Using shifter as dropper remote (GRX)

Anyone done this? It has occurred to me that I have a spare dropper which would fit nicely (girth and drop) into my gravel bike.

The bike has GRX kit, but unfortunately not the dropper lever version. I now run it single speed, so the gear shifters are redundant.

Is there an easy way to activate the dropper with the shifter? It would need to be a reversible hack I think.

Reversible might be the tricky bit, as you need to get rid of the indexing bits inside so it just pulls cable and releases

I’ve been wondering about this but using a 2x (front)105 shifter?

Video on it here, but “Dremel” and “cut” are the key words, I don’t think you’re coming back to a shifter afterwards.

thanks, I don’t know how I missed that video. Hmm,

1: Butcher a lever worth £180

2: Buy a dropper lever for £170

3: Abandon idea

4: Stick existing mtb trigger somewhere out of the way but accessable for compromised dropper action.

Buy a dropper lever for £170

Is it made of gold? You can have a PNW lever for £70ish?

Actually it is £40 Linky link

ideally it would be one of these

Shimano GRX ST-RX810-LA GRX dropper post lever, left hand

but that’s a good option 5 thanks, better than my MTB one because of clamping diameter

Waaaay down at the bottom of this long article is a list of the best dropper lever options for drop bars

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/group-tests/drop-it-like-its-hot-the-best-dropper-seatposts-and-levers-for-gravel-bikes-year

Have done it with mtb shifters before there was much choice in under bar dropper levers. Looked into it on the gravel bike and decided it looked like a faff so bought the PNW drop bar lever.

Works well, tidy enough, bit of a fiddle to wrap – would recommend.

I did some research on this a few months ago and ended up with the Easton two way dropper lever which is superb. It allows the dropper to be raised or lowered whilst on the hoods or drops, without having to move hand position, which is something levers designed for flat bars can’t accommodate.

One downside is it’s kinda fiddly to install and wrap but it’s works so well, I’d overlook that…

I modified a 105 lever, by cutting the ratchet and removing the unneeded lever. It works fine, but the cable pull is quite low, so the cable tension adjustment had to be just right.

This reminds me I need to sell them! If anyone wants a 1×11+dropper 105/RS505 flat mount setup, let me know.

I’ve hacked up an old XT left hand shifter, as per YouTube videos, to operate my dropper. It works well.

You can get new left hand levers for buttons these days.

Been pondering this with the new 1×12 GRX610 shifter.

I’ve only had a cursory look but on the 1x shifter, there is a cable entry slot and a cable guide towards the shifter mechanism. The brake lever is sprung in the “shifting” direction. The only thing stopping the lever swing is a nubbin on the lever limiting it’s movement.

I’m wondering if cutting off that nubbin is all that’s needed to make it a dropper lever.