The most exciting function of the redesigned XTR group is the Dual Control Lever. It allows shifting and braking, from various hand positions, allowing the rider to focus on the trail. Designed to work with v-brakes brakes only. 412g
Submitted by
Brian
a Racer
from Rochester, NY Date Reviewed: December 3, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Ellicottville, NY wnymba madness
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$100.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
Precise shifts, low shift throw effort, no sore thumbs after the third hour of riding.
Weaknesses:
Not-so-tough shifter housing. Looks more vulnerable than it actually is, though.
Similar Products Used:
20 yrs of DX, LX, XT, then XTR thumbies. Never liked twisters.
Bike Setup:
Stumpjumper S-Works and Pro hardtails, full XTR. Stumpy FSR full XT.
Bottom Line:
Great if thumb shifter leave you numb during long rides. At the bottom of a screaming decent to the finish sprint my buddy Joe got the jump on me because my right hand was too numb to shift. That crushed me. Then these pups came out. Been on 'em since then. I don't run rapid-demise in back, believing the cable should pull into the more difficult shift (which is UP to the bigger diameter gear), and it runs beautifully. I like to downshift while braking into turns, so I use the thumb releases. Avid BB7 cable discs. Love 'em. Now that I'm on hydraulic discs on a HiFi 29er I have to get used to thumbies again. Bugger.
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Submitted by
Chris O
a Weekend Warrior
from Brookline Date Reviewed: December 7, 2006
I’m basically happy with these shifters after using XT triggers for ten years and DX push/push shifters for four years before that. They were easy to get used to and function just fine. Having said that, I’ve got a few small criticisms. First, they look clunky. You would think the integrated design would allow for a cleaner look, but they’re bulkier than my old XT’s. The added bulk on the shifting portion of the unit doesn’t include a numbered optical gear indicator; instead there’s a minimalist gear indicator integrated into the cable. This indicator lacks numbers, and it’s a bit of a disappointment to lose an XT feature after stepping up to XTR. I’m not sold on having nine speeds, either for my cross country or for my dirt jumping bike. An 11-34 range does make sense for a freeride bike, but it gives unnecessary bulk and complication to my cross country and dirt jumping bikes. My old DX seven speed shifters could go from the smallest to biggest cog in one sweep, but these shifters require two throws. Again, I’m happy with them overall, and the biggest test is to see whether they last as long as my old XT’s. I'll also throw in that I have X0 on my dirt jumping bike, and I'm very disappointed with it (see separate review). XTR kills X0 on design, performance and price
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Submitted by
Donald Staniszewski
a Cross Country Rider
from Roseville, CA Date Reviewed: February 17, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Forest Hill
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$250.00
Purchased At:
Ebay
Strengths:
Great improvement over the previous thumb and finger shifting
Weaknesses:
Cannot get used to upshifting without the thumb shifter.
Similar Products Used:
XT, XTR brake and shifter combo
Bike Setup:
2004 Trek Fuel 100, Full XTR
Bottom Line:
I love these shifters, but cannot get out of using the thumb shifters. Some people say that you should eliminate the thumb shifters, but I cannot get myself to do it! Still, they are the best!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jesse VOZA
a Racer
from St-Martin, Caribbean Date Reviewed: January 2, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Porcupine in Moab
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
TRISPORT St-Maarten
Strengths:
+ XTR logo + Will move when you crash + light
Weaknesses:
- Will shift properly only clamped on a stand - Change cable & housing after every 2 rides - Low normal crap - Disk caliper sensitive to dust - Terrible on technical downhills
Similar Products Used:
Triggers and twisters
Bike Setup:
Regular bike with 6 bolts hubs.
Bottom Line:
Avoid the dual controls at all cost. I am not racist with shimano products. They have the best triggers, cranksets and V brakes. This system is just not working outside your house or shop. The 3 easiest back gears WILL be out of alignment after a month. You WILL have to change cables and housing to fix the problem. Want to keep them ? Ride around your bike shop ! The XTR disk brakes are the bests but the caliper's pistons will guest stuck if you ride in the dust. Get any other shimano or SRAM shifters but not the dual controls.
