Extended field test: Cinq5 Shift:R trigger shifters for Rohloff external hubs

[Danneaux]

Hi All!

Earlier this year, I was offered the opportunity to do an extended field test of Tout Terrain/Cinq5's Shift:R trigger shifters for Rohloff external hubs.

My test is not intended as an advertisement; the results are as they are in my use, the outcome of in-depth testing while touring, and the result of my difficulty finding detailed and extended-use reviews elsewhere. Whenever I consider an expensive niche product, I like to do as much research as possible before making a purchase. Because of this, I have included a lot of detail in my review and a number of photos so readers can decide if this product is suitable for their needs.

Prospective buyers of Rohloff drietrains have often wished for an alternative to the default rotary shifter. The Cinq5 Shift:R trigger shifters address this gap in the marketplace.

My review appears in two parts to fit within the Forum's 20,000 character/post limitation.

Best,

Dan.

=======================
PART ONE

Full disclosure: Tout Terrain/Cinq5 provided me with their Shift:R Rohloff trigger shifter system for testing at no charge to myself. This review is based on my extended, real-world testing in a variety of rugged conditions.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Cinq5 Shift:R is a dual-lever trigger shifter and shift-box replacement for Rohloff's rotary hub shifter and click-box. Available with mounting brackets to fit MTB straight handlebars or oversized road-bike drop handlebars, it works only with Rohloff hubs configured for shifting with an external shift-box.

Very much a niche product for a small market, the Shift:R does indeed fulfill the long wished-for dream of true trigger shifting for the Rohloff hub. Just be sure your bike qualifies and baseline requirements are met for the most successful experience. For extended use in severe conditions, some improvement in lubrication might be needed for reliable long-term operation and reduced service.

The Shift:R is probably best suited for those switching to Rohloff drivetrains from a derailleur-equipped bike with straight handlebars or between bikes with both drivetrains (little or no adaptation in shifting, uses full-size grips), or for those who want an alternative mounting for drop handlebars (no need for split or special handlebars or remote shifter mounts). With the present mounts, the Shift:R has not yet achieved the convenience of brifters for drop-bar use.

BACKGROUND
Headquartered in Gundelfingen Germany, Tout Terrain has developed a number of touring-specific products over the last 7 years, ranging from bicycles and trailers to a growing line of accessories. Their accessory division has now spun off into a separate entity, marketed under the Cinq5 label and currently includes products devoted to on-bike charging solutions, lighting, and ratcheting thumbshifters for the Rohloff internally-geared hub, subject of this review.

THE NEED
The Rohloff drivetrain has a number of advantages over a derailleur drivetrain including similar gear range with low-maintenance even in severe conditions, long service life, and no chainline issues -- and it is available with only a single shifter: The Rohloff rotary.

This original shifter is simple (all indexing takes place in the hub, not the controller), robust, and a single control does it all.

However, it has several practical limitations, among them a fixed requirement for use on handlebars no larger than 22.2mm in diameter, and an inability to go around corners, which rules out direct mounting on most drop handlebars and limits placement on others. As a result, the Rohloff shifter is most at home near the grips on straight MTB handlebars or on comfort handlebars if there is enough room. When there is not room a cut-down grip or alternative mounting is needed and drop handlebars often require the grip-shifter be mounted on an accessory T-bar or bar-end adapter.

For other riders, the problem with the Rohloff shifter is not so much location as function: They're used to the trigger shifting action common to indexed derailleur systems and would like the same for their Rohloff drivetrains.

Too, not everyone finds a single rotary control preferable or intuitive, and the rubber cover can become slippery when wet or can make for sore wrists in heavy use.

Finally, on Rohloffs equipped with external shift-boxes, there is the problem of re-indexing the rotary control when reinstalling the rear wheel after repairing a puncture. Unless the drivetrain is first shifted into the lowest or highest gear, the shifter can go out-of-sync with the shift-box, locking-out the full range of gears until the operator again matches the two by adjusting either the shifter or the shift-box with the selected hub gears.

Because the market for Rohloff drivetrains is small compared to derailleurs, there have not been many attempts to address these shortcomings, either by Rohloff or in the aftermarket. The original setup works well enough people usually address just the mounting difficulties and continue with the rotary shifter, adjusting their riding styles and preferences accordingly. Still, a number of cyclists wish they had trigger-shifting for their Rohloff drivetrains.

