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Sachs
Power Grip Extreme Shifter
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Submitted by
Joel Rogers
a Cross Country Rider
from Lancaster
Date Reviewed: October 8, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Cannell Plunge | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | Too long ago to remember... | | Strengths: | Simple, light, good design, gotta love the grip protruding out past the shifter housing | | Weaknesses: | Cable change door is small and easily lost. | | Similar Products Used: | almost everything from bio-pace to suspension seatposts... | | Bike Setup: | Specialized M2, XT, Marzocchi Z2 Atom, Velomax Climax's | | Bottom Line: | Very good shifter...too bad they went out of business. Mine are close to 6 yrs old, and despite missing of the cable port covers, they are still working like a charm...I'm only wishing that I would have bought an extra set when they were on closeout a few years back...
| Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brian
a Weekend Warrior
from Chicago, IL, USA
Date Reviewed: July 26, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | LSD??? | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$1.00 | | Purchased At: | performance | | Strengths: | I have never had any problems with these shifters. They work the same as they did when I first got them. | | Weaknesses: | I use an 8 speed cassette, but they don't make 9 speed. I think Sram bought Sachs too, so they may not even be making them anymore...I could be wrong. | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano, precision billet | | Bike Setup: | Ritchey St, morati cranks, moots post and bar, precision billet front/rear derailleur, etc.. | | Bottom Line: | If you're using an 8 speed cassette, pick up a set...they work well, and are a little different than Shimano and Sram. You can fid them for $30 new if you look hard enough. That's not a bad price for a product with one of the highest mtbr shifter product ratings. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
steve benson
a Cross Country Rider
from los angeles,ca
Date Reviewed: April 21, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Strengths: | light, good grip. Great shifting with goretex cables, I have not had to adjust shifters/derailure for a couple of years of regular riding! | | Weaknesses: | gips are slick when wet if not wearing gloves. . Rear shifter just broke after 5 years of service. Internal plastic mechanism unrepairable. Issue of weight vs durability. | | Bike Setup: | Klein frame, judy dh, XT derailures, race face cranks, avid brakes | | Bottom Line: | I am looking for another set! Unfortunatly I haven't been able to find just a rear shifter. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
jp averback
a Weekend Warrior
from montreal, qc,canada
Date Reviewed: January 5, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$15.00 | | Purchased At: | my friend sold em to me | | Strengths: | well, here goes
1) i got them for 15 $. that's ALOT les then what you pay for shimano!
2)the fact that it's gripshift alows for more room to move your hands. shuttup , it works !
3) you can shift from last cog to first in 2seconds. useless , but comes in handy sooner or later
4) there are 9 , yes 9 , parts in total for this shifter
shimano pods have easily over 30 or 40
5)it's not shimano
6)morornically easy to tune | | Weaknesses: | hahahahahahahah | | Similar Products Used: | ok , well ,
shimano, lx 9and 8s , xt9 and 8s , xtr 9 and 8s , alevio 8 and 7s , stx rc, sram 5.0, 7.0, sachs , etc | | Bike Setup: | which bike ?
they are all 8 speed cuz mega 9 chains snap too ez
| | Bottom Line: | these shifters are amazing
stock , they suck.
HERE IS THE TRICK U MUST KNOW !!!!
1) memorize the internals
2)pack the shifter with grease, not too much but enough , on the friction area of the shifter, this will make it quiter and faster
3) grease the cable slider
4) go out and ride dammit !
for more ideas , just email me dude ! feel free !
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Noah
a
from Oregon
Date Reviewed: November 25, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | North Ridge, Mary's Peak | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | MTBR- Used | | Strengths: | Crisp, dependable, adjustable, comfortable, easy to clean and lube, yellow!!! | | Weaknesses: | none
| | Similar Products Used: | various grip shift models | | Bike Setup: | Frankenbike- Mongoose race frame, Judy DH, Magura rim brakes, homemade wheelset and Deore level drivetrain | | Bottom Line: | These shifters are the coolest thing on my bike. They work perfectly and are easy to work on. A drop of tri-flo every few hundred miles keeps the shifting beautifully. Would be worth twice the $25 I payed for them. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
kool keith
a Cross Country Rider
from phila.
Date Reviewed: August 7, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | wissahickon | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | crisp dependable shifting, cool color | | Weaknesses: | took a while to get adjusted, but that could be the fault of the jackass at the bike shop | | Similar Products Used: | lx rapid fire, xray | | Bike Setup: | trek zx frame sx/r forks, full lx components, xray shifters titec stem seatpost | | Bottom Line: | crisp shift if youve got a green or blue bike they look ill especially set up with some wildgripper mud tires(green) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Michael
a Weekend Warrior
from Mountains of TN
Date Reviewed: November 30, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
You really would like to know wouldn't you | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
feel, preciseness, price | | Weaknesses: |
grips that came with it aren't comfortable without gloves | | Similar Products Used: |
XT shifter/brake lever, LX shifter/brake lever | | Bike Setup: |
'97 Schwinn homegrown suspension, Manitou SXr, LX/XT/Sram levers, Sachs shifters | | Bottom Line: | Good shifters, nice feel, but the grips are uncomfortable without gloves. The grips on the shifters aren't bad, but I am thinking about replacing the grips that came with them. 4 turds since the grips are not all that comfortable. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Marc T.
a Cross-Country Rider
from Saratoga Springs, NY
Date Reviewed: November 9, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Skidmore Stables | | Duration Product Used: |
2 Years | | Strengths: |
Perfect shifting, easy-to-read display | | Weaknesses: |
None that come to mind | | Similar Products Used: |
XT Rapidfire, Gripshift | | Bike Setup: |
Fisher Supercaliber
Manitou Fs-Ti
Lots of goodies | | Bottom Line: | Best shifters I've ever used. I've been using them for two years, and have yet to have a single problem shifting. My rear derailleur moves so quickly that I have to look back to see if it actually shifted. It's quiet, light, and not ridiculously expensive. I don't think that it's hard to twist the shifters, but that's just my opinion. Maybe the people below don't lube their cables every few months... | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mikko Mellin
a Weekend Warrior
from Finland
Date Reviewed: July 22, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
Light weight,affordable,good look! | | Weaknesses: |
hmmm,none!!! | | Similar Products Used: |
Gripshift
MRX 100,
SRT 400,
X-Ray | | Bike Setup: |
Dacon frame,DH3 fork! | | Bottom Line: | Good shifting,altought a bit hard to shift.With my XTR rear & LX front derailler these shifters are hugely better than my previously SRT400 crampys.Go buy a pair of these if accurate shifting means something to you! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Doug
a cross-country rider
from NC
Date Reviewed: February 24, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
I have had these on 2 different bikes over the past 2 years and they are working almost as good as the day I put them on. Keep in mind I have did little if any maintanance to them.I will soon buy another set for my current bike but only so I can put these on a spare I'm building up.These have never failed me . - Five chilli's | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
john parker
a cross-country rider
from australia
Date Reviewed: February 24, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
sachs extreme shifters are reliable shifters but require regular maintanence to keep them working as they should.
