One of the most exciting new functions of the redesigned XTR off-road racing group is seen in the new Dual Control Lever. This lever represents the first of a new generation of shifting systems. It lets you shift gears up or down, from various hand positions, allowing the rider to focus on the trail.
Submitted by
CHUN YU Ng
a Cross Country Rider
from Honolulu,Hawaii Date Reviewed: March 20, 2008
Favorite Trail:
hong kong
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Purchased At:
none
Strengths:
light,strong and easy to shift
Weaknesses:
this product is very carefully to use the small tools to change the gear cable
Similar Products Used:
None
Bike Setup:
None
Bottom Line:
None
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Amrit Bhatia
a Cross Country Rider
from Wales, UK Date Reviewed: July 9, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Afan Argoed
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
Crisp, strong, reliable, genuinely easy to use.
Weaknesses:
Expensive replacement parts, expensive.
Bike Setup:
Scott RC team issue, Full xtr, Cmax Sl's, Ritchey WCS throughout, Egg beater triple Ti, Slr saddle.
Bottom Line:
I must have been one of the youngest to ever use this at the mere age of 14! Got a stonking bargain on the bike and used all the money I had in the world and pleaded to get the bike.. which I used, and achieved a lot on. The XTR dual shifters were my first shifters on a "real" bike, and Im sticking with them.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Pablo
a Cross Country Rider
from Waterloo, Ontario, Canada Date Reviewed: April 6, 2006
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$160.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
Ultra high performance, ease for shifting, completely intuitive, very very durable, maintenance free, light, beautiful, flawless.
Weaknesses:
Pricy if bought retail.
Similar Products Used:
Sram x9, xo, shimano xtr, xt, lx rapidfires, shimano xt and lx dual control levers.
Bike Setup:
Zenith Saga Team Easton Scandium frame. All 960 xtr with 965 wheelset. Easton ec70 post, ea70 stem and ec70 bar. shimano 959 pedals,
Bottom Line:
I waited quite a long time to write this review because one aspect I was really unsure about was their durability.
The shifting is wonderfull. I am not going to lie that it takes a few rides to get used to them before getting the full advantage of their potential. When I mean getting used to is only to move the lever, not to the rapid rise derailleur that is extremely intuitive and you'll use with no problem as soon as you jump on the bike. After a few kms using these they are a breeze. Shifting comes effortlesly. Shifting while braking is easier than ever. Even when fast shifting is requiered, it is not a problem. Basically they are fast, accurate and effortless.
Going back to durability. When I first saw the dual controls I thought: One good smack on these things and they'll rip apart. I was totally wrong. I've had several crashes and they only get scratched. Rapidfires used to get broken optical gear displays, bent levers and broken parts. I guess that these are so resistant first because they are tough, but mostly because the lever can move in three directions and the body in one. So basically they move out of impact.
They work very well specially in long epic rides and energy demanding races because of how good they work and how effortless shifting and braking is.
The rapidrise is the logic way a derailleur should be and makes you wonder what was the first derailleur manufacturer thinking. The spring puts the chain over cogs while the only thing you have to spend energy in is in putting it down. However, the main advantage is that when you do downshifts is because you need a stronger gear, so you are putting a lot of strength on the pedals. In a normal derailleur, you'll hear your chain jump and struggle if you change while this load is applied, in a rapid rise this does not happen because the spring provides a precise linear force to change the gear substituting the tired and unaccurate hand.
If you have the money to pay for this get them. Even the lx work like a dream. The xtr and xt have now a newer more ergonomic whith less front shifter lever travel version(apparently weak handed people couldn't shift before, this new versions solve that). However, be open minded and give yourself a couple of weeks before you start critizising them. Shifting just came to a new level of performance and comfort with these.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tele Tubby
a Cross Country Rider
from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Date Reviewed: July 8, 2005
Favorite Trail:
anything without BMX's!
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$311.00
Purchased At:
eBay (where else!)
Strengths:
smooth, crisp shifts every time. light weight. less handlebar "clutter". light brake action, easy changes, one/two fingers for any actions needed.
Weaknesses:
can only downshift 3 gears at a time. for my level of riding this is not a real weakness. lever travel for FD shifts is long.
Similar Products Used:
shimano alivio, shimano LX, but neither were dual control
i KNOW this is a 2003 XTR review b-u-t...there is no review for the 2004 product. i upgraded to dual control 965 shifters, calipers & center-lock rotors for $311. i was worried about damage to my expensive upgrade in crashes. bar-ends may assist. i also have the clamps tightened just enough to hold the units in place ie. if i lift the bike by a unit it will rotate. i think the multidirectional movement inherent in the lever may also offer some resistance to breakage. i have had several crashes, including an endo over a large woodstack where the bike somersaulted...no problems with either unit. with the rapid rise RD and the very slick FD, i am so far extremely satisfied with its performance. it was very easy to set up from the box and get the FD & RD working perfectly. the indexing is spot-on. the cables are very slick and have thus far stayed free of gunge. even the thumb lever, although unnecessary, works nicely.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
bub
a Cross Country Rider
from denver, co Date Reviewed: February 24, 2005
Favorite Trail:
singletrack
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
Ebay
Strengths:
Light, ergonomic, single finger use
Weaknesses:
Durability is a big question. The lever distance adjustment screw requires a 2mm Allen wrench making it easy to strip. Once it's stripped, it's impossible to adjust. Plastic covering has a tendancy to break, scratch, come off during endos. Therefore, probably not the best for free-riding.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano triggers
Bike Setup:
Hammerhead 100x with full XTR
Bottom Line:
Yes, these babies are a little fragile and are a bit pricey, but I won't be going back to triggers. I really like having the shifting and braking in one place and only having to use one finger for all of it. This makes shifting and braking much more comfortable, and as far as I'm concerned, more efficient. I rarely have a problem with inadvertent braking during shifting. I'll bet 5 years from now this dual lever technology will be standard for XC.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
TX-Racer
a Racer
from Dallas, Tx, USA Date Reviewed: December 12, 2004
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
NA
Strengths:
Good marketing project for some exec at Shimano? Way to get that promotion Bob!
