Grip Shifts Vs. Rapid Fire

[xc62701]

Hey guys and gals. I've been doing some thinking while gathering parts for a new build and have been wondering about shifter choice. I've always used the rapid fire shifters and even used those dual control shifters for a while but still have been a fan of the rapid fire, especially the sram xo's. But I've recently been thinking about maybe trying the gripshift xo's and seeing how they may benefit. I know they are lighter so that's already a plus and a ton of people swear by em so they can't be all bad. I've never liked them since I first saw them. They seemed cheap and cheesy but maybe I'll like them. Talk me into or out of them

 

[mike_243]

personally I have always shifted when I did not want to just because of me twisting my hands on the grips...of course that is just my 2 cents..

 

[lifeisgoodrideNJ]

You just can't beat the sram xo rapid fire. IT's just too sweet.

 

[Ian F]

Can't hurt to try 'em... I tried them a couple of times and eventually decided I couldn't stand them... and have been a rapid-fire devotee ever since. I simply find RF more intuitive.

But that said, different strokes... some folks love 'em.

 

[BiknBen]

I've tried it every way and backwards. It really is a personal preference thing that can't be determined till you try it. At one point, I was running a Grip-Shift front shifter and a RF rear shifter on the same bars. People thought I was bi-polar.

I've heard that unintentional shifting excuse forever. In ten years, I can think of only two times that I twisted the Grip-Shift unintentionally and cause a shift.

 

[Frank]

People thought I was bi-polar.

You're not? :rofl:

I've heard that unintentional shifting excuse forever. In ten years, I can think of only two times that I twisted the Grip-Shift unintentionally and cause a shift.

I had them at first and always shifted when I didn't want to ....I think it has more to do with the size of your hands. Me has large mitts.

 

[Fogerson]

I preferred grip shifts, well, until I found myself preferring no shifters at all.

I actually had no choice but to go grip shift because of arthritis in my thumbs.

 

[jdog]

I think xt's are the bee's knees.

Having spent some demo days riding countless bikes I would always feel at home on XT's.


That being said I was a gripshift guy forver.

In the late 90's I sold 100's of pais of GS.

 

[kimrey]

I had grip shifters for years and thought they were fine until I got on a friend's bike who had RF. I replaced my grip shifters that week with RFs, and normally I don't replace anything unless it's broken.
I find the movement of index finger and thumb to be much simpler than twisting the wrists. Being a former military guy, I guess I also like the feeling of pulling a trigger :getsome:
If you can swing it borrow a bike with them and ride your favorite trail to see what you think.

 

[hardtale70]

I only rarely mis-shift when dirtjumping w/ GS and have never had a problem during XC. They just index so much better than anything else and you can dump A TON of gears in half a second. They are also much louder so people hear you upshifting out of the top of a climb and get much more demoralized

 

[Steve Vai]

I've been running the Sram XO's this season and really like them. I used to run XT's and liked them too. If I had a choice I'd run the XTR pods because they feel the best IMO. I've never had gripshift because I have a small hand and don't like how the bump feels. Try someone's bike who has them and see what you think.

-Jim.

 

[gtluke]

I've tried it every way and backwards. It really is a personal preference thing that can't be determined till you try it. At one point, I was running a Grip-Shift front shifter and a RF rear shifter on the same bars. People thought I was bi-polar.

i was actually talking to utah about this last week. seriously you can have a walmart shifter on the front and you would hardly notice. you shift it hardly ever, and all of them suck. those dual control brake things or the twist grip would be great since it saves weight.

 

[NJMX835]

I've always ran rapid fires on my XC bikes & grip shifters on my DH bike.

I think I'm going to change to a rapid fire on the DH for next season though, I like having my hands right at the end of the bars & that makes it a pain to get my right hand inward to shift & also I think it's easier not having to twist your wrist to shift.

 

[doofus]

I've always used Grip Shifters.
Never unintentionally shifted them.
The nice thing about using them for the rear is if you come around a corner to an "oh Shit" uphill, you can shift completely through the cassette with one movement. Try that with rapidfire.
Additionally, to me, they're much more intuitive.
Only one control to move.
That may not seem like a lot, and maybe I'm dumber than others, but in really hairy situations, I don't have to think about which lever to push or pull.
Lenny

 

[tonyride]

I currently have 4 bikes and I have all three types (GS, DC, RF for each of the 3)... 4th bike is a SS so no shifter required. I see merits to all three systems. I've used GS for about 10 years and I love them. I never had unintended shifts and I like that fact that you can shift many gears with just one twist of the wrist. It is also lighter and have fewer parts so less suseptible to malfunctions. I guess you'll just have to try them out and see if they're for you.