Who runs brakes inboard of their gearshifters?

Finally finished my S-Works Enduro SL today, changing the narrow, mid-rise Spesh Enduro bars (from my ’06 Enduro) for high rise Easton EA70 Monkey Bars with far more width for spacing your controls.

The levers have gone a good inch or more inboard for one finger braking and I’ve taken the indicator windows off my XT shifters, so that I can mount them further out towards the grips. Initial feeling is that everything is in the right place – had I mounted the shifters inboard of the levers, I’d have struggled for decent operation

I do, if you have the current shimano shifters they should have an adjustable mount making setup easier.

I do…..

Ah..i’ve not got gears….but when i do i run them inboard so i’ve got one finger braking and better leverage of the lever.

middle finger braking negates the need for this, as well as being more efficient.

Or perhaps you all have freakishly long fingers and short thumbs?

Nope, Mono Mini levers outboard of SRAM X9 shifters, perfectly set up for forefinger braking and thumb on the shifters. As solomanda said, have you got the shifter mounted on to its bracket with the correct hole

I had no idea there were different mounting options Captain – will check.

Is this an acceptable option then? The magura fr brakes on my new bike are the first set of brakes i’ ve owned that make single finger braking an option. Problem is the shifters are miles away from the grips! May try swapping them tomorrow then 🙂

always run mine like that, regardless! although i have big skinny hands

Run them wherever it suits you. Avid or formula brakes with a matchmaker type clamp and x9/x0 is pretty nice, makes it easy to get things set up nicely. The formula clamps are not as good as the avids, they occasionally come loose and move a little.

Just curious, as it’s the first time in 15 years of MTB’ing I’ve done it.

I do and I’ve got little fingers. One finger braking is more powerfull and allows the best grip on the bars with your other three fingers. That is if you’ve still got all your fingers.

Middle finger braking gives a weaker hold on the bars. Just try gripping your other wrist, waggle your arm and see which combo gives best grip.

Ed-o I though that middle finger braking was to do with reducing arm pump it uses a different muscle group in your fore ar or something?

I can’t do middle finger braking I end up two finger braking so my brakes are in board to force me to use only my for finger!!

i do. largish hands and use 2 finger braking but shift lever is in perfect position, using the new xt which allows you to move them independent of the clamp. if i use them the other way i just get gear changes when i don’t want them as i knock the lever by accident.

I’m trying to force myself to keep fingers off the brakes :0)

Brake lever closer to the stem is “normal”. Shifters closer to the stem is crazy talk.

TAFKASTR, RTFM or just have a close look and yuo’ll work it out. 🙂 Can’t remember whether the new XT’s have 2 or 3 holes in the clamp bracket

One finger braking, right on the end of the lever is clearly the most efficient (in every sense of the word).

Better modulation, more power, better grip.

Get them shift windows off, get ’em inside, get them brake levers moved across. Lovely.