What are those thumb switches?

[Maz]

Went on a social ride with some friends the other day (a rarity for me to be on my bike when not commuting). In my quest to eventually buy a road bike, I had a chance to ride 2 bikes from some of the guys on the ride...first one was a Cannondale R600 (nice enough), the other was a Giant TCR (or SCR? can't remember). I didn't get to have a good blast on the Giant cos my cleats were incompatible with the pedals, so only took it for a 10 min spin round the pub carpark. Really nice bike.

Anyways, it had these thumb-press switches near the hood. Forgot to ask him what they were for when I'd finished my ride.

What are they?

Thanks

 

[Smokin Joe]

If will have been either a Campag groupset or a Shimano Sora and they are shift levers. Right hand one to change to a higher rear gear, the one on the left lever to drop to the small chainring.

 

[Keith Oates]

If it's a Giant the chances are it will be Shimano however I doubt they have the Sora on a TCR so most likely the SCR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Have checked the UK Giant web site and none of the new SCR bikes have Sora they are 105 or Ultegra, although one is fitted with SRAM so it maybe that as I've never used that gear set!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Keith Oates]

Maz, FWIW I think that the Giant range of road bikes is currently very good and well worth considering!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Smokin Joe]

Maz, FWIW I think that the Giant range of road bikes is currently very good and well worth considering!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

...apart from a second-rate groupset

 

[Over The Hill]

Push the brake lever sideways inward to change to bigger cog and click the little switch for it to drop down a cog.

I was told some work the other way round but whatever it is you get the idea.

I like them as you can ride on the hoods and change gear without moving your hands off. I have a sora setup and have no complaints with it.

 

[stoatsngroats]

Sora - another supportive opinion!

I have a sora setup and have no complaints with it.

Me too!

But I've never ridden anything else !

 

[Maz]

Many thanks for the replies. Much appreciated.

 

[RedBike]

Me too!

But I've never ridden anything else !

I wasn't very impressed with them. I will never buy a bike with them on again.

I can't understand why they've put that button in a position where you can't reach it from the drops, well I can't! The Sora brakes are also rubbish too. But thats another topic.

Tiagra or Campags Xenon shifters are just soooo much nicer. Bit of shame they're also quite a bit more money.

 

[John the Monkey]

...one is fitted with SRAM so it maybe that as I've never used that gear set!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SRAM doesn't use a thumb button as far as I know, does it?

I agree with Keith about the Giants - they're good value for money (imho).

Edit: We don't see eye to eye on Sora though - I've tried it, and didn't like it (I ride on the drops a lot though).

 

[Maz]

Edit: We don't see eye to eye on Sora though - I've tried it, and didn't like it (I ride on the drops a lot though).

How can you tell Sora from Ultegra (and Dura-Ace?). Not even sure if the question makes sense...some drops have big paddle+little paddle combo - what are they? Big Paddle+thumb switch is a Sora, right? So what's a Dura-Ace?
And where does Tiagra fit into all of this?
Bit confused...

 

[John the Monkey]

Maz, the Shimano stuff goes;

Sora -> Tiagra -> 105 -> Ultegra -> Ultegra SL -> Dura-Ace

Sora is cheapest, and 8 speed (although it went to 9 this year, that's not filtered through to the groups fitted on bikes yet, so far as I can tell). Tiagra is 9 speed, and everything else is (currently) 10. Dura-Ace is the most expensive.

Sora is the only one with the thumb lever to move to smaller cogs.

Tiagra and Sora have visual indicator windows for the gear you're in (these make the levers look a little less cool than 105 etc imho).

Anecdotally, the gains as you move up are in smoother shifting, and weight savings.

Campag levers have a thumb button to move to smaller cogs, but better placed so that it can be reached from the drops. SRAM use one lever, which is moved differently to shift up or down (I think it's long push for down, short push for up, or summat).

I can't remember the order of the Campag or SRAM groupsets in their respective heirarchies.

 

[Young Un]

Sora
sora has a thumb lever, and the motion of the brake lever, which does not allow upward(rear mesh) changes and down (front mesh) changes when riding on the drops:

Tiagra and above
tiagra has the motion of the brake lever like sora does for up changes on the front and down changes on the back. but for the up changes there is a black lever directly behind the brake lever which moves independantly:

 

[Joe24]

Maz, the Shimano stuff goes;

Sora -> Tiagra -> 105 -> Ultegra -> Ultegra SL -> Dura-Ace

Sora is cheapest, and 8 speed (although it went to 9 this year, that's not filtered through to the groups fitted on bikes yet, so far as I can tell). Tiagra is 9 speed, and everything else is (currently) 10. Dura-Ace is the most expensive.

Sora is the only one with the thumb lever to move to smaller cogs.

Tiagra and Sora have visual indicator windows for the gear you're in (these make the levers look a little less cool than 105 etc imho).

Anecdotally, the gains as you move up are in smoother shifting, and weight savings.

Campag levers have a thumb button to move to smaller cogs, but better placed so that it can be reached from the drops. SRAM use one lever, which is moved differently to shift up or down (I think it's long push for down, short push for up, or summat).

I can't remember the order of the Campag or SRAM groupsets in their respective heirarchies.

Actually, 2200 is cheaper and works in the same way

 

[John the Monkey]

Actually, 2200 is cheaper and works in the same way

D'oh - I knew I'd bugger that up somehow.