women's road shifters

[rideon]

What's the best road shifter for women with small hands?

I know Shimano has shims that bring the lever closer to the bar and there are bars that accomplish the same thing. But that's just one issue. Hood design really impacts how easy it is for women w/small hands to shift and brake with comfort or lack there of.

[roguedog]

campy seems to traditionally have had smaller hoods and thus is a bit more small hand friendly. that and a shallow reach bar like a salsa poco or salsa short n shallow seems to be a nice combo.

not sure bout the newer shimano vs campy tho.

[Smiley]

All my women clients and men with smallish hands get SRAM brifters, period.

[AngryScientist]

i'm sure you have considered this already, but the best idea is to go to a local bike shop and have your wife get her hands around the different shifters and go from there.

i imagine you have one of the three, let her get familiar with the shifting mechanism on your bike, and then go to the shop and let her compare the differences.

[Karin Kirk]

SRAM hoods fit me perfectly! Shimano works fine for me, but I've seen problems with women with smaller hands. Having a short reach bar and positioning the hoods properly will go a long way toward making things work. I'm amazed at the number of women who won't use the drops because they can't reach the brake levers from there. These things are fixable!

[dogdriver]

My wife has big hands (for a girl) and seems to like Shimano fine. I'm riding SRAM RED and like the ease of lever adjustment-- suspect that one with small hands would like it, too.

[oldpotatoe]

All my women clients and men with smallish hands get SRAM brifters, period.

What if they want a triple? About 30% of the bikes we sell are to women, most are triples...shimano, the levers that have reach adjust.

[false_Aest]

Shimano reach adjust R700 something or other.

the girl has tiny midget hands she likes hers

[rideon]

All my women clients and men with smallish hands get SRAM brifters, period.

What are "brifters?"

I've looked at the SRAM website, and no brifters. Are these flat bar shifters?

[fiamme red]

What are "brifters?"

I've looked at the SRAM website, and no brifters. Are these flat bar shifters?Combination brake/shift levers.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gloss_bo-z.html#brifter

[ahumblecycler]

Shimano reach adjust R700 something or other.

the girl has tiny midget hands she likes hers

I agree with the above.

Also, Specialized makes shims for the different models. I believe I have a pair to fit DA7800 somewhere; PM me if you are interested in those and I will then hunt for them (not before :o ).

If you go Campy, I suggest the 10-speed Ergo (2008 and older) versus the new ones.

I cannot speak towards SRAM.

[Smiley]

What if they want a triple? About 30% of the bikes we sell are to women, most are triples...shimano, the levers that have reach adjust.
funny u should bring up that point as a Bedford women client is going this route with a triple but using bar end shifters :)

[DHallerman]

Maybe not Campy.

My wife has small, but not tiny, hands.

She loves Campy shifters, and finds the hoods very comfortable.

However, even with Salsa Poco handlebars, she gets frustrated because the reach in the drops to the levers is difficult for her.

[amy]

I am currently using sram.. the adjustable reach is a good feature, but on the rival shifters only the levers are adjustable, so if you move the lever in for a short reach, the shifter can get caught on the outside of the lever and not return properly.

They have adjustment for both the lever and the shifter on the red - not sure about force.. which solves the problem.

The rival shifters can be adjusted a minor amount very easily. It's just an adjustment screw, so no need to bother with shims and it's easily modified incase you decide you like having the extra leverage in braking.

[SpeedyChix]

I've found the R700 to be the best from Shimano (and you can add the return shims if needed).

Best setup for me has been with the SRAM shifters. I've even been running those w/o any adjustment to reach. Paired with the 3T ErgoNova Pro bars (shorter drop) has been super.

Triple, perhaps a bar end for the front or go Shimano.

[giverdada]

my partner is on a super narrow (38cm C-C) and shallow drop bar with SRAM force levers and she loves them. her hands aren't tiny, but they're small, and she reaches everything, from the hoods and the drops, without any problem at all. i'm a campy guy myself, but the SRAM things are definitely comfy! best of luck.

nick.

[rphetteplace]

Isn't the obvious di2?

[avalonracing]

Specialized makes an ingenious little device called Slim Shims. They hold the brake/shifter a little closer to the bar. My wife has them and LOVES them!

They have them for Shimano 9 and 10 speed:


http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCEqProduct.jsp?spid=41914