the major problem i found was that they tend to become hard to shift.
but it isnt actually all the shifters fault.If you change your cables regulary
you will find them well worth the money. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bryant Carter
a cross-country rider
from Hampden-Sydney, VA
Date Reviewed: January 29, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
The Extreme shifters worked well, but they ended up being too hard between clicks to shift. At first that turned me on to them because the shifts were definite, yet as the system grew on me I realized that the mechanism was just too stiff---even on the smoothest setting. I recommed Grip shifts 8.0 or 9.0 because they are smoother with less effort needed to shift. The Sachs just needed too much power compared to the other SRAM shifters. | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
f. jordheim
a racer
from twin cities
Date Reviewed: January 19, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
Working as a mechanic and being totaly addicted to bike components, i have taken apart, fixed, and used almost every system out there. I truely do know what i am talking about.Pros of Sachs E> price is right
they work very well when set up properly
great action and feel
very light weight
cable change hatch (is not as easy to use as it should be
cable can be tough to route through)cons. mabey not as fashionable as XTR or 9.0 Sl
(who cares >>>> posers!!)
cable isn't very easy to feed through the hatch. (minor)in closing: preference on twist or push is the biggest deciding factor, if you like twist these shifters will not let you down. the action and feel is better than sram. and the cost is excellent and I don't even care about that because i get the stuff for pretty much free. Givem a try they really work great. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Wesul
a
from Poland
Date Reviewed: October 19, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Well, I don't like Rapid Fire shifters, so I buy Sachs Power Grip Extreme and...
I LOVE THEM!!! They are really great! They works great with Shimano XT or Sachs Quarz rear der. I'll never trade them for some Shi(t)mano Rapid Fire...NEVER!
If you want to have a great shifter for good price get Sachs. You have to try to feel it... | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
alarmed22
a weekend warrior
from Benicia, CA. (No. Bay Area)
Date Reviewed: September 24, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Good feel. Not as easy to accidentally shift. I like the detents, they drop in accurately. I like the easy to see lens. Looks cool, that's about all.The problem is that I'm using TRX rear D so all the numbers are backwards! I hate that! Sachs needs to address that soon. A replacement kit would be nice. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
steve
a cross-country rider
from western new york
Date Reviewed: September 3, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
these shifters are really excellent. i had no beef with the old crapidfire shimano's but i simply had to upgrade to 8 speeds and decided to check out a different shifting style. these suckers are dead on accurate and they are easy to use.
i'm using mine with a shimano 8sped cassette a new XT rear der. and an old XT front der. do yourself the favor and get the kevlar cables of some sort. aztecs are reasonalbe i think that's what i use. they really improve shifting a lot. my only gripe might be that the tight position on the shifters, adjusted by the little grey tab on the stem side, is maybe not tight enough, sometimes i shift on uphill sprints and when coming down hard off of something, but that's cause i ride with my thumb and index finger there.
if you're looking for brake levers to go with these get the avid 2.0 levers, and get their brakes while you're at it.
YOU'LL LOVE THESE SHIFTERS!!!!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Francisco Caetano
a cross-country rider
from Portugal
Date Reviewed: August 26, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Well...
I could be here talking and talking about the performance and quality and several other caracteristics of the Extreme Grip. But I will not!!!
Why??? Simple, there is no other way but the hard one to evaluate this (or any other) product. GO TRY IT!
Then, and only then, you will now.
What I can tell you is this, for me, It's the best shifter in the world.
Go on and find out. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sean Harley
a weekend warrior
from Edinburgh, Scotland.
Date Reviewed: July 24, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I've had Sachs Powergrip Extreme shifters on my Cannondale F1000 since May '97. All I can say is EXCELLENT!!! It took two or three rides to get the fine adjustment sorted out, but since then I've had 16 months of smooth, accurate and trouble free shifting. I like these shifters so much that last weekend after I'd bought a new Breezer Twister, the same day I bought a set of Extreme shifters to replace the LX Rapidfire. Easy to install, with grip and cable included, and equally easy to set up from scratch. I say, 'Get off your arse and buy a set TODAY!!' | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
uf
a cross-country rider
from Madison, WI
Date Reviewed: July 12, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Bought these to go with a Sachs 7-speed freewheel and Shimano XT rear derailleur. After hours of riding and hours of adjustment I can say with a fair degree of certainty that it is not possible to adjust so that it shifts from 7 to 6 _and_ from 1 to 2... in other words you will have a hard time getting into either gear 2 or gear 6, you pick. THe problem seems to be Sachs' failure to build a shifter that works with both 7 and 8 speed freewheels/freehubs. Maybe the spacing is different on 7 and 8 speed freewheels, I don't know. 8-speed is not an option for me bc I don't have enough clearance. Other than that they seem to be pretty well built. In general I prefer the thumb shifters though, because I find it inconvenient to have to twist my wrist when it is supporting my weight. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
mike
a cross-country rider
from ocean city, nj
Date Reviewed: June 1, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Got these in August of 1997. First month or so they were pretty good (I liked em, but in retrospect, I think I just hated the 6 year old shimano pushbutton / brake lever jammy that was on there)... Month by month it gets harder and harder to move the front into 1 or 3, harder to get the back into 7. Still work, but its not responsive. The sort of thing where you twist the rear, and it moves up three gears instead of the four you wanted, then you have to clip the front a little, then rework the back. Gets you the gear, its easier than it sounds, but its still a pain in the ass. Bring it to a shop and the mechanics groan about it. | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
C.
