Trying to get the Mrs back on the bike after 5 years off following a neck injury. Ultimately she wants to get back on the MTB but at the moment she still suffers on anything other than pretty smooth stuff.

So, I’m helping her build her fitness, strength and confidence back up on the road bike first.

She has small hands and is struggling with using the Tiagra STIs as they are pretty “long, and the pivot point is quite low.

I’ve fiddled about a bit, tried flat bas and MTB shifters etc but she wants to stick with curly bars on the roadie.

Are there any STIs that are specifically designed for small hands? Mayby kids ones? My SRAM Rival STIs are much better, but I’d need to buy pretty much a full groupset as her current is a 9 speed triple and the SRAM stuff is 10 speed compact.

Any suggestions?

Or do I just have to shell out £300 on an Apex groupset in the hope that she can get on with SRAM?

I have Diddy hands for a fella, when you buy a pair of shimano Sti’s they normally come with a couple of sets of spacers to shim the levers in a bit, never got them with a complete bike though which is a bit annoying, must be able to get them on their own…

I don’t think the spacers are available at Tiagra level

the newer shimano 105 have masses of reach adjustment.

Seems to be possible on 4500:

[video]https://youtu.be/tG_UwcqaAKw[/video]

the new 11 speed Shimano road groupsets have much smaller volume STI with greater range reach adjustment

highly recommend for those with small hands, but won’t retrofit to old 10 speed drivetrain, so its a new groupset (5800 105 is affordable)

All 11 speed Shimano are reach adjustable. Just pop back the rubber from the top and you’ll see a small plastic screw. This will give around 3/5cm of lever adjustment.

I’ve got two sets of different sized shims, but that’s not really the issue.

The issue is that she can’t reach far enough down the lever from the hoods to reach past the pivot point on Tiagra and therefore can’t exert much force on the brakes.

My SRAM Rival has the pivot point closer to the hoods so she could reach far enough below the pivot point to exert more force. She can’t ride my bike as it’s too big. but standing at the side of the bike it looks like she could use the SRAM levers.

But I’d need to spend £300 on an experiment! Hence looking for any alternatives.

Or anyone with a nice cheap SRAM group for sale? 🙂

Indeed but the OP said his missus has 9 speed tiagra so 4500, I would at least try the £5 spacers before a whole new group…

Edit just read your last response OP. Sounds like you tried the obvious fix already, new group then… 11 speed will mean new rear hub (or more likely wheel) gets spendy…

Fit a set of “suicide” levers.

Use disk brakes (more braking for the same pressure – yes this means a new frame) 😆

Or

Tell her to drop her hands off the hoods when braking.

@ on and on & esher shore – currently running 9 speed triple, so change to 11 speed would mean new groupset andnew rear wheel.

Currently looking at SRAM Apex 10 speed group at Merlin for £280. Can get it with 11-32 rear and 170 cranks which would suit her diddy legs and these big Welsh hills!

But I need to try to keep the cost down, and I’m worried that she still won’t take to it and I’ll be a pile of cash down!

@ scotroutes – I’ve got some suicide levers but the won’t fit on her narrow and oversize bars – and new frame and disc brakes? N+1 only applies to me 😆

She struggles to get on the drops as she then can’t look up due to her neck problem.

Reading this, she sounds a reet awkward bugger! An I tend to agree. Might just give her a slap and tell her to stop moaning and get on with it.

Reckon the Merlin Apex Groupset deal is the way. I can probably use the bits I take off on my ageing commuter 😉

If she cant get on the drops how about bullhorns?

Looking for a picture…

… found one.

Terrible set up there but it shows the effect i’m trying to suggest. Moving the lever up from the hand position.

Ooh I like that Joshvegas.

I have brakes in a similar position on my TT bike. I’ll get her to have a try.

Specialized made some wedges for old 10-spd 105s. Work a treat if you can find some.

Can’t you swap your brifters etc to her bike?

If she’s not riding in the drops at all, why not put road tyres on her MTB (or are you saying she doesn’t have one at the moment)? You might even be able to fit a set of 700C wheels in there. I’m not getting that she wants “curly bars” and then not use them. If all else fails, how about a high-rise stem and mount the curly bars higher – like them “adventure” bikes 😉