I’m looking for a new rear mech and curious about rapid rise. Does anyone use them, and would you recommend it over a conventional mech?

Thanks

my brain thinks shifters that work the opposite way to each other is stupid. RR makes perfect sense to me, a bit like a new release of Windows, I wont be going 10spd any time soon for this reason.

I have an XT one in my bits box that I tried to use but was forever pressing the wrong trigger

I’ve used rapid rise on all my bikes for years. Always seemed logical to me. I wouldn’t go back.

I love it but new bike is SRAM and 10spd so I’ve lost it and not happy about it.

I had one on one of my bikes and was always hitting the wrong trigger as I had conventional on my other bikes… It got swapped sharpish

Got RR on the HT & ‘normal’ on the FS, prefer the RR TBH.

I use one and very happy with it not sure better or worse but xtr works really well so will become habit and ongoing thing for me.

The Alfine on my Fatbike works like RR and it confuses the hell out of me before/after riding my other bikes.

Yes, always prefer releasing the gear tension on the sudden up hills for the bigger rings, RR is much smoother for that. The argument against is you should be prepared, but it’s often not the case, most people don’t think ahead or you get caught unawares. On standard mechs changing to bigger rings on a steep uphill it’s just crunchtastic.
In a previous thread, one of the regular girls posted a good argument against (munk-chic? sp?), but I don’t recall what it was. Anyway, I’m RR on all my bikes, but I think Shimano don’t do them anymore (not sure tho), so at some point in the future I think we’re all going to have to revert to standard.

Had RR on my bikes for fair few years. Love it. Can’t see why you would want to use the traditional shift pattern if I’m honest

I bought one by accident the other week. Just sold it on as it is for a bike I am building for someone else but as we all ride each others bikes it will get confusing! I can see why people love it as it does make more sense and I have always wondered why you use your right thumb to shift down but your left thumb shifts up.

Kind of wish I had kept it to put on my 29er now.

I think one reason that conventional makes sense is with shifters that can do multiple shifts on the thumb lever. If you suddenly find yourself needing to jump lots of gears up you can normally just change the front ring nicely without any load. But if you need to switch to a much easier gear and are under load then it is much easier to do a single big multi-click up a couple of cogs on the cassette with your thumb

I do fully get the attraction though. Shame the multiple click lever design won’t work in the release tension mode as it only really works on a tightening action.

I had one for a while and didn’t get on with it. Great for shifting up the cassette, but when hammering downhill I didn’t like it.

Got an xtr one on the demo salsa spearfish, and it work brilliantly but I ride lots of bikes and my brain does not like it.

If you have one bike it would be easier to get on with.

And me and gears argue a lot anyway.

I use them, love them. Only started as it was the only spare one I had and just got used to it. Feel more positive I reckons. =]

P.S. Im the one who bought Andyls spare 🙂

I have one bike with and one without and actually find it easy enough switching. One duff shift each ride then I learn again. I like them and may well change new bike in a while. Much quieter and less clunky

They work really well, but braking and downshifting is tricky using the same finger. I guess 2 way release shifters would be better (crucual) for this, but I didn’t have them at the time I had rr.

got one on a road bike (perverse, I know 😳 ) – lovely

makes sense to my brain that releasing cable on each shifter makes pedalling easier, rather than one of each

One of my mates bought a rapid rise XT a while back because it was heavily discounted and he needed a mech for his XC bike, He loves it, but does find the brain adjustment when swapping between his MTB and his commuter takes a good ten minute, he’s the strongest climber of the lot of us but we’ve made him sit at the back before because the accidental wrong shift and stall on a steep trail really can bollocks things for everyone, He’s fine after ten minutes though…

Had one when I had flappy paddle dual control levers. It worked well but I found it hard to replace for a good price so reverted to a cOnventional one

I have used rapid rise since they came out (1998?). I find it very intuitive. I cannot stand the idea of going back to ‘normal’ but since shimano dont make them in their current range of mechs it looks like I will eventually have to go back. Not happy about that.

Same I started using rapid rise in 2000 and since I haven’t looked back. My two bikes at home have one, the so’s next bike WILL have one and I have a spare 9 speed one along with Two spare cassettes and a pair of shifters just in case 😀

I have RR on my HT (other MTB is SS, soon to go back to thumb shifters). Makes complete sense.

Must pick up a spare mech “just in case”.

Thanks for the replies folks. I’ve managed to pick up an LX RR mech so looking forward to getting on the RR wagon, sounds like the benefits I imagined were right. Although I’m not looking to the first climb with it on 🙂

Sounds like I may have to stock up on mechs if it works for me though.

I do fully get the attraction though. Shame the multiple click lever design won’t work in the release tension mode as it only really works on a tightening action

That’s rubbish, mine works multiple clicks both ways.

But best of all, I find them much much easier/faster to set-up

YES totally brilliant…. its the right way…

Climbing with tension on the chain you release the cable rather than pulling when shifting… just makes for a more precision smooth change…. then when going downhill can change a least 3 gears in 1 shift (triggers that is)

worried they will not carry on with it because think they are ACE 🙂

metcalt – where did you find it?

They are good, but unless you have them on all your bikes it gets a bit confusing. Specially if you change with out ‘thinking’

Saying I bought a shadow to standardise shifting across my bikes. So I have a XT RR sat around doing nothing,

anyone selling RR mech?

Been using RR for years makes perfect sense and once you’re used to it seems much smoother especially uphill. Haven’t snapped a chain since changing to RR either.

They work well for the “fatter handed” gear changer resulting in less snapped chains/mangled mechs!

had one a few years back. I liked it and liked the idea. Don’t know what happened to it…I imagine of you lot has it now.

D0NK – Member
anyone selling RR mech?

Ahem [quote]
..so I have a XT RR sat around doing nothing….
[/quote]

email in profile ❗

Seems rapid rise isn’t available on New 10 speed groupsets.

Merlin have some xtr rapid rise but 9 speed only. Next question would these work with 10 speed cassettes and shifters?

I recently went back to normal after using RR for about 7 years. My old bike had a 9 speed RR and then I bought a new bike with 10 speed. Whenever I swapped bikes I was forever shifting in the wrong direction and in the end I had to replace the RR, so that both bikes shifted in the same direction.

FWIW – RR just seems the logical way to change gear.

Merlin have some xtr rapid rise but 9 speed only. Next question would these work with 10 speed cassettes and shifters?

Apparently not something to do with 10sp having a different cable pull ratio to 9sp

Ya have the feeling with 10 speed they will faze out the RR if 9 speed ceases 🙁

ourmaninthenorth got it from a friend who’d taken it off his bike. I found a few 2nd hand ones on Ebay