a
from cross-country rider
Date Reviewed: April 26, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Bought a Power Grip Extreme rear drl. shifter to replace my old Sun Tour XC Pro thumb shifter which had, after several years, developed considerable play and would no longer match XT indexing. I've been on several rides since the switch, and I like the Sachs quite a bit so far. They feel very firm and consistient, even a little too firm perhaps (I get a shifting blister on my thumb after long rides, even with the tension all the way down). What I like best is the way I can twist through most of the rear cogs in one shift if I want, which was the reason I held on to my XC Pros for so long. Worth a look as an alternative to other systems, like Grip Shift. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Blair
a racer
from Vancouver, BC, Canada
Date Reviewed: April 25, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I just bought a pair of Sachs Powere grip plus. They are great shifters, they are light, on the dime shifting and look cool. They also comes with grips, housing and the cables. The best thing of all is that you don't have to take of the grip to change the cable. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
James
a cross-country rider
from Austin, TX
Date Reviewed: April 23, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Let's see, how can I put this eloquently...CRAP...CRAP...CRAP...CRAP. I rarely if ever come out and rag on a product but these shifters el suckareeno. I adjust my XT/XTR's that are on my offroad bike about once every 2 months and have little or no trouble, and that setup has been going strong for over a year with only minor tweeks and an occasionall lubing. The Sachs shifters which are on my MTB/Road bike are constantly screwing up and need continuous attention, and I've only been using them for about 3 months. At first they were ok but it's obvious a fair amount of play has developed quickly. I'm using them with an STX der which is partly to blame, but the STX pods have no trouble shifting better with it, and it's unacceptable that they would require an XT or better shifter just be managable. Basically this is maybe about at good as Shimano Altus components and less reliable. I can't wait to get these off and put a decent set of shifters on. It's possible they work better with a Sachs shifter, but I don't plan to waste my time finding out. | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark Shackelford
a racer
from Fort Worth, TX
Date Reviewed: April 22, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S NOT BUTTER!!! Ok, it's not as tasty on toast but it is quite smooth. I have only put about 100+ miles on my 98 Powergrip Extremes so I can't say much about durability except that my riding buddy's have lasted a couple of years. As far as performance, I'm ashamed to say that I had second thoughts before buying them. THESE BABIES ROCK!!! I'm still dumbfounded at how well they shift. Even when dropping down into the two smallest cogs it's like flipping a light switch! And the front shifter has several positions which allows you to adjust for when you go from one end of the rear to the other. That is, you can keep the chain from rubbing the front derailleur in extreme gear changes (or something).
The 98 models also have a tension adjustment which is necessary for us with Crumpet Springs and rollamajigs. I had to crank it up to keep it in the biggest rear cog on a steep climb. And once adjusted, no problem. Anyone comtemplating switching from GripShift (the older models, any) don't walk - run to the LBS and pick up a pair ASAP. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Doug Hill
a weekend warrior
from San Jose, Ca
Date Reviewed: April 21, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Oh Great! Now SRAM has bought Sachs to learn what they know, hope they don't screw up a good thing. My son first used the Sachs system Wavey (7 spd) and had good performance over the Grip Shift units. When I upgraded my ride I used the extremes(8 spd)and have been very pleased, made the Grip Shift X-Ray 800 feel like dogcrap! From what I see of the ESP 9 shifter (easy cable replacement window, snappier shift detents, better grips) SRAM had been copying the Sachs product already. Guess if you can't beat them, join them or buy them!! Never have understood the advantage of thumbshifters either, when you need to move several steps and keep a grip I almost always see the downhillers with twist shifters. Sachs Extreme are cool, add an Avid Roll-A-Majig and you really can't beat the set-up! Five chilies... | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Adam
a cross-country rider
from Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: March 30, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I had Grip Shift.. They stunk... I bought these Sachs Extremes for $70.00 Canadian.. Pretty good price...
They work really good. Smooth, accurate shifts.. I love the way they work on the front derailleur, they get a lot of pull for the big rings. I find they shift the best on the easiest pull settings.. Gotta love that option! You can change the tension on the shift. Great! I even love the colors you can get for the grips.. I grabbed the yellow (but the price is steep for em, $10 for shifter grips!) That is my only flaw with them, the price for the replacement grips.. All the rest though, is great! Very easy to lube, just pop off the grips and you have access to the cable! So easy.. I give em the big 5!!
ESP sucks! Sachs Rules.. WHY THE HELL DID ESP HAVE TO BUY SACHS!! THEY ARE GONNA RUINE THE GREATEST SHIFTERS IN THE WORLD! -Thanks for the review slot!
-Adam (I like to yell!, so dont mind the exclamations!!) | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Eric
a cross-country rider
from Colorado
Date Reviewed: March 27, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I totally agree with everyone who likes the Sachs shifters. They are more race worthy than grip shift due to their forceful shifts, and I won't even talk about rapidfire, yech. I've been riding 'em for over a year on my cannondale, and I've never had any reason to complain. My vote is EXTRA CRISPY | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ryan Hutchins
a cross-country rider
from Montréal, Canada
Date Reviewed: March 3, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
By far the best shifters out there. I've tried Gripshift and Rapidfire, but neither of them even come close to my Sachs Extreme shifters. Each gear is much closer together than the Gripshift shifters. The Rapidfire shifter takes too long to shift back. The best part is that they are the cheapest of the three. I must say that you definetly get your moneys worth. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Robert
a racer
from Alberta Canada
Date Reviewed: January 30, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I've tried them all, some at twice the price. These are simple yet snappy. I will never buy another brand again!
