There are no prizes for having the most gears, it's having the right gears that matter. Cross country and trail riding requires a wide range of gears, including the low ratios to ease you uphill, high ratios to deliver speed on the flat, and mid range for technical control. For a road bike, on the other hand, speed is of the essence and rolling resistance is lower even on the hills, so you need fewer gears, closer together.
All gear shifters are mounted within easy reach, so you can change gear without lifting your hands from bars or brakes. There are several systems, each designed to provide optimum performance for a particular model, and it's worth looking at the differences.
Rapid Fire
Specified on our top of the range models, the Shimano Rapid Fire shifter provides a bar-mounted total control unit, fully indexed for fast, positive changes across the full range of gears
E-Z Fire
The shift is indexed, so for each fire of the lever, you're guaranteed one clean and positive multiple shift, and the system is ergonomically designed: shift up with the thumb and down with the forefinger.
Gripshift
The original rotational gear shifter descended from motorbike technology. The gear shift is integrated into the handlebar grip and indexed for smooth movements up or down through the gears.
Revoshift
Shimanos rotational shifter, with an optical display tells you what gear you're in so you can make a quick and accurate gear selection. Revoshift is designed with reduced spring tension for smoother, easier action.
Thumbshift
This is the original indexed gear system. The back 5/6 gears are indexed, but you have to feel for change on the front gears.
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