CINQ5's NEW APPROACH
Tout Terrain tackled these problems head-on and came up with a solution that gets the job done using a number of innovations. Not just a shifter set, the Shift:R is a replacement actuation *system* consisting of a pair of individually-mounted trigger shifters and a new external shift box of their own design.

I took pains to extend my testing with this device to nearly three months in a variety of normal and severe conditions because it is not for everyone and I wanted to be most fair in reporting how it works in a variety of conditions and who it is best suited for so potential buyers can avoid disappointment or maximize its usefulness for their riding.

WILL IT FIT MY BIKE?
The Shift:R will only work with Rohloff hubs configured for the external shift-box. It will not work with the internal shifter. Further, it is somewhat sensitive to cable friction and Cinq5 recommend closed cable runs with direct routing for this reason and index shift cable housing is required to maintain effective cable length for consistent shifting performance. The Rohloff shifter does fine with spiral-wound brake cable housing, but the Shift:R is like an indexed derailleur system in requiring longitudinal reinforcement to maintain cable length.

The trigger-shifter mounting brackets are available in diameters to fit MTB handlebars or *oversized* stem clamp diameters on road-bike drop handlebars. At present, there are no mounts for standard 25.4 or 26.0 drop 'bar stem clamp diameters or to fit the 23.8mm diameter outside the clamp area.

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS
Like most ToutTerrain/Cinq5 products, the Shift:R system has high build quality based on finely machined metal bits; in this case, anodized aluminum and high-strength stainless-steel alloys with no plastics. The basic components can be expected to last a long time as a result, and the unit is guaranteed against defects for a full year. All was beautifully finished on my sample with the exception of the triggers themselves, which unlike the anodized bits, show rough milling marks and overshoots around the edges in contrast to the care taken elsewhere. Even so, this had no effect on function and may have represented a pre-production sample, as later photographs show nothing similar.

As a system, my sample weighs in at 102.2g/3.60oz for the shifters and 106.2g/3.74oz for the shift-box and attached cables uncut for length. Added to that weight will be the cable housing and a small variance depending on the mounting brackets chosen.

The heart of the system is not only the levers as one might expect, but the external shiftbox. It consists of a dual-clutch ratchet-hub that allows alternating push-push gear selection at the levers. There is enough range to shift up or down two gears at a time. This depends on a Cinq5 shift-box with pawls and a number of fine teeth on a pair of ratchet-wheels laser-cut from high-strength stainless steel. The levers aren't indexed at all because the indexing is in the Rohloff hub itself, as always. Because of this, the push-push levers don't care what gear the hub is in. As a result, the Cinq5 external shift-box can be removed and detached without regard to which gear is selected -- no syncronization between shifter and hub interface is necessary. There is no gear indication; one simply shifts up or down as required or desired for conditions.

It is in the cabling where things get really interesting, because the system runs essentially backwards to Rohloff's (Cinq5 call this ICM, or Inverse Cable Mount), making it a snap to setup, much easier than Rohloff's approach and one I wish they had implemented from the start with their rotary shifter. The bed-stops for the leaded cable ends are in the shift-box itself, while the loose ends are secured at the shift levers near the adjusters, a very convenient location. The housings end at the shift-box in spring-loaded bed-stops to absorb overload shifting forces encountered at the travel extremes (top and low gear stops).

INSTALLATION
Selection is a snap; so long as you have the Rohloff hub with external shift-box, all you need do is select the mounts to match your handlebars. Installation is nearly as easy.

