A friend of mine has severe arthritis and has difficulty shifting using conventional or gripshift. She will be buying a hybrid soon due to the ailments and would like to have the easiest shifting system, single speed isn't an option!! Anyone got any alternative ideas/suggestions for shifting?? Cheers.

Dual control brake/gear levers?

if she's a woman, shouldn't the bike know telepathically when she wants the gear shifting and do it unthinkingly and without need for any thanks?

Matrimonial issues iDave??

Dual control brake/gear levers

+1

I hate to say it but two thoughts immediately spring to mind, the first being that if said individual is really THAT arthritic, should they really be riding a bike at all? Secondly, if shifting is such an issue, surely braking is also an issue? Which kinda brings us back to my initial concern…

Just a thought, like.

I think braking is ok, its more a wrist/thumb thing. And i'd hate to be the one to tell her she was unable to ride, you just cant kill some peoples spirit and determination.

Is it both hands that are affected? I built a bike once which had all the shifting on the left as the guys right hand was still on a minefield in Mozambique

grip shift? maybe a 1×9 set-up with the shifter on the preferred side if one hand is less affected.

Exercise is good for arthritis so yes; she should be riding as much as possible….

As for shifting, shimano do a Di2 version of their nexus gears (http://cycle.shimano-eu.com/publish/content/global_cycle/en/nl/index/products/city___comfort_bike/cyber_nexus.html) not going to be cheap though…

They also do something called the Nexave t300 'tapfire' shifters of which I can't find a decent picture, but designed to be easier to use….

These are(were) made for drops but could be put on a flat or wave bar. Sontour Command shifters, only up to seven speed, though for a hybrid that could be a goer.

I have a set at the bottom of a box somewhere.

I've got a similar problem, (mainly on my left hand) and am now thinking about the DCLs as they can be had fairly cheaply these days. I tried lefthand Sram X0 gripshift which does reduce the issue with thumb shifting but puts more strain on the wrist, which are two of my most affected areas. I had a little play around with having both shifers, (1 grip and one thumb), on the righthand side but couldn't get it to sit in a comfortable/usable position.

I have little problem with braking, although I can't 1 finger brake consistently on the left.

Without meds I couldn't ride at all and have learnt to adapt to my condition – I wouldn't contemplate not riding at all unless I got to the stage where I couldn't ride safely. I imagine your friend is fairly similar situation. Personally I find that I can't ride 2 days in a row without aggravating things further but I can live with this.

Let me know how your friend gets on and if they find any alternative options.

*EDIT – Forget to say that although the DCLs are fairly cheap, you need to switch to a full shimano braking system which obviously bumps up the price and may not be what your friend wants.

Forgot about it earlier, but mrsmidlife's mum has a hybrid thingy with four speed electronic shimano nexus on it, together with drum brakes. She brought it to me to fix a puncture on the back and it was a complete nightmare to undo all the gubbins to get the wheel out. I put a slime tube in to make sure I didn't have to do it again soon, and took it for a spin around town. Some slightly random shifting in auto mode, but not awful, and push button manual available too. The bike might have been Real Cycles, but I'll give her a ring tomorrow and post up.

Edit: this was the gubbins, but the whole bike was maybe £300? nothing like this price.
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