Bike Shifters

About Bike Shifters

Convenience and safety are one of the most important considerations when choosing biking gear. Because bikers can never foresee the overall terrain while cycling, it is important to use the most efficient bike shifters so they can easily move the bike’s chain from low to higher gear.

There are several types of bike shifters.  The thumb shifter is conveniently located above the bike handlebars and can be operated with a push of the thumb and pull of the index finger. The rapid fire shifter is found at the bottom of the handlebar and uses the push-pull lever to create a response in the bike derailleurs. The grip shifter, on the other hand, uses the principle of the motorcycle throttle wherein an inward shift of the derailleurs will manipulate the lighter gear and the outward shift will move the higher gear.

Modern bike shifters work differently. They are mounted together with the brake levers which gives the rider additional convenience. With just one lever, the rider can change gear and manipulate the brakes. Unlike traditional bike shifters, modern ones like those produced by Shimano or SRAM can be manipulated by clicking only one lever once or twice to shift from lower or higher gear.

Shimano, SRAM and other bike companies may use the same concept in bike shifters but riders said bikes still differ one from the other in terms of performance, weight and efficiency. Efficiency may still depend on a biker’s preference. Even urban bikes still have variations that a biker should be aware of.

Most-popular bike shifters brands: SRAM shifters, Shimano shifters, Campagnolo shifters, Zipp shifters, and Avid shifters.