benb
12-27-2015, 08:50 PM
Can anyone offer experiences on Shimano hoods over the years?
I never had any issues with any 9-speed hoods. No issues with SRAM 10-speed hoods.
I have had very little luck with the x600 shimano 10-speed brifters. Uncomfortable and even injury causing (left hand). (I've had 6600 & 4600) I've fiddled with the position of the shifter on the bar a lot over the years and can never really get a good compromise between the hoods and the drops. The hoods tend to feel better as they move up the bar, but then riding from the drops gets worse. I also generally have part of my hand resting on the bar, not the hood when I'm riding on the hoods, which tends to create pressure points.
I've got a set of 6700 shifters waiting for next year (on a new bike hopefully), it is very obvious the hoods have a lot more room for my hand. (I wear XL gloves and sometimes XXL)
I was at the shop today and put my hands on a bunch of different bikes, including campy & SRAM. AFAICT the 6600 & 4600 ones I have are the smallest hoods of any of them. On my bike I really only get my middle finger around the hood, the ring & pinky finger are really wrapped around the hook of the bar. All the newer stuff (6700, 6800, SRAM, Campy) I can pretty much wrap all my fingers around the hood.
I just ordered some 5700 shifters to try throwing on my current bike and I'm hoping they both work & are compatible with the 4600 derailleurs & the TRP CX9s. I wish I had some 9-speed parts left over to compare with, although I think I'd need to have a bar from that era as well to really get a good idea on the feel as the bar shapes have changed. (I've actually tried 3 different bars with the 4600 shifters as well trying to get comfortable)
I never had any issues with any 9-speed hoods. No issues with SRAM 10-speed hoods.
I have had very little luck with the x600 shimano 10-speed brifters. Uncomfortable and even injury causing (left hand). (I've had 6600 & 4600) I've fiddled with the position of the shifter on the bar a lot over the years and can never really get a good compromise between the hoods and the drops. The hoods tend to feel better as they move up the bar, but then riding from the drops gets worse. I also generally have part of my hand resting on the bar, not the hood when I'm riding on the hoods, which tends to create pressure points.
I've got a set of 6700 shifters waiting for next year (on a new bike hopefully), it is very obvious the hoods have a lot more room for my hand. (I wear XL gloves and sometimes XXL)
I was at the shop today and put my hands on a bunch of different bikes, including campy & SRAM. AFAICT the 6600 & 4600 ones I have are the smallest hoods of any of them. On my bike I really only get my middle finger around the hood, the ring & pinky finger are really wrapped around the hook of the bar. All the newer stuff (6700, 6800, SRAM, Campy) I can pretty much wrap all my fingers around the hood.
I just ordered some 5700 shifters to try throwing on my current bike and I'm hoping they both work & are compatible with the 4600 derailleurs & the TRP CX9s. I wish I had some 9-speed parts left over to compare with, although I think I'd need to have a bar from that era as well to really get a good idea on the feel as the bar shapes have changed. (I've actually tried 3 different bars with the 4600 shifters as well trying to get comfortable)