Bike Shifters Buying Guide

A bicycle  has many gears that allows it to make very precise movements. In order to have control over these mechanisms, the bike shifters  utilize a cable system that activates gears such as derailleurs  or hub gears. The shifter is located either on the handlebars,  the down tube, or the ends of the triathlon bars.  

Friction Shifting

• This is the original gear shifting system which operated by pushing on a lever that changed the gears in order for the derailleur to move from one sprocket to the next.
• This system has 6 to 7 sprockets which confuses some cyclists when changing gears.
• Gear changing can also leave chains in between two sprockets, which causes a rattling sound.
• Friction gears are stil the preferred type of shifters for experienced bikers because of the simplicity of the design and the compatibility of parts from different manufacturers. 

 Index Shifting

• The index shifting system doesn't have the need to adjust gears after changing them each time like friction shifting does.
• The gears are indexed so each stop corresponds with a specific position of the derailleur and the hub gears. 
• The problem cyclists face is the lack of compatability in shifters with other bicycle components. Campagnolo  is the exception, for the company does not index their front shifters and the rear shifters can be upgraded easily.

Major Manufacturers

• Campagnolo 
• Shimano 
• Sram 
• Sturmey 
• Utegra 

Quick Picks

SRAM X.7 Trigger Shifters Set  Alloy body with stainless steel hardware. Built-in visual gear indicator.	SRAM X.0 Special Edition Trigger Mountain Bike Shifters  Reinforced carbon composite. Lots of colors available. Lightweight.	Shimano SL BS50-8 Speed Bar End Shifters  Friction-compatible right lever.	Shimano R440 9SP Bar Shifters  Front shifter compatible only with Shimano R440 or R443 front derailleurs. Designed to run road cranks with a flat bar.	SRAM X.9 Trigger Shifters  Adjustable clamp, can be mounted in more than one position on the handlebar clamp. Zero loss travel, less lever motion before shifting begins. SRAM ESP compatible. Aluminum alloy and composite construction. Left side shifter works with any make front derailleur.

Levers

Bike levers help control shifters and brakes easily.

Shimano LX ST-M585	Avid Speed Dial 7	Cane Creek Direct Curve	Shimano XTR SL-M970 Rapidfire	Shimano Deore BL-M511

Related Guides

Bike Cassettes	Bike Stems	Bike Pedals	Disc Brakes	BMX Bikes

External Links 

• BloomBikeShop.com:  Replacing shifter cables on mountain bikes.