Bidirectional Shimano shifters - did everybody know this?

[Threevok]

SLX shifters do this also.

I have a tendency to use the bidirectional feature on the front mech only.

 

[figbat]

SLX shifters do this also.

I have a tendency to use the bidirectional feature on the front mech only.

Wait - the front mech does this AS WELL??!!

[rushes out to garage]
It does! I guess I should have expected this and tried it out, but my mind was blown after the RD discovery.

 

[ChrisEyles]

Nope, never knew that! Mind you, I've stuck to Shimano shifters pretty much exclusively and SRAM trigger shifting feels weird whenever I've usedit.

A big part of me now wants to upshift with my thumb on my next MTB ride, just 'cos now I know I can

 

[I like Skol]

I must be weird because having known about this for a few years I now go both ways depending on, well depending on whimsy really.

 

[fossyant]

And, the SRAM down shift is easily reached with thumb or finger - I use either depending upon where my hand is. I still find the Shimano shifters better ergonomically for the down shifts.

 

[figbat]

And, the SRAM down shift is easily reached with thumb or finger - I use either depending upon where my hand is. I still find the Shimano shifters better ergonomically for the down shifts.

Bit confused - on my Eagle 12-speed it is quite a contortion to get a finger to operate the trigger shift; it's essentially thumb-only for both up and down.

 

[fossyant]

Bit confused - on my Eagle 12-speed it is quite a contortion to get a finger to operate the trigger shift; it's essentially thumb-only for both up and down.

I quite often flick the lever with my index finger ! Mainly thumb though.

 

[Twilkes]

Could someone please post a picture of the shifters in question, I'm struggling to visualise this.

I've had a standard Shimano shifter, with thumb-shift-up on my side of the bar and finger-click-down on the other side of the bar, and some random mountain bike that had two buttons on my side of the bar for shifting up and down with the thumb, but you all seem to be talking about something else...

 

[Deleted member 26715]

I've had a standard Shimano shifter, with thumb-shift-up on my side of the bar and finger-click-down on the other side of the bar,

I have the same, if you want to go up a gear/down a cog, then you would normally pull with your finger, however if you reach under your bar with you thumb & Push, it has the same effect. No idea why anyone would want mind, down a gear/up a cog with the thumb, up a gear/down a cog with a finger works for me.

 

[figbat]

Could someone please post a picture of the shifters in question, I'm struggling to visualise this.

I've had a standard Shimano shifter, with thumb-shift-up on my side of the bar and finger-click-down on the other side of the bar, and some random mountain bike that had two buttons on my side of the bar for shifting up and down with the thumb, but you all seem to be talking about something else...

Might be talking about the same thing - try pushing the “finger-click-down” with your thumb.

 

[figbat]

View: https://youtu.be/cprO8YymLuU

 

[ColinJ]

I have the same, if you want to go up a gear/down a cog, then you would normally pull with your finger, however if you reach under your bar with you thumb & Push, it has the same effect. No idea why anyone would want mind, down a gear/up a cog with the thumb, up a gear/down a cog with a finger works for me.

I can't see any advantage to it either!

Actually, for someone who is missing a finger or two it could be useful?

 

[figbat]

I couldn’t either, and when I got the SRAM-festooned bike I was all fingers and thumbs, so to speak. However I have very quickly come to prefer a thumb-only approach and, even more, come to appreciate the additional flexibility of the Shimano design.

 

[fossyant]

Some of the lower end shifters won't do this though ! My wife's SLX does the double shift on her MTB - she doesn't ride often but 'forgets' what does what, even though she has a Shimano equipped hybrid. Oh, and who added the extra 'dropper' button.... - which she actually finds very useful as when 'up' she can't actually touch the floor, which is normal on a FS bike.

 

[ChrisEyles]

Went out on the bike tonight... And completely forgot to up shift with my thumb lol. Next ride!