Indexed Gear shifters for 5 speed and 3 chain rings

[SKoob]

Hi all, I'm after some advice/options on upgrading the gear shifters on my girlfriends falcon mtb. She's struggling with gear changes mainly on the chain rings as the grip shift gear shifter is not indexed. The rear is but is a bit sluggish but may be cable related.

Are there any good quality but not bank breaking replacement options? Can only see cheap options for 5 speed and I'm concerned about longevity. Current setup are shimano grip shifters.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

For that set up you won't find a huge amount of choice as 3x5 speed is fairly outdated. However, SRAM MRX Comp shifters are available for 5 speed.

I have 7 and 8 speed versions on my bikes and find them very good quality and shift sweetly. They can be obtained from Halfords: Left hand. Right hand.

The left hand one isn't indexed per se, but has a series of set steps so it's easy to find the gear each time once correctly adjusted.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Just remembered that they are also available through Cyclelife - works out a bit cheaper for the pair: Link.

 

[SKoob]

Cheers for the advice, I'm trying to make using the gears available simpler as she finds it difficult to find the right chainring until the momentum has gone and makes hills a struggle. Will have a ganders

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Cheers for the advice, I'm trying to make using the gears available simpler as she finds it difficult to find the right chainring until the momentum has gone and makes hills a struggle. Will have a ganders

In that case the MRX shifters may be helpful as they need less of a twist to change gear than the other grip shifters I've used.

Trigger shifters would be the option to make it simpler, but I'm relatively sure they aren't available as a 5 speed version so the only real option there would be to go with a trigger shifter one side and grip or thumb shifter the other.

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

Hi all, I'm after some advice/options on upgrading the gear shifters on my girlfriends falcon mtb. She's struggling with gear changes mainly on the chain rings as the grip shift gear shifter is not indexed. The rear is but is a bit sluggish but may be cable related.

Are there any good quality but not bank breaking replacement options? Can only see cheap options for 5 speed and I'm concerned about longevity. Current setup are shimano grip shifters.

Because 5 and 6 speed sprocket pitch are identical (i.e. 5.5mm), all Shimano or Shimano compatible 6 speed indexed shifters will work perfectly (while 5 speed indexed shifters are either limited or low quality or unavailable). For example, I think this has to be very close to the best if not the best quality and best 5/6x3 speed rapidfire shifting (and brake levers) money can buy at present.

Imho the vast majority of grip shifters or thumb shifters are inferior, mechanically and operationally, to shifters like those above.