuations, 1:1 & 1:2 respectively; however these days they are both the same.
am i the only one who prefer the old school mountain lever shifter?
heh i remember 95s bikes they had thumb levers shiftier and Cantilevers brakes.
even on the cheapest mountain bike...
wait was the bikes of this time better than actual bikes...?
Back then you could only click on thumbs-up.
Tailslol I still have those ones😂
Grip shifter is very good
Awesome video !!
Very informative video. I think it's a shame allmost every new bike today comes with a SRAM groupset. I just can't get used to the thumb-only shifting.
Not in my country
I HATE those bloody awful Gripshift things. They can be almost impossible to operate, when I'm sweating (heavily), when it is raining ( a lot, and no gloves), or when I'm wearing very thick gloves. This renders those things almost useless in two of four seasons. Great!
Also, they often have Rubber on the outside. Now that again is all sunshine and rainbows, until the rubber inevitably wears down and breaks. Because this often means, you'll have to replace the entire thing!
The rubber on my right shifter is defective and since I HAVE to replace an otherwise perfectly functionally bike part, I'm gonna replace it with a regular shifter.
I'd rather get a fixed gear then having to deal with those awful things again.
(I'm serious bout that tough. It is winter and therefore I'm more or less riding single speed - again, those things become almost complely useless with thick gloves, it's not like I'd be loosing much at this point)
He's not from the UK, so that hasn't crossed his mind, really 😆. On a serious note, I'm interested, how long did it take for the rubber on your grip shifters to wear down? Were you using the ones made by sram or some other ones?
Really nice information, thanks a lot.
awesome honest review brotha!!! thanx for doing the vid man!!!
excellent info, thank you!
Also you said pull my finger lol
Very nicely made video fella 👍
About 15:15 a golden chain, and a golden cassette, and then they strapped some rubber protector on with plastic cable ties... pretentious much 😂
Better than using adhesive for the protector
You should have included the Box components One drivetrain set as well, it has a very interesting push-push lever~
i'm a little bit sad because you did not talk about the best feature on the sram trigger and it is that you are able to adjust the up shift (lighter gear) button to fit your thumb because this is verry useful for people with verry big or small hands
Excellent presentation! Thank you!
Good comparison!
Thankyou!!!! I'm from Brazil! Muito bom o seu post, me ajudou a esclarecer muitas duvidas!!!! sucesso para você!
I have xt 1x10 and find it very hard changing gear going to the big cogs, I believe the xt derailer spring is to stiff. It feels like I will break the shifter cable sometimes
Is out of tuning..
Why would you want to use the index finger anyway? Shouldn't that busy on your brake lever?
I personally prefer the thumb shifters because all my throttle shifters the rubber slips around the plastic part
Still using xt 9 speed dual control. I like it but brakes maybe not as powerful as modern options.
I liked them to. Had those on my Cannondale F800.
I have the xx1 eagle shifter, It always rubs on my hands when descending, so Iv'e had to push it quite far away from my grips.
Brother great Video
Thanks for the review especially for the grip, I'm hoping to get a canyon but most have a grip shift which I'm not used to that.
I like the grip shift, so maybe you'll enjoy using it too.
First of all, Thank You Very Much for your videos, they are helping me a lot
I have a question, i hope someone could answer it: is sram sxx1 cassette, rear derailleur and grip shift compatible with Shimano xtr 3x11 crankset, front derailleur and shifter?
I've chosen those because i think is the best lightweight groupset i can get for my budget and I certainly want a 3x11, and if there is any other suggestion, i would be glad to hear it
Thank you very much
You are totally fine mixing brands so long as you don't mix one brand derailleur, with the other brand shifter connected to it.
Max Dewaele Thank you very much
Can I use a rapid fire shifter in place of a SRAM shifter?
No Shimano and SRAM are not cross-compatable. If you want to replace it with a SRAM trigger you can do that.
I was using the original Shimano XT rapidfire on my Klein Atti back in 1990 when I tried on a Grip Shift for the rear derailleur around 1991 .. I was sold! I have installed Gripshift on pretty much every mtn bike I've had since, incl the two mtn bikes I bought last year. The XX1 11sp and X0 10sp grip-shifters are great. BTW I never liked grip-shift for front derailleur .. but all my mtn bikes have single chainring now.
Yeah too bad with the shift grip you cannot use your left hand to break as well....
on a single mech too bad