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Paul Fuller
a weekend warrior
from Australia
Date Reviewed: January 30, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I have Sachs Wavey Shifters, i dont know if its a different name becuase im in australia or what? But i do prefer these over the other 'grip shifter' styled ones and over the shimanos i tried on other bikes. I only ride around the city and minimal australian bush so keep that in mind. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark
a cross-country rider
from Pitsburgh
Date Reviewed: January 20, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
You know what is really funny? When people who write in on a product and don't even use them! Just like the review under mine. DON'T READ THAT BULLSHIT! All Crazy horse,...wait a minute what kind of name is crazy Horse any way. Hes from Texas! what kinda mountain biking can you do down there. Im suprised this white trash has a computer and knows how to spell. Well back to my point. All he talks about is taking them apart and not useing them. Look at all the other good ratings! Who are you going to believe? Buy them they kick all arse! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Crazy Horse
a cross-country rider
from Austin, TX
Date Reviewed: January 8, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Sachshiftersuck. Plain and simple. I work in a shop where I have to build several of these Sachs equipped bikes a week and they just ain't made for human hands. Yeah, yeah, gripe... A fact, though, is that for proper front shifting you have to do one (or several) of the following to get it dialed: 1. Pull ALL the slack out of the front deraileur cable til it sounds like a guitar string. 2. Unscrew the cable adjuster on the shifter to take out the slack. 3. Set your limits way in and/or out. 4. Pray. Too much trouble. Don't disassemble them either, unless you have good mechanical skills, or unless you're dumb. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rick R
a weekend warrior
from Tampa, Florida
Date Reviewed: January 5, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I just changed from Grip Shift 400's to Sach's Power Extremes. First let me say that I had few problems with my 400's, but went to eight speeds and had to get new shifters. I thought about GS X-rays, but after struggling with my son's set for days, I elected to go with Sachs. I was not disappointed. They are smooth and look great. No problems at all with the XT derailleur. I may change the grips someday, but for now, I'll stick with what came out of the box. I bought my set from Performance for under $50. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bob
a racer
from Chattanooga, Tn
Date Reviewed: January 3, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I won a pair of the shifters at a race and never thought i would use them until i trashed my rear LX shifter the night before my next race. I ended up liking it. One problem, my shifting went to hell after about a month of using them. I dont know what the problem is. the shifter seems to slacken up on certain gears. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chad Craven
a cross-country rider
from NC
Date Reviewed: December 11, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I posted a review about the Sachs shifters about a year ago. (near bottom of page) After a year of racing and rough riding in some really bad conditions, my shifters are still going strong, whereas my friend has gone through 2 sets of rapidfire shifters. The only thing I have done to my shifters is replace the grips twice. They are still going strong, and the only slight sign of wear is a little play in between indexing. When these shifters do eventually wear out, I will buy another pair. I can slam all 8 cogs in the rear, when my rapidfire buddies are picking their way through the gears, and by that time, its too late, and they are already on too steep of a grade to shift, resulting in worn cogs. GREAT SHIFTERS!!!!!!!!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark Ahn
a
from cross-country rider
Date Reviewed: November 29, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I suffered with GS-800 for over a year, constantly maintaining, adding overpriced thingamajigs and teflon cables, and just plain gave up and accepted the fact that I'll miss a couple of gears. Then the switch to Sachs Extremes. The difference was ridiculous!! Simple put, one works (Sachs) the other doesn't (GripShit). Shoulda known...one is German engineered and the other American...sorry, but the truth hurts. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rob Villahermosa
a cross-country rider
from Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: November 26, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
They came with my bike. I love them. They shift very smoothly. I changed
the cables (both of them) in under 5 minutes!!! Hooray for the covered cable
hoods!! I used to have Shimano RF shifters, never going back. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Maurice
a cross-country rider
from Camano Island, WA
Date Reviewed: November 21, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Ive had mine for a year and have been very happy with them. On par with Rapid fire but better than grip shift (600 & 800). My only complaint is the gear window is hard to see when you're in rough ground. Easy cable changes and maintenance. If they last another season or two I'll rate them MUCH higher than Shimano RF. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Taeo Haas
a cross-country rider
from Fairfax Co, Va
Date Reviewed: November 7, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
First of all, rapidfire is totally unatural to me, so I use twist shifters. I had the unfortunate experience of owning Gripshift shifters. If you ride in anything but dry perfect conditions than Gripshit will eventually require hella maintanence. In addition, you get to buy bass worms, spring upgrades, rollamashitjigs and the rest of the aftermarket bullshit that really doesn't work. Buy Sachs and your gears will shift as well as rapidfire, in the mud, in the rain, everything I've thrown at them, they still work. One year later, I'm still happy, that says a lot about a MTB product. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andy
a cross-country rider
from Switzerland
Date Reviewed: October 31, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Great shifter. Way more reliable than GripShift. I switched from
Grip Shift X-Ray to the Sachs Shifters. You don't have to disassemble
the whole shifter to change the cables. They also gave me every shift
I wanted. Plus they are cheaper than Grip Shift. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Olaf
a weekend warrior
from Austin, Texas
Date Reviewed: October 26, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Muddy conditions: 5 chilies
fighting for control in rocky trails: 5 chilies
The shifters always did what I wanted.
Make sure the shape of the grips fits to the shape of the
shifters, so that you're comfortable. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Patrick Crow
a racer
from Boise
Date Reviewed: October 23, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I replaced my grip shi(f)t with the Sachs Shifters, wow, what an improvement. Notice the 98 SRAM looks alot like the Sachs. I haven't replaced a shifter cable in so long since I installed theses shifters. I was always replacing cables and cleaning to keep my Grip Shift shifting. Even then, grip shift shifted terribly. This shifter delivers rapid fire quality shifting in a Twister Shifting format. Hooray! 5 stars because they are light, reliable, and shift brilliantly. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Murray A. Whittal
a cross-country rider
from Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: October 23, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I used to own grip-shift, but I now own Sach's Powershift Extreme. I found with grip shift that I used to miss a lot of shifts, also the 2-1 ratio from the shifter to the deraileur was annoying. Try Sach's!!!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
ZoomBoy
a cross-country rider
from Ma
Date Reviewed: October 17, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
These came stock on my bike. I love 'em. Shifts are crisp and quick. Add a Rollamajig and they shift like butter. Cable changes are a snap. Easy to adjust too. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
sean
a weekend warrior
from plymouth
Date Reviewed: October 15, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
after a year they still work flawless
my friends have tried white industries, xt, xtr etc. they alll suck
they only other one that i would try is sram 9.0 with derailler.