Weaknesses:
Improved on nothing (fixed no flaw in the previous design). Slower shifting. Awkward shifting when out of the normal in saddle riding position. Cost is way too high especially considering the low performance. Weigh more than every other high end alternative. Inferior to every other medium and high end shifter. Generally lowered the Shimano quality bar. Steep learning curve especially for beginers.
Similar Products Used:
XTR Rapidfire, XT Rapidfire, Deore Rapidfire, SRAM X.0 Twist, Some really old Gripshift, SRAM X.9 Trigger Shifters
Bike Setup:
Scalpel and a couple of different hartails. All setup as race bikes.
Bottom Line:
I am a semi-pro racer. I am not a weekend warrior at all. I ride mostly to train for racing. When riding offroad I ride a variety of conditions but mostly rocky/sandy techinical stuff.
First the good news, XTR dual control is better than exactly one shifter I have tried and that is the XT dual control shifter. They rank about even with the Shimano Deore shifters. That is not a typo. I did not forget the "XT" or "XTR" after the "Deore", the shifters are right at "Deore" level in terms of PERFORMANCE only. Now if you consider the coolness factor then that is different.
The learning curve for dual-control is very steep. I adjusted to them in two rides. I let a relative beginer ride my hardtail with these and they never got it right and basically ended up walking every technical section. : "They don't make sense"
Yes, rapid rise does work as do the dual control levers. In fact rapid rise probably works better with the dual control levers than with the old trigger shifters.
BUT
They are strictly designed to cut competitors out of the market. Nothing more. They resolve no issues with the previous designs and introduce several problems in functionality, weight and compatability.
The shifting feels slow. Hitting the lever resulted in a delay. I had two mechanics that work at two differnt shops check the setup, both said it was perfect for XTR. Shifting was just slower than other non-rapid-rise-non-dual-control setups. Tried a friends bike with this same setup who abosolutely loves these things and his felt worse (he had a bit more cable housing than I run). At any rate, switching to X.9 triggers with X.0 rear deraileur on the same cable housing resulted in flawless shifting.
Another problem is that you have to release the bar MORE on dual-control levers than non-dual control. You would think it would be the opposite and maybe this is not the right description of the problem but you have fewer fingers wrapped around the bar when shifting with these than with triggers. Triggers are always one finger at a time. Even when you have to use the thumb you are usually going uphill so you are pulling against your fingers anyway. With the XTR units you have to release your grip to hit the lever (unless you use the add-on trigger thingy).
With SRAM and old XTR triggers I could count miss-shifts in "miss-shifts per ride" with Dual Control levers you count "miss-shifts per mile". It isn't always a feel or action problem either, frequently the units just can't respond the way they need to leaving you in limbo for about half a second. In time you can adapt so that you will shift just a bit earlier to minimize the significance but slow shifting is still slow shifting. I would rather have precise, fast, complete shifts when I hit the trigger or lever. The net net is that even if you have adapted to the shifters well you will frequently wind up facing a formidable technical section in the wrong gear and having to release your grip to hit the lever. Good luck on that.
I found absolutely no reasons to run these unless you are being paid to do so. They are slow, they are heavy, they flat out do NOT work as well as any other shifter . Even if you run XTR wheels with the center-lock disc (also solves no known issues but causes compatabilty problems and weighs more) you can do better with old XT hydraulic levers and SRAM X.9/X.0 setup.
Man, I really hate to trash a component like this but honestly these things are just too expensive not to be the cat's meow. They do look cool but if they didnt say Shimano XTR on them then everyone here would be dogging them. They just dont work that well.
Does anyone really like these things more than SRAM X.9 triggers for performance reasons? (of those who have actually used both)
Value is very low because the functionality just isnt "pro caliber" enough to warrant the price tag.
Overall is also very low because they are noticeably inferior to everything else on the market.
Also note that these are more expensive than everything else on the market in their price range.
Who should buy? Probably nobody but I guess if you trails are pretty smooth you arent out of the saddle much then you could argue the coolness factor exceeds the performance and functionality problems.
Who should not buy? If you ride technical terrain or you are a racer you should look for something else.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
marco righetti
a Weekend Warrior
from hamilton,scotland, UK Date Reviewed: June 27, 2004
Favorite Trail:
glentress forest, peebles,scotland UK
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
great gear/disc brake combo,it took me about a week to get used to them
Weaknesses:
none so far
Similar Products Used:
pre 03 xtr
Bike Setup:
trek fuel
Bottom Line:
i prefare using the old xtr rear mech ie the non rapid rise as i like pushing the lever down to go to a small gear ie bigger cassette ring especially when you come tearing round a corner to be met by an abrupt climb (you can shift many gears in one go) i've had no accidental gear shift when braking. i like being able to use the same fingers to shift and brake,i think this is advantageous. btw i love xtr disc brakes!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
MrXC
a Cross Country Rider
from Washington, DC, USA Date Reviewed: May 26, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Gambrill State Park/GWNF
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Purchased At:
Demo'ed
Strengths:
Nice concept, smoothest shifting system to smaller rear cogs.
