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Hand Grip Shifters
Hand grip shifters are built into the hand grip and attach to the handlebars. Unlike other
types of shifting mechanisms the hand grip shifters mean you do not need to change your
hand position to select different gears. The rider just simply twists forwards or backwards
dependent upon their gear selection. By twisting the right shifter toward you, a lower gear
is chosen as a larger rear cog is selected. Twisting this shifter away from you has the
opposite effect; a higher gear is selected as a smaller rear cog is engaged. Turning the left
shifter forward or away from you activates a smaller, front chainwheel, and a larger, front
chainwheel is engaged by twisting it backwards. The number of gear changes
to occur at any one time corresponds with how many turns are made of the shifter.
Check the diagram below for operating instructions.
Below the Bar Shifters
The majority of mountain style bicycles use below bar shifters. These shifters are mounted
on the underside of the handlebars, usually between the grips and the handlebars.
It is a two finger operating system which uses the thumb and index finger to make the
gear selection. By pushing the lower (larger) right shifter with your thumb, a lower gear
is selected as a larger, rear cog is engaged. One cog can be selected through one firm
push, or by continuing to push on the lever multiple cogs can be engaged. By pushing
the upper (smaller) lever on the left inwards with your index finger, the chain moves to a
smaller chainring. A higher gear can be selected by pushing the upper right lever with your
index finger to activate a smaller rear cog. By pushing the lower left lever with your thumb
the chain will move from the smaller to the larger chainring. To clarify please refer
to the following diagram.
Left
Low gear front
Right
High gear rear
High gear front
Low gear rear
Front Low Gear
Rear Low Gear
Front High Gear
Rear High Gear
L H
H L
Left
Low gear front
Right
High gear rear
High gear front
Low gear rear
Front Low Gear
Rear Low Gear
Front High Gear
Rear High Gear
L H
H L
APOM0312
Apollo Bicycle Company Pty. Ltd. ABN: 60 001 914 469
