I wasn’t aware that being unable to shift and brake at the same time was a common complaint against twist shifters. I’d never heard it before and and never found it a problem myself.

One thing I will say in defence of those who don’t like twist shifters, is that short grips are always too short.
I’ve got big hands and was always riding with one or two fingers wrapped round the shifter all the time.
I now use a full size lock on grip cut down to about 3/4 length.
Just make sure you use one that only locks at one end.

You can get lock-on grips in the right length for Rohloff anyway…

That’s what I meant. They are the “right length” so that the short grip and twister combined adds up to the same length as a conventional grip.
I find them too short, so I prefer a cut down long grip so I can still get my whole hand on the grip part, without touching the twister.

I used ESI Chunky grips on my bike,And cut the shifter one to match the size of the other side.

Likewise – lockons aren’t great. Cut down ESI’s currently in favour, cut slightly longer than a short lockon.

I’d never heard it before and and never found it a problem myself.

It’s one of the many reasons I’ve been given for people claiming they could never ride a Rohloff. My favourite still remains ‘you cant get a floating disc rotor for it’

People also get obsessed about the chain tensioner as well, often thinking that having a tensioner completely negates the reliability benefits of the Rohloff.

It doesn’t, of course, it doesn’t affect reliability at all.

True but part of the reason to get a gearbox is to get rid of bits dangling of the bike

The chain tensioner is sort of out the way,protected by Crank arm and pedals.

Have had no problems with mine.

Mud clearance is amazing and no chain drop,even riding in the worst conditions mine has been faultless.

You can’t shift a normal mech/cassette whilst braking

Getting of the brakes = removing finger from brake lever in this case.

As I said, I haven’t used twistgrips for a long time and I never claimed that anything I said was based on actual experience or that it was a fatal flaw or anything.

I asked out of curiosity, got some replies that I read and after thinking about it I basically decided that it shouldn’t be a problem.

True but part of the reason to get a gearbox is to get rid of bits dangling of the bike

True, but the tensioner on the ‘hoff is pretty small, tough, and seems to run well enough when surprisingly bent. Theres also a certain satisfaction in a bike part that can be repaired by putting in a vice and hitting with a hammer….

Early days yet but I suspect the Pinion tensioner is even less likely to get clunked as it’s normally dragging the back wheel between rocks that does for mechs. It’s not really any more delicate than a chainguide.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m currently trying to convince a gearbox manufacturer to sell me one as no one is making a frame I’d be happy spending that amount of cash on.

I’ve been running an 8 speed alfine for a good 2 years now and I cant see me ever going back to “normal” gears

I just don’t think frame design is quite matching gearbox design other than a couple such as Zerode

I would love something low, slack, and steel with the Pinion box and a belt-drive. That’s the dream, right there.

That’s not too far from what I’m aiming for

Like a PP Shan, but not made from gas pipe 😀

Ah no, mine will have a bendy bit in the middle