but for the money none better. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Big Dave
a cross-country rider
from Waterdown, Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: October 13, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
If you prefer twist shifting do yourself a favour and get a set of these shifters. I switched from Grip Shift SRT 600 and I am truely amazed at the difference in shifting quality. I put the shifters on, attached the cable to my rear derailleur and had perfect shifting instantly, with Grip Shift I had to fiddle around with the adjustments for about 5 mins to get thing to my satisfaction and then readjust after every ride. For $52 US from Price Point you get shifters, cables, housings, rips and perfect shifting. What more could you ask for. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steve
a cross-country rider
from Berkeley, CA
Date Reviewed: September 21, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Thumbs up--Ergonomic shifting grip and stationary grip, very fast shifting (small rotation), crisp, functions nicer than GS Thumbs down--Handlebar clamp bolt is in front, making you clamp down your shifter first, and then your brake levers. Gear indicator window is a bit hard to read.In a nutshell--Cheaper, nicer, and just plain better than GS. Would give it 4 for the stuff under Thumbs down but then again, you only clamp your shifters down once and you basically know which gear you're in anyway | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike West
a cross-country rider
from Palmdale, CA
Date Reviewed: September 20, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
After setting it up and adjusting it, my Sachs Powergrip Extreme works perfectly. The little numbers in the window correspond to the gear I'm in and each small twist of the grip clicks me into the next gear without having to look away from the trail. I can't imagine anything that would work better. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
All Thumbs
a cross-country rider
from ca
Date Reviewed: September 15, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I've used Rapid Fire, GS800 and now these. The veridct? Sachs rule. They look cool (let's face it-that matters as much as anything); the shifting is sooo crisp,; and did I mention that they look cool? Simply the best. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Max
a cross-country rider
from Maryland
Date Reviewed: September 6, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Umm, first I would like to say that the bone head who obiously is a gripshift or rapidfire fan is so isecure of his/her sub-par shifter that he/she feels the need to lower the ratings... hmmm, if your annoying people, obviously you're doing something right (Prodigy in Rolling Stones interview)
I gotta say that this is the best shifter! Love the variable shift effort thing, I love the no-maintenance concept, love the grip (helps me rotate the bike more forward for bronco kicks, plus I put my Klein mushroom grips on my g-friend's bike and she loves them cuz they're retro). Great product.. one click, one shape... what a concept!! Five red hot chilli peppers! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
T.Wrecks
a cross-country rider
from Bohica, TN
Date Reviewed: September 1, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I am very happy with my Sachs Grip Shift Extreme. The only thing I noticed is that the 1-8 numbers in the window on mine don't seem to match the gear change sequence. The numbers roughly match the gears however, and let you know which way to shift, which is most important to me. I feel they deserve an honest 5 rating because of their simple setup, high quality construction, and low price ($55 for both shifters and grips). The grips themselves are very extreme in their deep texture and I might opt for something a little more comfortable in the future. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
jarmo
a weekend warrior
from Finland
Date Reviewed: September 1, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Best what you can buy on the earth.They are cheeper and better than shimanos shifters. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Primoz Ladava
a cross-country rider
from Slovenia
Date Reviewed: August 18, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Very good. Before Sachs Powergrip Extreme I had Grip Shift shifters. Believe me or not my XT derailleur didn't shift as an XT but as an Alivio or AceraX. Now Sachs Powergrip Extreme shifts like a swiss clock. It is also much more resistent if I compare it to the original grip shift. It doesn't shift by itself if you jump or take a short downhill.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rob Weiker
a cross-country rider
from Colorado Springs, Co
Date Reviewed: August 14, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I thought I was the only one who loved these things. I've had them for two years and there the best. I'd pay $100 for them. I could not believe how awsome they shift. Make sure you get the ones designed for shimano or if you have quarz get the ones designed for sachs. Cleaning is a breeze. When you take apart the front make sure you pay attention to how the spring goes in. It could be a pain in the !!!!! to get in if you don't know what to do. Buy them and you will not be sorry, I promise it!!!!!!!!!!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Pete La Bombard
a cross-country rider
from USA
Date Reviewed: August 10, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I've used them for the past two years. I'm a hacker and mudhound, and have a serious problem cleaning my bike! Haven't missed but two or three shifts in that time. I've used Xrays and 600s with bassworm and rollamajig and these shifters are gorgeous. Wear gloves cause if your hands get slick you're not going to do much shifting! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Phil
a
from vancouver
Date Reviewed: August 9, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I haven't used it, but as a bike mechanic I've installed it on a few bikes and I've got to say, it sets up much nicer than gripshit and seems to be compatible with most levels of derailleurs and the customers have all been satisfied. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John Pelner
a cross-country rider
from Colorado Springs CO
Date Reviewed: July 27, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Over six months with Sachs, used with Ride-On goretex-lined cables, and no problems, no biweekly maintenance as with Grip-Shits. Tight crisp shift in rear; only problem is minor adjustment trouble up front with 95 XT derailleur. Not just cheaper but much better than any Grip-Shit product. Go buy these right now. Five chilies. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
David
a weekend warrior
from San Diego
Date Reviewed: July 26, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I have used both the Rapid Fire and the Sachs Extreme and for me they both worked well. The differences for me were:REAR: The Sachs shift FASTER than Rapid Fire for the rear. Both offer positive shifting action, but I can shift from the smallest to the largest cog (or vice versa) in one twist, where as the Rapid Fire requires multiple finger presses to accomplish the same effect. When on the flats and shifting one gear at a time to compensate for small grade differences, both systems work equally as well. However, when approaching a steep hill and need to shift through all the gears quickly, Sachs do the job faster.FRONT: The Rapid Fire shifts BETTER in the front than the Sachs. The Sachs require 2-3 clicks to change from one chain ring to another, whereas the Rapid Fire needs only one finger press. This 2-3 clicks is annoying sometimes because if you miss one click the derailleur can rub the chain or worse the chain grinds away trying to make the jump to the next chain ring. When the correct number of clicks are made using the Sachs, both systems work equally as well. However, the Rapid Fire make missing a shift a lot harder to do. Bottom line: The Sachs shifters work great. My Cannondale came with them and I was a little disappointed at first since the Rapid Fires worked so well. But the Sachs are a great alternative for those who prefer a grip shifting type system.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jamez 5
a cross-country rider
from Illinois
Date Reviewed: July 23, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I have been running these shifters with XT derailures for about 5 months know and they are superb. You do not have to take these apart after every third ride like gripshift, and they seem more durable than rapidfire. They shift first time every time. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike
a weekend warrior
from Cary, NC
Date Reviewed: July 23, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I got the Sachs powergrip shifters on my 97 C-Dale. I had rapidfire's before and I like these a hell-uv-a lot better than anything else out there. They shift everytime and are precice and fast. Sachs did an awesome job with these shifters and the people at shimano can kiss their little asses because their rapidfire's are on a much lower level than the powergrip Xtreme!!!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jay
a cross-country rider
from Maryland
Date Reviewed: July 14, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Just installed Sachs Powergrips in place of first generation Shimano rapid fire shifters and they are far superior and a great value. For $28 I bought Powergrip base model (same internals but without gear indicator window and gnarly grips of the Extreme model), and got front & rear shifters, new grips and nice teflon coated cables. Installation & adjustment was easy though the directions weren't very detailed. Used old cable housings.