Weaknesses:
Front shifting is virtually impossible. Tough to click from small cog to large cog, defeating the purpose of rapid rise.
Similar Products Used:
gripshift w/ XTR rapid rise, traditional rapid fire, thumbies, SS drivetrain
Bike Setup:
Test bike: 2004 Cannondale Scalpel Team
Bottom Line:
I was very excited to try Shimano's new integrated system. I've been a fan of rapid rise since it was introduced and liked the concept of not having to move my hands or fingers off the levers.
Unfortunately after trying them I was very disappointed. In the rear the system worked very well for shifting from larger cogs to smaller cogs, very smooth and after a couple of minutes I stopped accidently activating the brakes. Shifting to a larger cog, on the otherhand, was a chore. The recommended "split finger" positioning didn't work well for shifting multiple gears at a time and I found that I had to move 2 fingers under the lever to shift with any speed. Even still, it took too long to shift through the whole cog during rapid transitions, IMO defeating the purpose of rapid rise.
In front the system is absolute crap. You have to push the lever way too far to go from the small cog to middle that I stopped shifting - except when it decided that I should. Also, when I shifted the whole drivetrain regularly jammed up. I've never seen that happen before.
The only reason the system is getting a 1 is because I do like the concept, maybe with further R&D? Until then thank god for SRAM!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Phil
a
from USA NC Date Reviewed: April 6, 2004
Favorite Trail:
lots
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$275.00
Purchased At:
jensonusa
Strengths:
they look cool I dont know anyone else that has em
Weaknesses:
i dont think they are very well made. already have covers falling off stuff is getting lose.. pay for the XTR not for quality (IMHO).
Similar Products Used:
XTR rapid fire
Bike Setup:
XTR Klein attitude
Bottom Line:
keep with the rapid fire let them work out the bugs in the dual control stuff. I wish I woulda waited untill I got mine, they might be good for a race bike but i wouldnt reccoemend them to a person that rides everyday. o well maybe I can get them warrantied. probally not those fawk shimano.
' I hope the shimano people read this
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Burnie Leach
a Cross Country Rider
from Arvada Date Reviewed: April 3, 2004
Favorite Trail:
belcher hill
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
demo
Strengths:
ergonomics, maybe?
Weaknesses:
You can only shift one gear at a time. Pretty lame.
Similar Products Used:
grip shift, XT rapid fire, old school XT thumb mount.
Bike Setup:
trek 9.8, full XTR, Rock Shox world cup, crossmax wheels, chris king etc...
Bottom Line:
I am amazed that not a single person in this review forum has mentioned the most crucial flaw with these shifters. Often on the trail, or in a race, you come around a turn and there is an unexpected steep ascent. In such an event it is absolutely necessary that you be able to go from your highest gear to your lowest gear as quickly as possible. With this new XTR design, you can only downshift one gear at time. That is a critical flaw in the design when compared to gripshift where one simple twist will cycle through the entire cassette. Even the old rapid fire designs could cycle through 3 to 4 gears with one push of the thumb lever. I don't know what shimano was thinking when they came up with such an impractical mechanism. My advice to shimano,leave Dura Ace shifters on the road bikes. With the necessity to rapidly cycle through a cassette on unpredictable terrain, these shifters have no place on a mountain bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
loco
a Cross Country Rider
from Spain Date Reviewed: March 8, 2004
Non maintenance friendly: The tiny bolts holding the cover are not hold in place when unscrewed,so are easily lost(I remember older XTR pods had a ring holding the bolts with the cover when unscrewed) Left shifter pulls the cable end with a slotted hinge, which is very nice for easy replacement and housing/cable maintenance, but the barrel adjustment is not slotted(?) The right shifter has neither cable end nor barrel adjustment slots so you have to pass the full length cable through that tiny hole and through the whole housing. Can´t fit Gore ride on housings with the indicators! About durability? Time will tell...
Hardtail mix: deore crankarms with upgraded xt rings. Xt derailleur,xtr960 rear der, gore cables and housings, xt casette, foam grips
Bottom Line:
Great shifters ! If you´re a Shimano fan and want something new regarding ergonomics at a xtr precision and performance level ,get them !I removed the "transition" lever before installing them. Who said you can´t brake and shift at the same time? Large leverage gives an effortless shifting action. They´re not so expensive! afterall, you´re getting a set of XTR shifters and XTR brake levers at once.Similar price to the "old" ones. I wouldn´t but I have to give "only" four chillis for the tricky cover fittings, the incompatibility with Gore housings of the indicators and the not-hold-in-place bolts.If they solve this they´ll be perfect!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Marcus75
a Weekend Warrior
from LA, CALI Date Reviewed: December 11, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Local Mountains
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Unique design, love the shift reader on the wire. Short learning curve. On the fly shifting because of the effortless levers. Durable
Weaknesses:
The thumb shifter could be little longer. You can accidentally shift gears because the lever is very sensative.
Similar Products Used:
LX on my old ass bike.
Bike Setup:
Specialized Enduro Pro w/ Time Z Pedals, Answer Protaper Carbon Handlebar and continential survival pro tire on rear.
Bottom Line:
These came with my enduro pro and its the best shifters that I used. I got used to these in no time, in fact after the demo ride in the shop I got the hang of it. Although I had a problem reaching for the thumb shifters at first. I just had to position my hands inward to fix this problem. Love the shift reader on the wire because its out in front of you. The shifting is very effertless, only need to apply little preasure to shift gears. But you can accidently shift gears because the levers are so sensative.
