Author Topic: Shimano Dual Control (Read 5769 times)

Carbonman1 · « **on:** March 09, 2007, 02:46:02 am »

Is anybody out there using the Shimano Dual Control levers--and like them? Riding my road bike made me give them a second thought.

proflex252 · « **Reply #1 on:** March 09, 2007, 04:48:33 am »

I've never used them and will never use them.
Just tried them in a shop and didn't like them.
Nothing more to say.

oldschoolbikr · « **Reply #2 on:** March 09, 2007, 05:44:30 am »

Grew up trigger happy, but I love the breaking while down shifting of the DC's. I have tried both LX's and XT's and there is a significant difference in the feel of both. The LX's are a bit smaller unit.

Going end over end is a problem since the shifting mech is out in front, it is more suceptable to damage.

I do not feel that Breaking / shifting is any better / worse than triggers other than that.

RhinoDave · « **Reply #3 on:** March 09, 2007, 10:40:11 am »

I've been using them on my Haro and they are okay. The rear derailluer is a rapid rise so I shift the wrong way occasionally since all my other bikes are regular Shimano triggers with regular rear derailluers. I wouldn't buy them unless you need new shifters and you can get a good deal on them. I have never had any issues with them and they shift efficiently.

kiwi · « **Reply #4 on:** March 09, 2007, 03:31:49 pm »

what are they?

K23K · « **Reply #5 on:** March 09, 2007, 03:53:38 pm »

Here they are! I love them! They really snap!

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=166774248

Carbonman1 · « **Reply #6 on:** March 09, 2007, 05:14:49 pm »

That ride is AWESOME. It must surely turn heads on the road. It is no doubt fast...

mizunole · « **Reply #7 on:** March 09, 2007, 10:24:37 pm »

Quote

what are they?

Shimano Dual control break / shifter levers. I like them as much maybe even slightly more than triggers (because of the breaking while down shifting feature).

I had having the same leaning curve with these as I did Rapid Rise, Dual Suspension, Clipless pedals, all of which I refuse to ride without today.

If you want to learn to like them, there is nothing functionally wrong with them and they take the same amount of effort as trigger shifters. They are limb magnets but no more than your standard hydrolic brake lever. (Do not over tighten them on the handle bar and if you endo, they will give instead of break)

Did I mention that you can shift and break at the same time?

shovelon · « **Reply #8 on:** March 10, 2007, 01:47:27 am »

Quote

Here they are! I love them! They really snap!

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=166774248

Nice setup. Kind of has the looks of a Tri-bike.

Terry

Matno · « **Reply #9 on:** March 10, 2007, 10:05:28 am »

There's a reason why they aren't as popular as Shimano predicted... They are a pain in the butt. I've used XT and XTR versions, and shifting is awkward. It's not a problem with getting used to them, and RapidRise is not confusing since you're switching to a completely different shift motion. The problem is that they are just awkward to shift. It's very unnatural to lift the levers up, and pushing them down requires more downward force and a much longer push than thumb shifters. (Kind of like the trigger pull on a double action Smith and Wesson semi-auto pistol...it may be smooth, but the pull is so long that you actually have to shift your entire grip and orientation of your wrist to pull it all the way back).

The theory behind braking and shifting simultaneously is a good one, but since I've never noticed it to be a problem in the decades I've been riding, it seems like a solution to a problem that doesn't really exist. Maybe it's because with our American set-up (Left lever = front brake) I can brake with one hand (I use my front brake 90% of the time) and shift with the other (I shift my rear gears most of the time - especially since I switched to a 2x9 setup).

I've used Shimano's grip-shift and rapidfire for years, but the only alternative to those that I would consider is SRAM's thumb shifters, which are different from my beloved RapidFires, but still pretty sweet (and nice and crisp).

Oh, and I REALLY don't like the idea of having to replace both shifters and brake levers if I only want to change one of them....

kiwi · « **Reply #10 on:** March 10, 2007, 11:52:57 am »

ahhh so they are kind of like the road bike system where you shift by moving the brake lever to the left or right?(because of course on a road bike the brake lever are vertical)So on a mtb with the levers horizontal you lift em up and push em down to shift?

K23K · « **Reply #11 on:** March 10, 2007, 12:44:25 pm »

Yes!
That's it! Some people like them and some people don't...... Like anything else I guess.

Matno · « **Reply #12 on:** March 11, 2007, 08:11:16 am »

Quote

ahhh so they are kind of like the road bike system where you shift by moving the brake lever to the left or right?(because of course on a road bike the brake lever are vertical)So on a mtb with the levers horizontal you lift em up and push em down to shift?

Shimano road bike levers have separate levers for shifting up and down, and you push both of them in the same direction. With the MTB ones, to shift "up" you have to raise the lever by straightening your fingers and pushing up with the back of your fingers. (Finger extensor muscles are much weaker than flexors, plus there's no padding on the back of your fingers, so forget shifting this way unless you wear thick gloves).
Or if you have really long fingers you can wrap all the way around the lever from the top and pull up. The first way means you're taking your fingers off of the brake entirely (not good) and the second way means you have to rotate your grip on the handlebars to get the extra reach needed. Personally, I prefer to ride with one fingerTIP on my brakes, not with the second knuckle all the way around the lever.

I predict dual control levers will either be redesigned or scrapped altogether in the near future. I think the main reason Shimano came out with them was because SRAM finally came out with a good alternative thumb shifter. I've always been a die-hard fan of the big S, but dual-control probably did more to boost sales of high-end SRAM shifters than anything has in a long time...

Carbonman1 · « **Reply #13 on:** March 12, 2007, 03:22:28 pm »

Well those were good reponses. Real world experience beats the marketing hype any day.
I'll probably stay with the SRAMs. If I find a cheap pair at a swap I might test em. Thanks

sammydog · « **Reply #14 on:** March 12, 2007, 11:25:59 pm »

I'm firmly in the camp of people who don't like them. Just don't like the feel of shifting with the lever.

I run X.0 on my DH bike and find the shifter to be the best I have used. I notoced the new XT shifters shift the same way, so I will be putting a set on my XC bike shortly, if they are anything like the X.0, then shimano will be on a winner.

I guess in the end its all personal preference, and I like to do all my shifting with my thumb.

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Author Topic: Shimano Dual Control (Read 5769 times)

oldschoolbikr