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Submitted by
Daniel
a Racer
from Waco,Tx. Date Reviewed: December 27, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Root Canal
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$400.00
Strengths:
Super easy to use
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
gripshift,xt,xtr trigger shifters
Bike Setup:
Bianchi Super Grizzly Full XTR
Bottom Line:
They work excellent, I have two years worth of racing on them and still no problems. At first I thought I would have trouble with shifting while I was braking but I haven't had any problem with it.Easy to get use with one fingure after a long race. A little pricee but worth every cent.Good for everyone from pros to weekend warriors.
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Submitted by
Humpje
a Racer
from Holland Date Reviewed: December 20, 2005
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Shifting speed,accuracy,easy to use,looks,workmanship,material.
Weaknesses:
Price, tiny inline indicators.
Similar Products Used:
Gripshift, Deore rapidfire.
Bike Setup:
Giant Terrago 2003, rebuilt with XT and XTR components.
Bottom Line:
So far the only regrets are that i didn't use them earlier. Had problems with missing shifts due to the awkward Rapidfire thumb lever, not so anymore. Had my doubts about the possibility of accidently shifting when braking, but this hasn't happened yet. These things make shifting incredebly light, one finger operation is more than enough. Although it is claimed you have to re-learn shifting, it took me less than half an hour of riding to get totally used to them. The removable thumblever should riders help make the transition, but was useless in my case, used thumblever about five times, just for fun. The only thing i had to get used to was the fact that the lever moves when applying the brakes. I use them with XTR front&rear der. and it looks (and shifts) great! In the shop i tried Deore Dual Controls but XTR beats them on light operation (and everything else except price). The "inline" indicators seem like the only real weakpoint, they are too small(especially in the dark) and weaken the outer cable. Cost is high, but worth the money. Bottomline: Get your XTR today!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Cliff
a Cross Country Rider
from Tallahassee, FL Date Reviewed: September 29, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Cadilac Trail
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
Higher Ground Bikes
Strengths:
Smooth shifting and the solid feel of XTR.
Weaknesses:
Takes some time to adjust to, brake levers are not as smooth as my old XTR.
Similar Products Used:
SRAM Shimano
Bike Setup:
Stumpjumper FSR with all of the good stuff.
Bottom Line:
I love these shifters but I will admit it was hard to get accustomed to. After 20 years on the mountain bike rapid rise was hard to adjust to but because of the obvious advantages of Rapid Rise and STI I figured it was worth it and I was right. Surprisingly I have never had an accidental shift, I thought for sure I would bump into the shifters but it never happens. The true advantage of rapid rise becomes apparent when you are fatigued and the bike smoothly shifts into an easier gear even though you did not shift so smoothly in your depleted oxygen daze. Gone are the harsh grinding sounds while mis-shifting on a climb. Another advantage to STI along with lighting fast shifts is the ease at which you can get into your big ring, the length of the lever offers better leverage than the old XTR. The best piece of advice I can give you is suck it up and take the thumb levers off before you ride, the levers are a lame crutch that negates the advantages of STI.
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Submitted by
James
a Racer
from Austin, TX Date Reviewed: January 30, 2005
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
Stock on bike
Strengths:
Durability, used them in hardcore mud 24hr race, after race shifters were almost locked up, changed cables good as new. Also have bashed them into trees, and the lever moved out of the way on impact. Also the ability to shift from all over the handle bar. You'll be suprised how dexterous human hands are, you'll find yourself trying all kinds of crazy shifting techniques.
Weaknesses:
If you buying seperately, price
Similar Products Used:
Everything. I was thinking the other day that I was comfortable with 5 to 7 different shifters.
These shifters have added to my riding experience. As for all the crazy (theoretical) complaints, they are the same thing everyone said about Rapidfire shifters when they came out. Funny now people can't leave thumbies.
SRAMs new moto "We're only one step behind now! You know we have a self locking out fork."
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Berkeley Mike
a Cross Country Rider
from Berkeley Date Reviewed: November 4, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Broken Dam
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Solano Cyclery
Strengths:
Simple, fluid, durable, lean, and tidy.
Weaknesses:
It is weird learning curve.
Similar Products Used:
Old LX, XT, XTR. SRAM Gripshift
Bike Setup:
Stumpy Pro Disc. XTR.