RIDING: Went for a 2+ hour ride in hilly terrain to check out these shifters and they ROCK! Shifting is fast & intuitive, much better than old Shimano shifters. Great thing is ability to quickly shift through multiple gears, and to easily trim the front derailleur. Unlike my old shifters, was easy to shift during out of the saddle climbs. And because it was so quick shifting, could ride longer up a grade in a big gear and shift at the last second. I definately rode faster with these shifters and with a big smile on my face the whole way.
BOTTOM LINE: These shifters are great performers and can't be beat for the money. There is nothing close in price, and I doubt anything can significantly exceed their performance. For box stock, no bassworm, no cog hog, no Gore cables and little adjustment, these shifters provided superior performance and definately more enjoyable riding.
RATING: Definately 5 Chiles for performance & value. Great job SACHS! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John Tyler
a cross-country rider
from La Quinta, California USA
Date Reviewed: July 12, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
When I purchased my Cannondale F600 comp. new in Aug. 1996, it came equipped with the Sachs Extreme Powergrips. The guys at TRI-A-BIKE in Palm Desert could not say enough positive things about these shifters, paired on my bike with Shimano LX componentry. I had experience with twist shifters on my old Trek (Grip Shift 400's) and they were O.K., but prone to binding and missed shifts on the smaller rear cogs. After one year, I agree with the SHOP DOGS at TRI-A-BIKE. The shifts are crisp and clean, no caffeine, always on the makr, and I have not worried about shifter maintenance. Hassle free performance, that says it all. One request-could Sachs make replacement shifter grips in blue-not everyone rides a red or yellow C-dale. Thanks! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Alex
a weekend warrior
from Japan
Date Reviewed: June 27, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
If you have Grip Shift and have trouble of shifting, go and get Sachs.
My '96 C'dale F 700 came with Grip Shift X-ray, Shimano XT in rear, and LX in front which I had trouble of shifting; Grip Shift never guided right gear positions, especially in front.
So I replaced Sachs Extreme Shifters about four months ago. So far my choice was right. Sachs leads right gear position at one click. Friction is light, even if I overshited. Also, cable replacement is extremely easy compared with Grip Shift, so I can maintain the shifters by myself.
Overall, I give four chilies for the shifter. I will save last chilly if they keep their functions more than a year. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jerry M
a cross-country rider
from Canada
Date Reviewed: June 8, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Just put these on and am very impressed. The shifts are fast and accurate, almost as good as 88 XT with thumbies. My old bike with the 88 XT derailer and Gripshift 400 that my son insisted on works just as well though. It must be the old and powerfull spring. I like the tension adjustment and the beefy twisters. I do not like the stock grips, how much grip do you need. four chilies with the stock grips and five if the improve them. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ira Blumberg
a weekend warrior
from Redwood City, CA
Date Reviewed: June 6, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I just replaced a gummed up Grip Shift X-ray rear shifter with the Powergrip Extreme. Note, the Grip Shift had started to bind after about 2 years of light mostly road riding. I tried to clean and re-grease it with WD 40 and synthetic grease and that rendered it completely useless. I was then faced with the choice of purchasing the special Finishline Grip Shift overhaul kit at $9 or a new Powregrip shifter for $27.As soon as I read that the Powergrip required NO maintenance or re-lubrication, I was convinced.After just a brief ride I can report that the Powergrip gives faster, cleaner shifts than Grip Shift did even when new. I don't know how long it will last, but at least for now, I am completely satisfied.I also like the adjustable shifting friction. I can adjust from very light resistance to heavy resistance.My current set up is a 1995 Shimano LX rear derailleur with no Grip Shift enhancements (like Bassworms, higher force return springs or Rollamajigs). I don't think any of those things are necesarry with the Powergrips. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Crash
a cross-country rider
from Buffalo, NY
Date Reviewed: May 29, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Just installed them yesterday with a Rollamajig. They worked great on my shake-down ride. I keep overshifting because I'm used to GripShit, which hardly ever worked right anyway. I love the fact you never need to service them, and cable changing should be a breeze. The aggressive grips are awesome, but the h-bar grips will take some getting used to.
Why buy GripShit...go Sachs go! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
DGoods
a cross-country rider
from the Midwest
Date Reviewed: May 19, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
If you are contemplating buying these shifters or comparing them to Grip Shift,
Shimano, or anything else stop wasting your time and buy them. I replaced my venerable Thumbshifters with them and wish I hadn't waited so long. Set up is easy and they work great with the stock cable, an XT rear der, and an XTR (old style) cassette. They shift quickly and cleanly everytime. I'm very impressed and happy with them. Much better than Grip Shift and more simple than rapidfire. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sam Speed
a cross-country rider
from Canada
Date Reviewed: May 18, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
What, no ten star rating? These things rule. I just got the Powergrip Plus and these kick ass over my old Deore LX and rock any GS, X-Ray or otherwise. They also shift about 20 million times faster than any other shifter I have used, and I have used everything. Long live Sachs and shit on GS and Shimano! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Cail Schmitz
a cross-country rider
from Victoria, BC Canada
Date Reviewed: May 12, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Great shifters, read other reviews for more. One note: used with a
rollamajig and teflon cables, you do NOT need a Powerspring! I had one installed when the bike was built up just on the assumption that I'd need it. WRONG! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andrew
a racer
from New Brunswick, Canada
Date Reviewed: May 9, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I just got a pair of the Power Grip Extremes, and well...they rule! Way less twist motion than GS, super easy cable changes, Tune To Terrain function's pretty neat, the red grips are actually red, unlike GS's pinkish orange puke color, super quick shifts. Don't waste your time/money with GS... | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave
a cross-country rider
from Monterey,CA
Date Reviewed: April 29, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I bought the Power Grip Wavey 3 months ago as an experement. The grip shit x-ray 800 that came on my bike never worked right, and I didn't want to plop down major bucks, only to be disappointed with another set of twisters. These shifters cost 34 bucks, and they worked flawlessly right out of the box, no bass worm, no rollamagig, no goretex cables. Low cost and superior performance, what else does one need? | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
David F
a cross-country rider
from Baltimore, MD
Date Reviewed: April 22, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Actually purchased the Sachs Wavy shifter. Far superior to Gripshift 400 that came with the bike. Never have had to clean it or grease it. It works flawlessly no matter what the conditions. It also gives a much more precise feel and shifts much better than Gripshift. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris Weber
a
from VT USA
Date Reviewed: April 15, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Works better than Grip Shift with XT maybe better than XT with XT?? They're a little harder to twist at first but they break in. Can't be ripped off of the handlebar in a crash like my LX's were. Vey easy to maintain. Well Done | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ron
a cross-country rider
from USA
Date Reviewed: April 7, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
The Sachs shifter/derailleur combo is incredibly smooth. These shifters are obviously superior to
Grip Shift in every way. The derailleurs are excellent also. The front inverse pull design is great. I hear they are working on a rear inverse pull der. now! (and Shimano is working fast to imitate)The new shifter covers
are FAR better than last years. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Paul Wagner
a cross-country rider
from Ann Arbor, MI
Date Reviewed: March 24, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
This retrogrouch exchanged his beloved thumb shifters for Sachs, and is very pleased. Makes great shifts despite being paired with a very worn LX rear derailleur. Not sure what would be better. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Charles Coker
a cross-country rider
from austin,tx
Date Reviewed: March 19, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
The Sachs Power Grip Extreme shifters are wonderful.