My test Shift:R arrived with only the MTB handlebar mounts. Since I run drop handlebars on my Thorn Nomad, I decided to mount the Shift:R on my lower 22.2mm Thorn Accessory T-bar, with the original Rohloff rotary shifter still mounted to the upper T-bar. This worked well for comparison and was convenient, though not as much as having the drop-handlebar mounts also available from Cinq5. Unfortunately at present, the drop handlebar mounts for the Shift:R are only available in a diameter to fit oversized 31.8mm OD handlebar clamp sections that are 12cm wide, so I would be out of luck with my handlebars, which use a 26.0mm center section and 23.8mm handlebar OD; same for my handlebars with 25.4mm center sections. I am a bit disappointed Cinq5 have not yet implemented a way to place the Shift:R triggers on a mount attaching just below the brake hoods so they could be operated while atop the hoods, much like the old SunTour Command Shifters, or the release trigger on some earlier Campagnolo brifters. It is an option I would like to see and eagerly await, as it would make the Shift:R so much more usable for those of us who prefer drop handlebars. If the trigger were placed just inward from and below the brake hood, thumbs could operate it easily. Better yet would be mounting the triggers to the brake lever blade, similar to the Gevenalle RetroShift intended for cyclo-cross use.

The Shift:R external shift box attaches in the same place in the same way as the Rohloff unit, but is a bit easier to install and remove with cold or wet hands, thanks to a lobed knob that makes it easier to grip.

Enclosed cable runs were initially a bit of a problem in terms of friction, even with my Thorn Nomad Mk2's nearly direct cable routing:
• I first tried a generic indexed derailleur housing and found friction a bit excessive (higher lever effort), so I switched to Shimano and the cables traveled more freely inside. I would recommend not stinting here and going with a quality housing supplier to ensure success.

Unlike the Rohloff rotary shifter, where both cables are moved with each shift, the Shift:R moves only one cable at a time.
 
• It also helped to apply a drop of oil to the trigger pivots -- almost as much as the change to quality housings. I would expect the trigger pivots to wear-in naturally, but oil helped reduce friction immediately.
• I switched back and forth between standard cables with 4.5mm leaded ends and Teflon-coated "slick" cables. Either worked, but in the end with my particular setup, I found the housing made a bigger difference than the cables.
• I fitted the cables dry, figuring this would be a more typical installation and less likely to attract dirt at the exposed (lever) ends. I have seen some dramatic results when derailleur cables are lubed with Rock-n-Roll Cable Magic and this remains an option, perhaps to counter housing liner wear and extend service life.
• Gasketed end-caps do add to cable friction (at least initially), but are necessary to prevent entry of dirt and water. Cinq5 includes four gasketed end-caps that did a good job of "wiping" grit off the cable and preventing water entry, but I would have liked to have seen the lever housing milled a bit differently to serve as a roof over the cable entry for further shielding. Because ToutTerrain/Cinq5 have milled away the lever housing to minimize weight there is less shielding, so it is important to use these gasketed end caps and not standard stainless or plastic caps without seals.

While my unit arrived fully assembled, I put it through several cable changes and found the procedure much quicker, easier and more intuitive than with the Rohloff external shift-box. For one thing, there is no measuring required -- the cable ends settle in place at the hub, so there's no tiny grub screw to deal with. At the other end, the cables exit through holes in the shift levers and are secured there with a meaty 3mm allen bolt -- simple and robust. The cable tension adjusters are also at the levers, so changes can be made while riding. Any shift cable with 4.5mm OD nipple diameter can be used, but when changing cables, care should be taken to first release all tension before opening the shift-box, as the mechanism is spring-loaded.

***It is critical the anchors are not clamped with the cable under tension; doing so will prevent the ratchets from resetting and you won't be able to shift properly or at all. Like the Rohloff rotary shifter, it is best to set cable tension with the adjusters midway and firm it up later using the adjusters. It is also important to note there is a "settling-in" period after initial installation where you should expect to adjust the cable tension further to ensure smooth shifting and full stroke-through of the triggers. After this, the system should continue to operate smoothly. Such adjustments are easy with tension barrels mounted near the triggers rather than at the hub. The Rohloff rotary shifter is more tolerant of loose tension.

The closed handlebar mounting brackets are precision machined to fine tolerances and require only 2.5 Nm to fasten. It would have been much more convenient if the clamps had hinges or hatch plates so they could be changed without removing the grips or handlebar tape. I would have preferred this, as it is usually a hassle and expense to remove whatever you are using for grips or tape when fitting a new shifter.