As far as durability these are solid! Survived several major accidents where the shifters got pretty beaten up with only surface damage.
I would recommend these for any cross country riders, racers and for people who likes to shift a lot because of the effortless shifting.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
emil
a Cross Country Rider
from berkeley Date Reviewed: November 11, 2003
Favorite Trail:
sound of music
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
you get to a point with these shifters where you don't notice changing gears
Weaknesses:
takes some getting used to.
Similar Products Used:
rapid fire,sram
Bike Setup:
blur, xtr,crossmax disc.
Bottom Line:
i found these frustrating at first, but now i think they're the best thing since modrern plumbing. i was having trouble shifting to a lower gear, while breaking. the trick is to push up with your thumb on the underside of the break lever. even if the situation is dicy,and your breaking really hard, you'll find it easy to do.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tim XCrider
a Racer
from UK Date Reviewed: October 26, 2003
Favorite Trail:
betws-y-coed
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
ergonomics three way articulation has saved these from any damage after a few falls
Weaknesses:
have'nt found any
Similar Products Used:
SRAM Gripshift, Shimano XT RapidFire+,
Bike Setup:
Cannondale F3000SL with full XTR groupset
Bottom Line:
These shifters work extremely well. In terms of performance they are not really better than the M950 pods they replace and should'nt be as it's the same internals packaged differently.
However the ergonomic are astounding!! I can downshift from anywhere on the bar and with Rapid rise my pinky can perform this function without dislocation. The integration route with the brakes is a no brainer and as far asI'm concerned a perfect match. Having tried other brake systems the XTR 's can match those so why would I want somehing else. these shifters coupled tot he rapid rise deraileur or low normal as it is called now is perfection.
Great product Shimano. the shifter and cranks are the pick of the bunch.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nick Evans
a Racer
from Surrey, UK Date Reviewed: September 29, 2003
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$250.00
Purchased At:
Beyond Mountain Bikes
Strengths:
Everything
Weaknesses:
nowt
Similar Products Used:
Every group of Rapid Fire shifters, SRAM trigger and Grip Shifters
These are fantastic. I never even tried the trigger levers, having used friends ones i just took them straight off, and haven't looked back. People's complaints about Rapid Rise rear mechs have nothing to do with the shifter, Shimano dont make you use one, i still use an 02 rear mech, and its perfect, every shift, and thats in all the British sand and general s**t we get! I feel they're less likely to get smashed than the old ones, if you clout the brake lever, it can pivot out the way after all! I've ridden about 1000 miles on these, including racing the British National Points Series races (NORBA equivilent) and haven't once made an accidental shift. As for price, they are actually only $20 more than the combined 02 XTR STI levers for the V-brake versions (British retail prices) which isnt that bad when the v-brakes have gone up by $15, and the product is 100% identical! There really is no reason not to get these, go out and buy them, buy them now!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
BBD
a
from Canada Date Reviewed: September 25, 2003
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Bottom Line:
I hit a tree.. they didn't break I crashed into a rock bed... they didn't break Shimano won't make their highest end mountain components cheap... Rapid Rise makes sense, less likely to destroy der. when desperation shifting, and if you're complaining about XTR then you probably do desperation shifts, so be thankful Get a life and ride...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rich e
a Racer
from wisconsin Date Reviewed: September 6, 2003
Favorite Trail:
John Mur
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$450.00
Purchased At:
Ebay
Strengths:
shifting with out thinking about it....and the ability to downshift at a 45 angle.
Weaknesses:
dosent pedal for you
Similar Products Used:
X.0 grip
Bike Setup:
Trek 9.9, 03 xtr group, Fox F80 TIV
Bottom Line:
Simply amazing, one of the main highlights of the amazing 03 xtr group. I LOVED gripshifts, I tried rapid f and hated it. I swore by my Srams, untill sponsorship dictated that i used pure shimano. I am SOOOOOO glad i tried these out. I got a deal on ebay, 450 for shifters, calipers, and (awsome) splined rotors. In 30 min you get the jist of them. In 2hours your in love. In 4 hours you are shifting with out thinking about it, it comes just like breating, seriously. IF you can afford it, get the 03 groupset with m965 wheelset (BEST EVER!) Dont worry about the duribility rumors, there not made out of plastic, there umade out of a VERY togh composite. Because of the very high price, non racers should wait for the 04 XT(available in late october) they will be cheaper and basicly have the same functionality.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Patrick
a Racer
from Atlanta GA Date Reviewed: August 4, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Gainsville Trails
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
E-bay
Strengths:
Shifting style is much easier and convienient than rapid-fire. It lets you keep more fingers on the bars. I think this is what everythings going to change to.
Weaknesses:
Price, hydros retail for 270 while v-brakes are 250, other wise great
Similar Products Used:
Rapid-fire, Grip-shift
Bike Setup:
Giant Iguana Disk with Cane Creek Thudbuster
Bottom Line:
These shifters are great. The new dual control levers are sweet. The new style if hopefully what everthing will change to. I saw in MTB Mag the new XT is the same way, only cheaper!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bud
a
from Milledgeville Date Reviewed: July 18, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Extraordinarily smooth; one finger shifting, durable, keeps most of your fingers where you need them.
Weaknesses:
None that I've found.
Similar Products Used:
Sachs, Sram, and Gripshift.
Bike Setup:
Moots Smoothie; 03 XTR, King Discs, etc.