Bottom Line:
The system was hard to learn as the old style of shifting was so deeply ingrained and I was learning how to ride a Dualie and learning disc brakes at the same time. Read; lots of crashes and riding over my head. I hate to bring on bad ju-ju but I have had none of the problems described in this part of the Forum. The load in a logical way, are crisp, and grab as many gears as the old click shift (which never grabbed as many as gripshift, by the way.) They allow a more constant grip on the bars with the thumb and still allow for full shifting. They make the cockpit simpler and, hooked up with disc brakes, are fluid and liberating. I can't imagine going back to the old style of shifting. And, further braving massive ju-ju, they are durable as hell.
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Submitted by
Martin
a Racer
from Munich, Germany Date Reviewed: October 27, 2004
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$199.00
Purchased At:
store
Strengths:
Nothing except design. Maybe shifting and braking at the sam time is easier than with twist shifters
Weaknesses:
The whole idea! It is good for road bikes not XC ones! Even with a good fork accidential gear changes when breaking are equal to stone frequency under front wheel. Slowest shifters ever made! Crappy SIS TY20 is a speed-daemon in comparison to XTR. Click... click... click... click... and so on... damn finally the last gear. Crap, Crap and CRAP again!
Similar Products Used:
DuraAce road DC shifters. :D:D
Bike Setup:
Trek 9.8 full XTR
Bottom Line:
Crap ladies an gentelmen!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ScaldedMonkeyNuts
a Cross Country Rider
from Bonney Lake, WA Date Reviewed: October 24, 2004
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$4200.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Smooth, fast downshifts with only slightly slower upshifts, ease of adjustment, single finger shifting / braking, front shifting is best I have ever rode
Weaknesses:
Upshifts can be clunky at times especially under high tourque loads, price
Similar Products Used:
XTR Rapidfire
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Blur with full XTR, Fox Float R rear shock, Fox 100RLT up front
Bottom Line:
Not sure what I paid as they came with SC's XTR build kit. These things drove me nuts the first 30 minutes I rode them. I kept upshifting when wanting to downshift (Not used to the RapidRise XTR rear der) and had to make a conscious effort not to tap the brakes while shifting. After another 30 minutes of chanting ‘down is down and up is up’ I was able to retrain my brain. After I found the reach adjuster and moved the levers in to fit my hands better I removed the secondary levers. It took me three rides to get to a point where I no longer have to think about shifting. I can now honestly say that Shimano nailed it with this design. One finger shifting and braking rocks!
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Submitted by
erick
a Cross Country Rider
from tacoma Date Reviewed: October 13, 2004
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$175.00
Purchased At:
eBay
Strengths:
Instantaneous gear changes!. Feels like paddle-shifting a sports car... click, click, click. No fuss, no muss shifting and braking. Very short learning curve.
Weaknesses:
They didn't come stock on my bike! No product weaknesses.
Similar Products Used:
XT, LX, Gripshift
Bike Setup:
GSR Hooligan DH HT, full XTR drivetrain, built for speed.
Bottom Line:
My old XT Rapidfire shifters were starting to hurt my thumbs so this was a logical upgrade, and what an upgrade it is! Easier to shift because using the brake lever to shift = using a longer lever = more mechanical advantage than the tiny thumb levers on other systems. Crisper shifting when "grouped" to the XTR front and rear derailleurs. Buy this product and you will not be disappointed!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Reed Ellis
a Weekend Warrior
from Tucson, Arizona, USA Date Reviewed: June 14, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Fantasy Island
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$400.00
Purchased At:
Cambria Bicycle Outfitters (online)
Strengths:
smooth, smooth, smooth. Very innovative design, ergonomics are great, did i mention its smooth?
Weaknesses:
i had a little trouble not tapping the brakes while upshifting or downshifting at first, but you get used to it and it works perfectly.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano Acera, Shimano Deore XT, Sram
Bike Setup:
04 Stumpjumper Anniversary with full XTR drivetrain
Bottom Line:
I bought the Hydraulic version (M965)
excelent value, the shifting is flawless every time. I have ridden every weekend on our local trail for the last 3 months and nothing has changed. the only adjustment needed was when they were brand new. the design really allows you to focus on the trail, as you only have one lever to worry about. downshifting under hard braking was easier than ever.
i would highly recomend this to any weekend warrior, basher, or racer.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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