[Danneaux]

PART TWO: EXTENDED FIELD TEST, Cinq5 Shift:R trigger shifters for Rohloff external hubs

TESTING METHODOLOGY
Since the Shift:R is marketed as an alternative to the Rohloff rotary shifter, I decided it was best to test both shifters in repeated direct A-B comparisons to see if the Shift:R works as well, better, or worse than the Rohloff version in a variety of conditions and in real-world touring use. Accordingly, I left the original Rohloff shifter cable runs in place on my Thorn Nomad Mk2 and piggypacked the cable runs for the Shift:R on them using cable ties. This way, I could simply switch shift-boxes and so change shifters. The unused shift-box was always covered in a waterproof/dustproof plastic membrane to ensure sealing and prevent water and dust entry.

Once I had the Shift:R in place and ready to swap in and out as desired, I used it -- hard -- in all-weather daily urban riding as well as some specially chosen tours into the sorts of areas I prefer -- logging roads in Oregon's Cascade mountain range and into the high desert of Central Oregon where there is a lot of fine, sifting alkali talc that gets into everything. I was able to include extended use in freezing rain (-11°C) and also a genuine dust storm with no more than 20 meters' visibility, so the conditions simulated what I typically encounter on my outback tours.

It should be noted either trigger can be designated for up- or downshifting. Most of the car paddle-shifters I've used have the left lever for downshifts and the right for upshifts, so I kept this convention with the Shift:R triggers because it is familiar, especially after many hours on the driving simulator I enjoy for my computer rally games. It is very easy to identify which cable does what: When viewing the shift-box, the upper cable is for upshifts and the lower cable is for downshifts.

Finally, because of the trigger mounts, you can use full-size grips with MTB handlebars, or fully wrapped 'bars with drops.

HOW DID IT WORK IN TESTING?
As a trigger shifter, the Cinq5 Shift:R worked well a majority of the time, with no mis-shifts and no apparent problems. For all ordinary conditions it did well, though I did find I had to re-lube the shift box more frequently than the Rohloff version when using the Cinq5-recommended 10wt oil. Failing to do so led to some functionally correct but rough feeling shifting that resolved by applying more lube. More on this in a moment.

As luck would have it, I incurred a puncture in the dust storm that required repair. The unused Rohloff shift-box was already capped and I left the Shift:R shift-box detached hanging free and clear of the ground while I was repairing the tube, as I usually do with the Rohloff at such times. Unfortunately, some of the very fine dust entered the Shift:R box while it was off the hub mount and fouled the pawls/ratchets cassette so shifting was no longer smooth after I reattached it. The solution was easy enough -- I just waited till the storm passed, then undid the Shift:R and removed the cover and washed out the assembly using methanol from my Trangia camp stove, let it dry and relubed with oil and reassembled. All worked fine for the remainder of my tour. This was the only occurrence of problems of this sort, and happened while the unit was detached from the hub fitting. Again, this only happened while the Shift:R external shift-box was detached in a sandstorm, but I extended my test period and the problem did not recur during my testing.

Cinq5 recommend greasing the interface between the hub gear mount and the Shift:R external box and then maintaining the shift-box by relubing with 5-10 drops of low viscosity (SAE 10) oil every 5,000km/annually, the same interval as Rohloff recommend for Speedhub oil changes. I think for extended use in my kind of service (sometimes with extremely high desert temperatures), I would would prefer a lubricant that clung a bit more yet did not impede the free movement of the ratchets and pawls. Cinq5 specifically advise SAE 10 oil, so any deviation would be at the owner's risk. Cold tempertures could also thicken other lubricants, leading to unexpected operation in very cold weather, so the recommended SAE 10 is probably best for the majority of users as it was in most of my use.

I was initially concerned about the service life of the ratchets and pawls in the Shift:R's external shift-box, but I encountered no problems in my test period. Only time will tell compared to the Rohloff's geared external shift-box and available spares, but the use of high-strength stainless steel in the Cinq5 product is encouraging. I presume Cinq5 will have replacement internals or whole shift-boxes available for future maintenance and repairs. Care should be taken to use no tools other than fingers when changing/seating cables but things look fine otherwise.

I also found the triggers themselves were very slippery when wet, hot in hot temperatures and cold in cold weather, and wished they had either textured faces or -- better yet -- slip-on rubber covers for thumb traction, cushioning, and protection. Covers would also be nice for comfort, as I found my thumbs getting sore in use as only the thumbs are used and the Shift:R encourages more frequent shifting. Reducing cable friction reduced thumb pressure, so careful setup is rewarded.