Ultra easy and qucik installation.
Paired up with 96 XTR front (bottom pull) & rear derailleaurs
they worked flawlessly, shifting is quick and very precise, like
XTR shifters, very positive, accurate shifting (the XT shifters
aren't as precise and crisp feeling, (they work fine)The Sachs/Avid levers setup was signifigantly lighter than the
XT shifter/lever combo as well. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Alvin Fu
a weekend warrior
from MA
Date Reviewed: March 8, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
These are the fastest shifters I've ridden. They are smooth powerful and fast. Get'em fast!!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tim Goodwin
a racer
from Vancouver, Wa.
Date Reviewed: March 1, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I have the ultimate shifting set up with these shifters. I love these
shifters the put gimp shift and rapid failure to shame. I have them
paired with XT rear derailluer and a Avid rollamajig and they do not
hesitate a bit. I think this is the best shifting setup you can get
they are cheaper and more efficent and take less maintnence than any
other type of shifter out there. I think they deserve at least 10
pepper's. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Len
a racer
from Victoria, B.C.
Date Reviewed: February 11, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I'm very impressed so far, had these beauties for a couple of months and so far so good. My only complaint is the amount of twist force required to click off a shift, but I'm guessing this is something inherent to all twist shifters (this is the only twist shifter I've used). I installed a Rollamajig and now I'm 100% satisfied with the system, the Rollamajig dramatically reduced the amount of twist force required to click off a shift, definately a recommended purchase. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ray
a weekend warrior
from Albany, NY
Date Reviewed: February 11, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
These shifters are great! I was always a rapid-fire fan. My son had GS800 and I wasn't convinced. When I got a pair of these shifters, I just couldn't believe it. My son tried mine out and he decided to dump the Grip Shift, (any takers?). His Cannondale has a Ringle hub with Sachs Freewheel and shifting is great! Replacement grips are just now becoming available at LBS at cost of $9. Extreme grip will fit the Plus shifters, but they don't have an indicator arrow, which is not needed on the Extreme. Buy 'em and love 'em! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Stu
a downhiller
from New Zealand, Christchurch
Date Reviewed: February 9, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I've had no problems with the shifting while using Sachs Extreme shifters,
however, the actual shifting grip has a habit of becoming detached on rough
downhills. This leaves you 'spinning' and unable to change gear, it is
easily fixed but can leave you at a stand still on climbs. Part of the
reason for this is the outer grip slowly shrinking outwards (I don't run
bar ends). I've fixed this by retro-fitting new grips (Rocky Mountain to be
exact), this seems to have fixed the problem. The shifters grip also wears
very quickly, can anyone get new ones? I've seen pictures of a new and more
aggressive grip but haven't seen any in stores yet. Also you have to
question the logic of using a 3mmm allen to clamp the shifters to the bar.
The shifters are east to maintain and to change cables on though, but I'll
use rapid fire plus next time, even though they cost alot more. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Roger
a cross-country rider
from Phoenix
Date Reviewed: February 8, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
At the risk of being redundant , I have to echo everybody elses comments about these shifters . They work excellently , much better than the Grip Shift 500's that I've been using for the better part of three years , and that is without the Bass Worm or the other contraptions . The shifting is crisp , they feel great in your hands , and they are cheap (er). I'm much happier with these shifters than the Grip Shift's . The only drawback is that they are a bit wider than the competitions-they take up a bit more space on the handlebars. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Grand Pooh Bear
a
from cross-country rider
Date Reviewed: January 28, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
By far the best shifter I've used. They rock! They work great. They are well engineered. They make GS look sick(er). The large diameter grip surface on the inward facing edge is fantastic. Nothing compares. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Alec ODoherty
a
from T Bay Canada
Date Reviewed: January 17, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
With the right Shimano derailleur you will experience flawless perfect shifting.
Honest. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dangerous Dan
a racer
from Tucson, AZ
Date Reviewed: January 15, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I have these shifters on my '97 Y-22 with a '95 (old style) XTR rear der. and I am amazed at how well they shift. I can shift as fast as I can think it. They are pretty cheap too considering how well they shift and that they work flawlessly with Shimano der., which sets my mind at ease because if I ever bust a der. or shifter I can find them at any LBS. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ian Longstreet
a racer
from Santa Barbara, CA
Date Reviewed: January 14, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I have the slightly cheapper Power Grip Wavey's. These things are the bomb. No need for the shift window or spring adjustment of the expensive model. The more extreme grips work better anyway. I've tried Gripshit and Shimano Rapidfire.With the 96 XT R. Deraileur nothing can compare. I was always a srtong supporter of Rappidfire until I bought these. What can I say? Even Shimano couldn't tune their shifting better! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Yeng Chen
a
from cross-country rider
Date Reviewed: January 10, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Great Shifters.
