making shifting eas...
 

[Closed] making shifting easier on a kids bike

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Afternoon....
Is there any way to make the shifting on minivaders bike any easier (it's a 7 speed gripshift thingy). Going down the gears is fine but he struggles to shift back up. Any suggestions?
Cheers


 
Posted : 05/12/2014 6:39 pm
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I have some trigger shifters you can borrow to see - mixed results with mine if I am being honest- but they could change up by forcing the lever with their pal, . They had to stop to do this but it did "work"


 
Posted : 05/12/2014 6:46 pm
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Thumbshifter and really good quality cables.


 
Posted : 05/12/2014 6:47 pm
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di2 😀


 
Posted : 05/12/2014 6:52 pm
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Yep, easy, full length sp41 outer and 1.1mm inner cables.


 
Posted : 05/12/2014 6:55 pm
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[img] [/img]

Alongside good cables, these seem to be the easiest of the options.


 
Posted : 05/12/2014 6:59 pm
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I'm liking the idea scardypants!! 😀 not sure mrsvaderwill go for it tho!!! junky cheers, pm me please, I'd really like him to be able to do it on his own


 
Posted : 05/12/2014 7:01 pm
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Nice one jameso, just read some of the reviews for those and they seem to be getting good feedback by parents, looks like that, along with a new lid, pedals and a mini camlebak are on the shopping list!!!


 
Posted : 05/12/2014 7:14 pm
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I got an old school 7 speed shifter from SJS cycles. It was only a fiver or so. Also got a megarange block with a massive bail-out gear for similar money. Made riding so much more enjoyable for him. I don't understand the fascination with gripshift on kids bikes. Their hands aren't big enough to get enough purchase on them.


 
Posted : 05/12/2014 7:15 pm
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Is it SRAM? Shimano gripshift is looser from my experience and fine for kids.
Shifter and mech cheap as.


 
Posted : 05/12/2014 8:03 pm
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I bought some 7spd sram x3 shifters from crc. Been spot on ever since


 
Posted : 05/12/2014 8:07 pm
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It's a shimano so going with jameso suggestion and probably a new cable too


 
Posted : 05/12/2014 8:27 pm
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That is what I tried - those exact shifters* !!! ....not meaning to piss on your chips

* the one on the right be aware it is fixed and moves round as you shift gear unlike proper ones. The button for release - 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 is easy to use though


 
Posted : 05/12/2014 8:31 pm
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Just looked on crc again.
X3 mech £11
Shifter £10


 
Posted : 05/12/2014 8:35 pm
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How old were your kids when you tried junkyard?


 
Posted : 05/12/2014 8:44 pm
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5-7 - I can lend it to you if you want to try [ actually I think mine is 6 speed] - I did use a new gear cable but did not do full outers - I was disappointed with it TBH.

Changing mech did not help either and I gave up there 😳


 
Posted : 05/12/2014 8:47 pm
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Could you check for me please... If it's a 7 speed then I'll happily buy it off you....


 
Posted : 05/12/2014 8:54 pm
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Shimano should be fine. Try new cables.


 
Posted : 05/12/2014 8:54 pm
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6 speed just checked
I was disappointed with them but YMMV


 
Posted : 05/12/2014 8:56 pm
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Thanks for looking.... Will have a chat with my lbs and see what they have.... Thanks everyone for the help.


 
Posted : 05/12/2014 9:12 pm
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If youre close by to me then feel free to give me a shout. Your child is more than welcome to try either of my kids' bike


 
Posted : 05/12/2014 9:27 pm
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CRC have XTR gear cable set for £10.99, I've found them to be really slick compared to basic stuff. You might be able to get 2 full rear changes out of a set for a kids bike (£5.50 each being reasonable), tho check inner/outer lengths first maybe so you don't end up with an expensive single gear cable change. I've no experience of grip v trigger for kids mind. I'd be interested to hear what your successful outcome is?.


 
Posted : 05/12/2014 10:03 pm
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Utterly clean cables needed, and faff with the run up f them.
Pull the shifter apart and clean it. No grease or oil, it just attracts dirt into the shifter.

As soon as hands are big enough, trigger shifters from Shimano.


 
Posted : 05/12/2014 10:05 pm
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Clean cables... and the best shifters you can afford. Not sure about gripshift - in the end my son got XT shifters for Christmas (age 10 at the time).


 
Posted : 06/12/2014 1:50 am