What is the quality of the shifter on my bike?

Question

I have a Cannondale Comfort 5 bike and was wondering about the quality of some of the grip shifter. Its a Shimano SL-RS41 Revo Twist. I haven't been overly impressed by it, but I do like the idea of a grip shift. I'm wondering if most of my problems could be solved by adjusting the deraileurs to make shifting easier. What is considered a high end grip shifter and would fit an 8 speed?

Answer 1

NOTE TO BEN: The difference between Shimano and SRAM is not the spacing between the cogs- it is the amount of cable that the shifters pull. If you use SRAM shifters with Shimano derailleurs (or visa versa) there will be problems.

That being said, GripShift DOES make a Shimano compatible shifter but you must specify it.

Now to the question... I think you just need a good adjustment. You shouldn't need to touch the derailleurs, but removing the slack from the cables would be a good start. Simply shift the bike to 1 on the front and 8 on the back, then use the barrel adjusters on the shifter and/or derailleur to remove cable slack.

Answer 2

Yours is a decent low-end Shimano product and should work well.  You probably need to adjust your derailleurs, and I'm putting some references below, including videos, that can help you with this.

Grip Shift is a trade name owned by SRAM, which makes fine components.  Shimano calls them Twist Shift.  Others will tell you different, but SRAM and Shimano are interchangeable, as this relates to rear cog spacing, which is the same with both manufacturers.

You might get improved shifting by upgrading, and SRAM is probably the best in this category.  But you'll need to stick with 8 speed unless you want to upgrade the rear cluster as well.  As with all upgrading, at some point you'll run into the classic dilemma that it may be cheaper to buy a new bike than to upgrade piece by piece.  On the other hand, it's better stewardship of resources to stick with the one you have.

Good luck, and happy riding.

Answer 3

Grip shift seems to have more complications than trigger shifting does. They are more prone to mess up the deraileurs on your bike because you physically have to set it to the exact gear you need or else your deraileurs and chain get locked up. It's not the bike's deraileurs just the way you have to shift them. Trigger shifting is an automatically set gear, so you don't have to worry about getting locked up and lining it the shifter up perfectly. Shimano makes good products either way, so i believe it's a matter of preference. Choose what you feel is best to suit you.