I upgraded to the Powergrips from GS600. They are smoother and more positive in feel then my old GS600. My GS600 never quite shifted right; there was just to much drag. The Powergrips give a perfect shift every time.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chad Craven
a cross-country rider
from NC
Date Reviewed: December 6, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I recently got some of these shifters, and love them. They shift real good with my XT rear der. (also new) Unlike my old GS, they click to the gear you put them in. With GS, I had to go farther than I wanted, and then come back one gear. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave Lyons
a cross-country rider
from Howell, NJ USA
Date Reviewed: November 27, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I recently purchased a Cannondale Killer V 900HT and it was packaged with these shifters. I had previously used rapid fire shifters which didn't cut it. For the 1st 600 miles I had no problem, but after a stick ripped off my rear LX I went to an XT and have had nothing but problems since. I get mystery shift, two for one up and down and ghost shifting while pedaling over bumps. New cables have not worked and it appears as though mechs. do not know about the minute adjustment possibilities. If we can't replace the rear der. without incurring problems what is next? | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeremy Charette
a racer
from Rochester NY USA
Date Reviewed: November 27, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
Best shifters I've tried yet. Went from GS 500s to GS 600s to 800 X-Rays to these, and none of the GripShifters compare. Shifting with the Sachs shifters is as fast as with RapidFire shifters, but as easy as GripShift. Lighter springs mean easier action, better gripping surface, and easier to install a new cable. One click, one shift, doesn't get any easier than that, and they seemingly never wear out, which I can't say about my 800 X-rays. They wore out on three months. Had the Sachs shifters a year, with no complaints. Five stars! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeff
a cross-country rider
from Anchorage Alaska
Date Reviewed: November 17, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
All the reat of the reviews say it all. THESE ARE THE BEST SHIFTERS OUT THER RIGHT NOW! (in my opion, and everyone is entitled to their own) Way better than all the options!!Buy em, use em, Love em!!Jeff | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jon Severson
a cross-country rider
from Winona,MN
Date Reviewed: November 16, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
These are the finest and must durable shifters I have used to date. They are made for those of us who actually RIDE offroad and beat on our stuff (unlike Rapidfailure and Gripshit). I have used Deore, XC-Pro, and Campy thumbies. XT, LX, and rode once XTR rapidfailure. All clogged up during rain and muddy races. Thumbies worked well though. HAd gripshit 600 and 800 X-ray...both needed add ons and frequent mainatance (at least they could be fixed unlike RF). My Sachs shifters and der (quarz) run smooth. No fancy cables or housing (using cheapo brake housing), bassworms, or such. I do use a rollamajig because it makes cables and housing last alot longer (less friction, I've had one for 9 months now). Saw the new grip for next year and it is SWEET....even the bar grip is nice (unlike gripshit). So if it's so nice why do the nice people at the shop try to get me to use RF or GS? A) They buy stuff at cost so if it wears out they can get a new one cheap.B) Gripshift offers an EXCELLENT deal to employees. C) Shop owners want their guys to use what comes on the bikes they sell.So try SACHS. A riding man's bike component company.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Randy
a weekend warrior
from College Station, TX
Date Reviewed: November 8, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
If you like twisties, these are the shifters for you. They are much better performers than the Grip Shifts...No need for any patchups like bassworms needed. I am using them with an XT in the rear and an STX up front...no problems at all. Warning....there are two versions. One for use with Shimano and the other for use with Sachs. Make sure you get the correct one. I don't beleive that these shifters should be rated badly if the wrong one was purchased...(in regards to the other review). Its not the mistake of the product but of the consumer. Anyway, Gripshifts performance is no match for these. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Robert
a weekend warrior
from New Zealand
Date Reviewed: October 30, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
Beware there are two versions of this shifter. I ended up with the Sachs compatable version rather than the Shimano one. The result was that shifting wouldn't work properly with a Shimano cassette and rear derailler as the Sachs version is designed for a slightly different spacing on the cassette ie a Sachs cassette. The packing did not state whether it was a Sachs or Shimano version. The shop I purchased them from replaced them free of charge with Gripshift SRT-800 (which I have all the usual problems with)I will probably go back to trigger shift soon rather than use Goretex cables, Bass worms and Rollamajigs etc | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Arnis Pape
a weekend warrior
from Spearman, Texas
Date Reviewed: October 16, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
The Sachs shifters are my first choice for quick, reliable shifts and low maintenance. I have an LX Rear Derailleur and get consistent shifts with no need for a bass worm or rollamajig. Installation was a snap. Grip Shifts aren't in the same league. Put these on your bike and quit worrying about whether your shifters will work when you need them. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Daniel Hayakawa
a racer
from Tucson, AZ 85705
Date Reviewed: October 7, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
Gripshift just got it's butt kicked! I did a side by side test between the Sachs Powergrip Extreme and the Gripshift X-Rays and I will never go back to Gripshift again. The Sachs shifter is very smooth, comfortable to the hand and works flawlessly with my shimano XT derailleur. You can even change the force required to shift with the Tune to Terrain function. The only problem with these shifters is that it took forever to get them. They are always on back order with Performance. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Josh LaRue
a cross-country rider
from ME,USA
Date Reviewed: July 24, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
Sachs power grip, grip shifter is a fairly decent shifter. I put these on
my bike about 3 months ago and they are still working great and has not
needed any oiling yet. This model is about equal to Sram Grip Shift srt 600.
One good plus about these shifters over Grip Shift models is that they have
a special port for changing the cable without taking the whole thing apart.
They also take a little getting used to if you are used to the Sram models
since Sachs models shift in the opposite direction.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
James Michaels
a weekend warrior
from London, England
Date Reviewed: July 4, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I've been using these retro-fitted shifters now for a couple of weeks and
I'm dead impressed. The micro-indexing on the front shifter is a godsend
for those who might not have their front mech set up perfectly. These
shifters are on par with the high end 'Gripshift' models at a third of the
price. I was using a 'Power Spring' in my rear mech with my old gripshifters
but very soon realised that the design of the Sachs shifters does not
incorporate the pulley-like design of Gripshift (which is why it is so easy
to replace the Sachs' cable when needed) so I put back the old Shimano
spring and all of a sudden I no longer needed Terminator grade wrists to
turn the grips. The shifting is generally very positive with good audible
clicks and the grips themselves are comfortable and ergonomic. The bar
clamp is a vast improvment over Gripshifts wimpy grubscrew affair. All in
all at first sight, these shifters are a great high value for money purchase. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave
a weekend warrior
from S.F.
Date Reviewed: June 21, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I have only just set them up, but they derserve a review for how easy it was to do so. The grip is perfect except that they take up alot of space on the handle bar ( about a n Inch more than srt800). The opening latch for wire attachement is great, just pop off the cover insert the wire and set it up to your stuff. The action seems fine so far, and I have not messed with the Shimano stick spring. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Scott Bauer
a cross-country rider
from Columbia, MD
Date Reviewed: June 7, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
The design of the Power Grip Extreme is excellent and shifts perfectly with my XT components. My only gripe (and it's a serious one) is that the rubber twister grip surface has worn smooth in only two months! The company says that they already have a redesign in the works. In addition, a more textured surface would be nice.
| | Overall Rating: |
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