How to choose your MTB gear shifters?
When it comes to mountain biking, it is important to choose the right gear shifters to have an MTB drivetrain that responds perfectly!
Here are a few tips to avoid making the wrong choice...
The standards
- The cable pull ratio for the rear derailleur
- Types of shifters: trigger or grip shift
- The number of rear gears, today: 9, 10, 11 or 12
- The number of front chainrings, today: 1 (single), 2 (double) or 3 (triple)
Types of gear shifters
The choice of MTB gear shifters is fairly limited as there are only two players on the market, namely: SHIMANO and SRAM.
For the front derailleur, cable pull is standardised, so you can combine components from these two competitors, simply making sure you respect the speed standard.
On the other hand, for the rear derailleur , each brand has a different operating system. Therefore, it is not possible to combine components from these brands. (E.g. SRAM shifters with a SHIMANO rear derailleur).
Indeed, the cable pull ratio at SHIMANO is 2 to 1 (2 mm of cable pulled moves the derailleur by 1 mm), whereas it is 1 to 1 at SRAM.
SHIMANO: 1 press A = 2 mm of cable B = 1 gear C
SRAM: 1 press A = 1 mm of cable B = 1 gear C
In terms of shifter ergonomics, there are two models:
- triggers (thumb levers), which are operated using the thumb and therefore leave the full length of your grip free for a stable hold when you are not operating the shifters;
- or grip shifters, which are operated by rotation and therefore allow you to keep your grip on the handlebar when you operate them.
While SHIMANO only offers triggers, SRAM, for its part, offers both types in its range.
Please note that for triggers, depending on the model and range, it is possible to mount them directly onto the brake lever clamp in order to free up space on the handlebar. This type of mounting requires you to have brakes and gear shifters from the same brand, or compatible ones. At Shimano the mounting system is called "I-Spec" and at Sram "Matchmaker".
Finally, as all the components of a drivetrain are designed to work under a gear speed standard, you cannot pair a 9-speed shifter with a 10-speed drivetrain, for example.
Which gear shifters should you choose?
The choice will mainly depend on the derailleurs fitted to your bike: simply make sure you choose shifters that are compatible with your components. For a build from "scratch", you will have the choice between the two brands. Riders generally report smoother and more forgiving performance with SHIMANO, or more precise and snappy performance with SRAM.
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MTB - Gear Shifters
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SHIMANO SLX 12V SL-M7100 Right Gear Shifter
Regular price 13,99 €Regular priceUnit price per -
SHIMANO SLX 12V SL-M7100-IR Right Shifter I-Spec EV Mount
Regular price 14,99 €Regular priceUnit price per -
SHIMANO SLX 11-Speed Right Shifter SL-M7000-R
Regular price 21,99 €Regular priceUnit price per -
SRAM GX EAGLE AXS 12S Right Trigger Shifter
Regular price 89,99 €Regular priceUnit price per -
SHIMANO DEORE 12-Speed Right Shifter SL-M6100-R I-Spec EV Mount
Regular price 14,99 €Regular priceUnit price per -
SRAM GX EAGLE Grip Shift 12-Speed Twist Shifter
Regular price 29,99 €Regular priceUnit price per -
SRAM XX1 Eagle 12-Speed Right Shifter Black
Regular price 99,90 €Regular priceUnit price per -
Right Shifter SRAM X5 9-Speed Trigger
Regular price 22,99 €Regular priceUnit price per
