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My daughter has just started using a Beinn 20 but cannot use the gripshift (no surprises there...) even though everything is lubed up.
I know people have used other shifters but was wondering what had been succesful for little girl's hands...in my mind a big old 7 speed thumbshifter would be good...but how have button type shifters gone down?
Ta.
Look at the rear derailleur and get a matching front shifter. For our Beinn I think it was Sram 4 thumb shifter we used, after the grip one woreout / fell apart. What's a button shifter?
I wrapped that sticky plumbers tape round the grip a few times, the larger diameter and sticky surface made the difference enough for the kids to shift cogs
Yep SRAM X4, CRC have an X3 for a tenner which I might give a whirl...just wondering if small thumbs can press the buttons (especially to change into easier gears) any better than small hands can twist gripshift?
button shifter = shifter you press buttons on...you know, rapidfire stuff, dunno what the technical terms are, you press buttons and the gears change!
Rapidfire are harder for liitle ones to use. Mine found this to be the case. Changing up the is the problematic bit as their thumbs dont have the reach.
IME a little better with thumb but not much
Initially this meant he could stop change gear then set off again
He can now change gear though whilst riding
My son never had a problem but he'd grown since initial purchase, and presumably Isla spec gripshift for reason. Those shimano integrated are another option but a bit drastic. Single speed?!
The caveat being i suppose at which end of the Bein 20 sizing they are currently at. Mine struggled when at the smaller end and could manage rapidfire towards the end when strarting to look at 24 inch bikes.
7 speed thumbie?
Looks a bit noddy, but simple & cheap (£10)
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That ^^^ 7 speed thumby looks good. There is one of those on our Islabike trailerbike and my not quite 4 year old can operate it easily. He can't yet work out which gear he needs to be in, but he can change up/down without issue.