Bottom Line:
Liked these so much that I quickly got a second 03 XTR groupo for my other bike. Adapted to them in one ride. Several crashes have caused no problem (always run my brakes, shifters, etc. a little loose on the bars). I like being able to top a hill and quickly rip up to a high gear. I've had no problems anticipating the correct gear when approaching climbs -- this all means I like rapid rise. People riding behind and front of me comment on how quiet the shifting is -- very road like. Raced on them last Nov and 5 times this year. Flawless.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Gold
a Cross Country Rider
from Australia Date Reviewed: July 14, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Smooth accurate shifting in a light, high performance system.
Weaknesses:
Integrated brake / shifter system offers no real performance benefit as far as I can see, shifters are expensive and exposed. Also rapid rise.
Similar Products Used:
XTR index shifters, Grip shift
Bottom Line:
Billed by Shimano as the next big thing I believe that the 'new' XTR shifting system offers no real benefits. Index shifting was a revelation when it was developed however this integrated system is no easier to use than a regular XTR index system (if you take the time to set up your pod locations well) and it limits your ability to mix and match shifters with different brakes and levers (I wonder why?). It also puts a complex and vulnerable mechanical device perched on top of your bars where it could easily be wiped out in a crash which would otherwise not cause damage. I did not notice any accidental shifts which using the brakes and shifting was quite easy particularly from the bar ends where it was definiately easier. I do not believe, however, that these small benefits are worth the risk of expensive and catastrophic failure in a crash.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Travis Brown
a
from Moscow, Idaho Date Reviewed: June 28, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Mueller Park Canyon Trail
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Very innovative and user freindly. I don't know why people are complaining about this new system. It is simply sweet! Possibly, people are just not used to the idea yet. It only took me a few minutes to get use to.
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
Nothing so far. This is new. The closest I have come to this is some rode bike systems, but they are not the same.
Bike Setup:
Trek fuel 100. Mixture of XTR and Bontrager X Lite components, also Sid Rear Shock and the World Cup Sid Front Fork.
Bottom Line:
This new system is simple to adapt to. They are the next generation of shifters, although it may take a while for people to catch on. I love them.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dave T
a
from Salinas, Ca. U.S.A Date Reviewed: June 9, 2003
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Bobcat Bicycles
Strengths:
This is a follow up review "Intuitive" - Just like Shimano said it would be.
Weaknesses:
None that I've found
Similar Products Used:
Old XTR
Bike Setup:
BLUR & TREK 9.8 with 03' Disc Groups & Fox suspension, Easton, Kenda & WTB bits.
Bottom Line:
I've been on the new XTR for a while, raced the 24 hour @ Laguna Seca, crashed the hell out of both shifters and NOT EVEN A WIMPER FROM THE NEW BENCHMARK IN SHIFTING & BRAKING. In fact I like it so much, the old XTR came off my hardtail and on with the new! Like it or not, Shimano has got Rapid Rise working flawlessly now and these babies can take a beating!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ken
a Racer
from Kalamazoo Date Reviewed: May 8, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Yankee Springs
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$329.00
Purchased At:
wheel world
Strengths:
I love using the new Single Lever Shifter and brake, because I can use one finger to shift up, down and brake all at the same time with three fingers and one thumb locked on the handlebar keeping me from fly into a tree going down hill.
Weaknesses:
I have not yeah had the honor of crashing into a tree and testing the durable of the shifters.
Similar Products Used:
5 different pairs of gripshifters, old two way tumb shifters, and stx, lx, acer, xt, deore, sram 0.X, 9.0 standard type shifters
Bike Setup:
Schiwn Moab with 2002 XTR hubs, x517, brakes, cass., FD, chain, for 2003 xtr crank, shifters. Easton(carbon seatpost, carbon handlebars, mag stem), TIME ATAC Z, HUTCHINSON PYTHON TIRE, SELLE ITALIA PROLINK GEL COMP, FOX FORX FLOAT 100RLC
Bottom Line:
When I'm going down hill I like to pedal faster but at the same time have a finger on the brake. This year i spend $340 (plus RR) to go faster down hill and use the brake at the same time, and when the hill is going up the gears shift so smooth I fell in love with Rapid-Rasie and all you have to do is set your rear brake just a little bite loose so you can pull it just a little closer to your hand and wrap your finger around the lever and pull up. One finger does it all. But if you do not race or ride fast and hard for the fun of it save your money a buy 10 cheap stems and handlebar and make the frame fit your style of riding. When you find the right size send all stem and handlebar back and buy a really nice carbon setup.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tim B
a Racer
from UK Date Reviewed: May 7, 2003
Favorite Trail:
betws-y-coed
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$1200.00
Purchased At:
JensonUSA
Strengths:
looks, light weight, hubs are cup and cone, splined rotor mounts, Shifters are superb
These Shifters rock! and with Rapid Rise Derailleur the shifting is really intuitive. Just watch the little gear indicator window in front of you. when the red arrow goes right you get heavier gears and derailluer moves right to accomodate and vise versa. The shift quality is up from M950XTR, faster and lighter. The shifters seem pretty robust with their 3 way articulation. Bit of slop in the brake levers but i can live with it. What brake levers don;'t have slop in them.
Rapid Rise is the future. Love it Why Shimano dropped it a few years ago is anybody's guess. RR makes downshifts faster and by flicking the lever quickly you get very quick downshifts. I can now downshift while operating the rear brake and gentle squeeze and lift. Presto!!!
