Bike Setup: Kona King Kikapu F/S, Marzocchi Z1 Superfly, XO rear, Raceface Turbine, XY seatpost, Paul Motolite V's w/love levers, Raceface system, Mavic crosss-ride, Fox rear air, Easton Monkeylite, Crank bros egg beaters.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Bygdaug
a Weekend Warrior
from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Date Reviewed: August 31, 2003
Strengths: Luv em. Never felt as confident on steep, technical, long climbs as I do now! Very quick and deliberate shifting, man these are the best...I am a fan. From15/16 to 10/11 in no time at all. Perfect for Canadian Shield type riding.
Weaknesses: Possibly the actual grip itself. Gonna have to wait and see how comfy they are when they a little worn.
Bottom Line:
I was so fed up with my XT shifters allways having to be adjusted and then 1/2 an hour into an epic ride my chain would be bouncing around like it had a mind of its own. I don't care to count how many times under load my freakin chain would fail. No stopping now!
Similar Products Used: Xt shifters, 9.0,9.0sl short
Bike Setup: Ellsworth and Cannodale with all the trimmings.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Chris Price
a Weekend Warrior
from Truro
Date Reviewed: March 8, 2002
Strengths: Light, easy to service, works super nice, and great for those of us who have perminitly damaged their thumbs and can't use rapid fire.
Weaknesses: I'm not a big fan of the red grips but I can live with it. The rear derailler really sucks, I have owned better SIS deraillers. The plastic part keeps snapping into, and when that dumb metal thingy that lays agenst you hanger bends from just shifting! If only you could use Shimano deraillers the world would be a better place.
Strengths: Shifts well and fast. No worries when approaching a hill, just crank it and your in the gear you want.
Weaknesses: Half the grip. I was always shifting when I didn't want to. My hands and arms are shorter than a guys and found anytime I was bumped around I would shift gears at the same time. One time I hit a big rut, it thru my arm forward which shifted all my gears to easy and my body went flying forward and I hit my pelvis on my stem. It was at that point where I gave up on these stupid half-pipe's.
Bottom Line:
Shifting is great...especially when you're doing it all the time whether you want to or not. Unless you are gigantor and have mammoth hands and arms, don't use the half-pipes. If you are smaller you really have to force yourself to keep your arms wide so you can hold onto plain grip to avoid unwanted shifting.
Strengths: Lighter than XTR, cool looking white, a posetive 'click' shifting to high or low gears. Never gets cloged up, XTR Rival consistency. (Better). You can feel what goes on in relation to where the chain is on the cogs, not just hoping for the best (Rapidfire). Can be fully serviced. You wont mis-shift unlike many reviews!!! No need to go to shorty, half pipe rocks, cos you can shift anytime.
Weaknesses: None...Ooh, not enough around!!!
Bottom Line:
These shifters are awsome. I was unsure at first compared to rapid fire, but these little units are lighter, shift as good if not better, are way stronger and more reliable, and have way less parts than rapidfire. You can also shift from 44-12 to 22-34 in a matter of one twist, not 10 clicks. Ooh, and Cadel uses them.
