GripShift Problem

[Fred26]

I don't know if this belongs in this forum or not, but...

I recently bought a new bike (from Halfords) for my girlfriend so that we could cycle together, but I was a bit perturbed when I realised that it would come with GripShift - something I've had problems with on every one of my own bikes. We didn't have the cash to upgrade to 'proper' gears, so took the GripShift grudgingly.
Sure ennough, within about six weeks of having the bike the gears are knackered. They started off clicking, then started jumping gears on their own, before not sitting in the gear properly and finally the chain has actually come off and become entangled around the cogs three times in the last ten days.

Other than the chain coming off, I have had this problem on every single bike that I have had with GripShift (five in total now). Is it something I have done, or is GripShift inherently awful?

Though I've been cycling all my life and it's my main form of transport, I've never really taken any interest in the technical aspect of cycling so if you could post in laymans terms, I'd be grateful.

Thanks.

 

[Jake]

apparently the bike does need to settle in and go for a service after the first month as cables will naturaly stretch a bit, so could be that?

 

[Fred26]

I'm taking it to Halfords on Saturday anyway, but I'm wondering what others think about GripShift.

 

[TheDoctor]

Used them for ages. No problems whatsoever with 'em.

 

[gaz]

i've used them in the past, and i was never a fan. Obviously each device for changing gear has a pro and a con, but as was mentioned before, the cables naturally stretch and a service may fix this.

 

[Jake]

yes never had any problems wiht mine, had to adjust now and again, but were ok.

 

[HelenD123]

Mine work fine.

 

[Jim_Noir]

I have them on my old MTB and seem ok, only had the chain come off once... but this was me trying to be a smart erse!

 

[Amanda P]

I've used them a lot on two bikes. No problems that don't occur equally with other shifters.

 

[summerdays]

That's why bike shops usually offer a free service after 6 weeks so that they can sort out those stretched cables. (Why can you not buy pre-stretched cables?)

 

[Pip]

I'm not a huge fan of GripShift, but it's on my folder and reliability wise I've never had a problem with it.

 

[garrilla]

I've found that grip-shift gears tend to have a problem with the cable butt - this can break the fixing in the grip shift if its twisted too quickly, with too much force or if the cable is too loose. The result is that the twist can be jammed or it clicks but to no effect or worse still the cable becomes even looser and the deraileur forces the chain off.

I've stopped buying my kids bikes with twist-shift gears because its always happens, then we all kinds of palaver over it.

I know its too late for the OP, and hopefully it can rectified.

Did I say that I don't like 'em?

 

[scouserinlondon]

I'm using my wife's halfords carrera subway and the grip shifts are doing exactkly what you talk about. Jumping out of gear when you're putting pressure on the pedals is the most dangerous bit of it in my view.

 

[nigelnorris]

No probs with the ones on my Halfords Apollo, done thousands of miles on that and the grips, cables etc are still original ones.

 

[Arch]

Never had a problem with them myself, had them on two bikes, may be fitting them to another soon....