Thanks Shimano. The marriage of Rapid Rise and the dual control shifters is a master stroke.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dawes
a Racer
from Vail, CO Date Reviewed: May 7, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
Pedal Power
Strengths:
Frees up bar space, precise shifts
Weaknesses:
Brake levers bounce in rough stuff, Shift to big ring difficult, paddle levers hard to reach, no choice of brake levers or adjustment of same, different shifting for different bikes (I have many)
Similar Products Used:
2002 XTR, SRAM,
Bike Setup:
Moots Smoothie, Moots YBB, XTR
Bottom Line:
I tried these at Dirt Days in Vegas with the Disc set up and thought they were interesting so I thought I would try on my YBB when I switched to 9 speed(reluctantly, kicking and screaming, but that is another story). I raced on them the first ride and I am taking the shifter/brake combo off to go back to Avid levers and 2002 XTR shifters. I used them with a non-Rapid Rise XT R rear der( Rapid Rise was stupid 4 years ago and still is.). The shifting was OK, after a few initial fumbles. If you use STI shifters on the road the similar action(with reg rear der) was pretty easy to get used to. The paddle lever was not very easy to reach and its' opposite action compared to 2002 levers made for some confusion. I tried not to use it. My main complaints were 1. didn't like slight flutter of movement in brake levers under braking in the rough 2. shift from middle to big ring with fingers of left hand was difficult, I could tolerate it in a short race but would be wearing in an endurance event. These levers are coming off, anybody want to buy a set with less than 2 hours on them?
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Duane
a Racer
from Roswell,GA Date Reviewed: May 5, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Came on Fuel 100
Strengths:
Nice Looking. Durable.
Weaknesses:
In my opinion it is step back from rapid fire plus. I do not like Rapid Rise. Tried it with the old shifters and now with these. When i push i expect the chain to go to a larger cog, not smaller. To me the shifting to a smaller cog does happen as crisp as with a regular der. As far as the shipters on the brake levers. Why? It is harder to open your hand and manipulate the shifters, than using your thumb and index finger. When you are fatigued, this takes more effort. And when you are bouncing around going down hill, you probably do not want to open your hand. Also, it takes a lot...... of effort to make the front der. shift to the big ring. In my opinion, Shimano took the best shifters ever made(rapid fire plus) and replaced them with something functionally much worse.
Similar Products Used:
Shimano Rapid Fire, Gripshift.
Bike Setup:
2003 Trek Fuel 100
Bottom Line:
To make something different to improve sales, Shimano ended up with a worse product(my opinion).
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Pete Hall
a Racer
from Caledonia MI Date Reviewed: April 29, 2003
Favorite Trail:
yankee springs
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Cool looking, shifting is very intuitive, disc version is very nice
Weaknesses:
easy to hit plastic housing for the shifting mechanism in a crash, easy to strip tiny bolts
Similar Products Used:
Rapid Fire XTR, tried Rapid Rise as well
Bottom Line:
These are some great shifters with some drawbacks. The shifting takes about one or two rides to get used to, but then it's just like the rapid fire, easy. I took off the thumb lever off the front shifter as my leg and hands have hit it while racing (causing me to loose 15 seconds in a time trial), but I left the rear thumb lever on. I run the old style 02 XTR Derrailer, dont get me started on why Rapid Rise is bad. Anyway when you are looking for a quick amount of harder gears like when cresting a hill, the thumb lever is eaiser for me to get a lot of gears quick. Other wise I use the brake lever. The big plastic housing for the shifting mechanism is really exposed. They are really easy to hit when you crash. Mine are both already scratched up from little wash out crashes. My other complaint is that the tiny bolts that Shimano used all over the shifter are reallllly easy to strip if you dont use utmost care. espceially on the disc version, the little screws that keep the resivor top on. Over all I will keep using these, I dont think i would buy them alone as a upgrade, but I wouldnt hesitate if they were on a new bike. Thats what I did. If you can, ride these levers befor you buy them, some people will love the shifting method,some will hate the shifting method.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
JJ
a Cross Country Rider
from the cold northeast Date Reviewed: April 28, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$350.00
Purchased At:
Cape-Able Bike Shop!!!!!
Strengths:
looks very "smooth", great engineering on these guys kinda?, makes you look rico suave'
Weaknesses:
suceptible to getting smashed in a crash, price is stupid, sometimes you brake and accidentally shift
Similar Products Used:
previous XTR rapidfire shifters, sram sucks!!!
Bike Setup:
carbon this, carbon that, XTR, and a little truvativ....now thats a nice B.Bracket..I've seen one!
Bottom Line:
I'm doing this review for a friend first off....here is what he told me to write: If you are an XC-racer only...these might be good for you. All others that do REAL trail riding should boycott these silly things. You could stop on the trail to rest, etc... with your brakes on, and all of a sudden you've pre-shifted yourself so you grind gears when you take off again. This also applies to tizight singletrack...they just are too touchy. If you ask us...we would represent with the "old fashioned" rapidfires. They work great and are cheaper than these monster levers. Keep it real folks!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jeff
a Cross Country Rider
from Ellicott City, MD Date Reviewed: April 17, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Avalon area - Patapsco
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Liberty Bike Shop
Strengths:
Less is better on the handlebars, it is XTR
Weaknesses:
?
Similar Products Used:
XT,SRAM 9.0 gripshift
Bike Setup:
2003 Jamis Dakar Sport w/ XT drivetrain upgrade
Bottom Line:
Shimano knows what its all about - simplicity. As long as the unit is installed properly on the bars to your hand position, there is no accidental shifting. And after little practice, it only takes one finger to shift and brake. Correct me if I'm wrong, but even with the old XTR shifter, you still had to move two fingers off the bar to shift. And breakage is not an issue. Take it from someone who likes to crash, only a few scratches and once the plastic plate on the front came loose on my first ride, probably not installed tight to begin with. Yes, they are pricey, but worth every penny.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rob
a Downhiller
from CA Date Reviewed: April 13, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Strengths:
Fast, smooth shifts
Weaknesses:
If your going slow and trying to pull up at all, then you shift when you don't want to.
