Bidirectional Shimano shifters - did everybody know this?

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figbat

Slippery scientist
I made a discovery today. Until recently I have always had Shimano groupsets - my 2012 Cube has Deore and my 2007 Kona has something similar. They have the trigger/thumb gearshift system. Then recently I got a Felt full-sus and it came with this new-fangled SRAM stuff. I quickly discovered that the shifting is different - you use your thumb for both rear mech shifts, up and down.

I’ve ridden the Felt a lot recently but the last couple of rides have been back on the Cube. I kept having to remind myself to use my finger for the rear mech upshifts. Then I forgot and went for an upshift with my thumb. And bugger me, it shifted. I had no idea that the Shimano triggers were bidirectional, after years of using my finger only. Am I the last to know this?! I just checked and the SRAM do not work both ways.
 
D

Deleted member 26715

Guest
What?
 
D

Deleted member 26715

Guest
With Shimano flat bar & MTB systems you can either push or pull the shift lever to go down the cassette, but with SRAM it's push only.
Thank you I didn't know that I have always gone up (size not gear) with thumb & down (size not gear) with finger, I will try it next time I'm out.
 
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figbat

figbat

Slippery scientist
Thank you I didn't know that I have always gone up (size not gear) with thumb & down (size not gear) with finger, I will try it next time I'm out.
Exactly! I’ve been doing this for years and only found out by accident today that I have been half-using them! Wish I’d known sooner.
 

Jenkins

Legendary Member
Location
Felixstowe
I found out about it when I built up a flat bar with SRAM Rival as I thought all systems came with the Shimano double action, but thought it was just a quirk of the Rival set up. Then I got an MTB with SRAM Eagle.

Seems odd as SRAM use the fantastic 'double tap' shifters on their road bikes when Shimano have two levers to do the same job.
 
D

Deleted member 26715

Guest
But how do you pull with your thumb?
 
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figbat

figbat

Slippery scientist
So to answer my opening question, no - I was not the only one that didn't know this!
I predict a rush of people leaving the drop bar bike at home today, going out on the flat bar to try this.
I will be one of them although my brain / finger / thumb co-ordination may not be up for change!
Interestingly, after at least 13 years of riding with finger and thumb and only around a month of thumb-only, I have switched pretty quickly to thumb-dominant shifting, throwing in a finger every so often as various situations demand. The flexibility that the Shimano system offers is very welcome - you can shift with you hand in all manner of locations on the bar.
 

Levo-Lon

Guru
If you are running Shimano XT ,XTR, groupsets this allows you to drop 3 cogs on the down shift with one full push of the lever , which is a big plus when decending
Deore is single cog down shift but still quality.

I love SRAM but Shimano has better features on shifters
 

Milkfloat

An Peanut
Location
Midlands
I am pretty sure 2 Way Release has been around for decades. I feel like it is the only way I shift on my MTB, but I could be wrong.
 

simon.r

Person
Location
Nottingham
Add me to the list of people who didn’t know this.

Tried it on my MTB yesterday. After decades of riding Shimano I doubt my brain will allow my fingers and thumbs to change the way they work, but still good to know.
 
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figbat

figbat

Slippery scientist
If you are running Shimano XT ,XTR, groupsets this allows you to drop 3 cogs on the down shift with one full push of the lever , which is a big plus when decending
Deore is single cog down shift but still quality.

I love SRAM but Shimano has better features on shifters
My Deore 10-speed shifter will do 1, 2 or 3 cogs with a thumb push, depending how far I push it. The SRAM Eagle is the same.

EDIT: wait, sorry - you mean it'll shift 3 cogs smaller? I've never experienced that, I'd love to know how that works.
 
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