Similar Products Used:
All shimano shifters, some sram.
Bike Setup:
03' Specialized Epis S-Works
Bottom Line:
This is a great shifter, but I don't like the dual control. Keep it simple by just having a brake lever and a shifter. If your going slow through a technical trail, then you will shift when you don't want to.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
rip rok
a Cross Country Rider
from san leandro calif Date Reviewed: April 8, 2003
Favorite Trail:
pacific crest
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
quick shifting
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
2001xt
Bike Setup:
santa cruz blur
Bottom Line:
these shifters rock while my friends are trying to find a gear im flying past them picked up alot of speed between shifts
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
SPEE
a Cross Country Rider
from Manhattan Date Reviewed: April 8, 2003
Favorite Trail:
McKenzie River, OR
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Get Outside-NJ
Strengths:
Looks, Feel good, easy and fast shifts-
Weaknesses:
I dont like this system with rapidrise-
Similar Products Used:
2002 XTR, Gripshift
Bike Setup:
Ibis SIlk-ti-Full XTR
Bottom Line:
IMO-the rapidrise is the downfall of this system. I think it makes much more sense to be able to shift down into a easier gear and shift up one gear at a time to make it harder. With this system, when slame on the breaks you must move your hand off the breaks and shift up one gear at a time to make it easier. It would be much better if you could shift into a easier gear while your hands on the lever.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ben herbert
a Cross Country Rider
from sydney, australia Date Reviewed: April 2, 2003
Favorite Trail:
great north walk
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
freedom machine melbourne
Strengths:
A triumph of industrial design. Anything that is this intuitive to use has had a very large amount of thought, design and testing go into it.
Easy shifting and the ability to easily brake and shift at the same time is cool. I never feel like I might change gear inadvertently.
Weaknesses:
none yet found
Similar Products Used:
old XT and XTR
Bike Setup:
Epic Marathon with 959 pedals and Answer carbon riser bar
Bottom Line:
I thought the old XTR was great, but this is better. I have the rapid rise derailleur and it is sweet. Shimano have obviously gone to a lot of trouble to mate these shofters to the rapid rise, because they work perfectly right out of the box. Shifting to larger cogs on the rear is fast and smooth even under high pedal force. I never needed the thumb shifters, and they were removed immediately after the first ride.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jake Pantone
a Racer
from Huntsville, UT Date Reviewed: March 26, 2003
I've been riding these new shifters for about a month now. So far so good. I adapted to the new shifting style immediately and never used the "training levers." I love how they shift extremely crisp and very light action. I have never had rapid rise before but I love it now. On a recent ride in Moab I crashed hard right on the levers and it scratched them but they didn't crack or break which is good. At the Shimano XTR clinic for shops which I attended they mentioned that the "cheap plastic" is very tough composite and that with the way the levers move in 4 different directions they were yet to see them break. Bottom Line. WELCOME NEW XTR.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Darrell
a Racer
from Round Mountain, NV Date Reviewed: March 21, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Thunder Mtn, Utah
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
T-Rix Mtn Bikes, Elko, NV
Strengths:
Intuitive, good looking, fast shifting
Weaknesses:
Expensive. Rapid rise (but that's the derailleur, the shifter will work with both styles).
Similar Products Used:
Rapid Fire (STX-RC, Deore and XT), SRAM 9.0sl
Bike Setup:
2003 Titus Racer X, full XTR with dual control shifting and disc brakes, Manitou Skareb Super
Bottom Line:
These shifters really work great. I've put 150 miles on them now riding some very technical singletrack. I haven't experienced any missed shifts and haven't had to make any adjustments. I'm not a big fan of the older style rapid fire system but I like the new dual control stuff. I removed the paddles after the first ride. I can't say that I like them better than SRAM, but I like them just as well.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
biff
a
from Va beach, Va Date Reviewed: March 18, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Strengths:
it is XTR
Weaknesses:
Kinda pricy for cheap plastic. Doesn't make you think it will last long enough to get your $300 out of it
Similar Products Used:
XT, LX, 9.0, 7.0
Bottom Line:
Maybe no one has noticed this but this the same thing road bikes have had for a few years. So don’t let Sham-ono try to sell you on its great new idea.
The only drawback is wile on a road bike it’s aerodynamics is great and it’s easy enough to use when you’re just pedaling in a straight smooth line. Now try to shift instead of break or break instead of shift when you’re bombing down some singletrack over logs and rocks. Or even on the climb up dab the breaks when you were trying to shift. Not that good? Maybe that’s why they don’t put the break and gas on the gear shifter of your car.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Claudio Arrochela
a
from Brasilia-DF, BRAZIL Date Reviewed: February 9, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Any one in the city of Pirinopolis
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$380.00
Purchased At:
in my local bike shop, Cycling Brasilia-DF
Strengths:
Easy shifting action (with you are used to shimano rapid-rise on rear...), everything on your hands, shifting and braking togheter, intuitive action, and you can shift fron different positions including the bar-ends...
Weaknesses:
Plastic cover (for U$ 400,00!!), could be damaged in a fall (you have to have bar-ends in order to protect your investment...), small lever, box appearence, size when you use the disc option (my case)...
Similar Products Used:
Previous XTR groupset
Bike Setup:
2001 Scott g-zero strike XC full suspension (carbon frame with rear scandiun swingarm...),full 2003 xtr disc group, mavic crossmax ust disc wheels with hayes rotors (and XTR calipers..., sid sl in front and sid lockout on rear (total weight 10,8 kilograms!!)
Bottom Line:
Excluding the plastic covers and the box appearence, it works very well, the transition is much faster if you're used with the 2001 rapid rise rear dellareur, my case, and after the very first trail I removed the optional triggers, its very intuitive to shift, and better you can deal to brake and fast shifting at the same time. The parts that could be improved are the levers, they are a quit small compared with the size of the systen (in my case the disc option), and Im still concerning about the durability of the levers in face of a fall or a obstacle on the trail, I recommend the use of bar-ends for protection!! but the botton line is shimano still ruling the game...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jake
a Cross Country Rider
from Rhode Island USA Date Reviewed: February 7, 2003
Favorite Trail:
BIg River
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Strengths:
seems like a sweet idea, intagrating levers and shifters works well
Weaknesses:
replacment
Bottom Line:
i dont own the shifters myself, but i had a few observations that i noticed when i demoed them. this is deffinatly a sweet product and the intagration is a good idea, but the problem i see is that the mechinism is just waiting to get smashed in a bad crash. At $350, there not cheap to replace. If shimano has a good crash replacement warrenty then these are deffinatly one of the nicest systems ive seen.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Gregg Kuljian
a Cross Country Rider
from hydesville, ca Date Reviewed: January 31, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
A bunch- With the added acreage on the bars from not having shifters AND brakes, I can finally move em way in. Braking while shifting. Simplicity of one-lever-does-everything. Easier to downshift while out of the saddle. The perfect shifter for cross country riders. Shifts three cogs at a time when upshifting.
Weaknesses:
None. (But a helmet hanging on the bars will upshift if it hits the lever. )
Similar Products Used:
Previous xtr
Bike Setup:
2003 Giant NRS Air. Stock.
Bottom Line:
Happy. Still looking for a hangover cure.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dave T
a
from Salinas, Ca. U.S.A Date Reviewed: January 16, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Bobcat Bicycles
Strengths:
Integrated shifting/braking, Lighter (as a whole groupset) & wide range of adjustability - Lever reach, Pull & Barrel Adjusters are easier to reach/turn for on-the-fly adjustments.
Weaknesses:
A little clunky looking in my opinion. It's not the "Old XTR"???
I don't know what all this "Cross Country Specific" stuff is all about. I'm a every-day joe, agressive cross country rider or Freerider - whatever. This group is for anyone as far as I'm concerned. My XL Superlight went on a ONE & A HALF POUND DIET just by swapping 02' XTR and XT Discs to the 03' Group with 517's, alloy nips & 15g Wheelsmiths laced 3 cross!!! Now I have a SUB - 25 Pound XL Superlight with NO ridiculously stupid-light parts. Beleive me - My 215 pound body has thoroughly tested this group through the sand, mud, hardpack and air for 3 months without even a single gripe. If I had 1 gripe to make, it would be about the retail price - Lucky for me I'm a shop guy and got my group in early Nov. Since then the shop has about half a dozen customers out on complete 03' groupsets and have had NOT ONE COMPLAINT. Time will tell with product longevity but that's what has made XTR a legend, the parts simply outlast everything out there hands down and that's why it costs what it does. Check it out for yourself and test the best!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Teo
a Cross Country Rider
from Pacoima Date Reviewed: January 14, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Supergo
Strengths:
Look and feel
Weaknesses:
Plastic cover that goes over shifter cables seems like it will brake at some point. I'll haver to wait and see.
Similar Products Used:
02 XTR
Bike Setup:
03 Fuel 100, SID and Crossmax
Bottom Line:
These are great. I for one love the new look. There is no mistaking these with anything else out there. I thought it would take a while to get use to the new shifting method but it felt natural after only a few minutes of use. I even took off the secondary lever. I use V brakes along with these and they seem to feel more solid than the previous XTR levers. The older model always felt a little sloppy to me. I do agree with the previous reviewer that it does take a little more effort to get to the largest chain ring, but it's not too bad. Bottom line I think Shimano did an awsome job on these.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ndrew
a Cross Country Rider
from Auckland Date Reviewed: January 13, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Nice to have integrated disc brake ability. Ability to shift from bar ends (this is a cross country specific groupset after all!)
Weaknesses:
Shifting is different, not better than old XTR. Very plastic feel. Not as robust feeling as old XTR. Aesthetically not as appealing as old XTR. Front shift requires too much travel. Requires you to ride 'open handed' without a full grip on handlebar.
Similar Products Used:
2002 XTR, XT
Bike Setup:
Seven Sola, Full 2003 XTR, Pace RC31
Bottom Line:
The biggest disappointment of the new groupset. Almost every other component is streets ahead of the old stuff (the brakes, bb and chainset in particular) but Shimano have got it wrong with these. From the start when you install the cables, you have to remove the top plastic covers (very carefully!) which are extremely flimsy. The internals are more exposed than the old under bar shifters which provides worries about long term longevity. Aesthetically the pod mounted on top of the bar is not attractive and seems more prone to damage. Functionally, the action is (contrary to popular belief) just as quick as the old XTR, but I haven't found any advantage to the new way of shifting as yet. It is different but not better. In fact, the left hand/front mech shifter takes some real effort to shift from the middle to outer ring. It has quite a lot of travel to fully engage. The right hand/rear shifter is much better but still doesn't seem as positive as the old stuff. The shifter spoils what is a fantastic groupset with distinct advantages over the old stuff in every other respect.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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