For straight handlebars, I'd like to see an optional piggy-back mount where one lever could be mounted above the other so up- and downshifts could be accomplished with one hand leaving the other free for signaling, but this could lead to greater thumb fatigue than splitting the task between both hands.

I appreciated the more comfortable thumbscrew on the Shift:R external shift-box for easy removal and the stiff stainless cover that should prevent the slight distortion sometimes seen when Rohloff covers are reattached with too much coverplate fastener torque after a cable change.

I had thought I would miss a trigger stroke adjuster, but including one would have also limited the number of gears (maximum 2/stroke) the triggers could shift. Much the same effect can be accomplished by rotating the triggers around the handlebar, though this does also change the thumb's angle of approach to the trigger, making it seem more slippery when wet.

IS IT PERFECT? NO, BUT A VIABLE TRIGGER OPTION TO THE ROTARY SHIFTER
In my opinion based on my extended testing and touring use in deliberately chosen severe conditions, the Cinq5 Shift:R trigger-shifting system does indeed work as advertised to provide a viable alternative to Rohloff's rotary shifter. I never had a problem in ordinary conditions, but experienced transient problems when the shift-box was detached and exposed in the severe conditions of a duststorm. To make the next-generation better for continued use in all weather and certainly for expeditionary use, I'd like to see...

• Shielded cable entry points beyond the use of gasketed end caps, perhaps accomplished with a covered entry (less milling of the trigger mounting bracket) and/or boot seals.

• Rubber covers on the triggers for user comfort and to avoid slippage when wet. Texturing would help, but a rubber cover is really needed for comfort.

• Two-piece mounting brackets to avoid removing grips or handlebar tape when mounting.

• For drop-bar users:

a) Clamps sized for 25.4-26.0mm clamp areas as well as another sized at 23.8mm to mount outside the center ferrule or bulge on wider 44-46cm handlebars. "Endless" stainless mounting bands as used on the old SunTour Cyclone II front derailleurs and shift levers would allow attachment with the grips/tape in place, yet be low enough in profile to remain comfortable if the 'bars are gripped above the shifter mounts.

b) Clamps designed for 23.8mm road handlebar OD to mount just below the brake lever hoods so the triggers are carried to the side of the brake hood and shifted by the thumbs while riding on the brake hoods.

c) Even better would be to integrate the trigger shifters with a standard or v-brake compatible brake lever blade, much like the Gevenalle RetroShift for derailleurs: http://www.gevenalle.com/

• A specific recommendation for an alternate high-temperature lubrication in the Shift:R external shift box, as I found continued exposure to extreme high temps made the SAE 10 oil run a little thin and this required more frequent lubrication. Though it continued to function properly, the shifting action sometimes felt a bit "coarse" at the triggers until I renewed the lubrication at more frequent intervals than recommended. In normal temperatures, it was fine.

On the good side, I really loved the "backwards" cable anchoring and adjustment and it was disappointing to go back to the standard Rohloff system for these tasks after using the Shift:R. This system is so much more convenient for cable replacement and initial setup and lacks the tiny grub screws and problems with inserting the cut cable ends on the Rohloff version. The spring-loaded housing bedstops on the external shift-box are a great idea, and the design completely eliminates the possibility for getting the shifters out of sync with the shift-box albeit at the expense of a gear indicator. Having the adjusters and 3mm cable anchors at the trigger removes all the hassle from cable swaps and (if careful) even allows the same cables to be reused when setups are changed. This is a real help when touring, and I even performed a cable replacement in the field to try it out; much better than with Rohloff's rotary shifter and much less fuss provided one releases all cable tension before opening the cover. I accomplished the task in about a quarter the time and without need for cable measurement.

CONCLUSION
So long as Cinq5's recommendations for setup and cable housings are carefully followed, I think a good result can be expected for most riders using the Shift:R. I certainly liked the trigger-shift option and was pleasantly surprised at how I shifted more frequently because of it and more often found myself in the right gear as a result. It is intuitive and works well, and I would anticipate no problems in most touring environments.

However, the Shift:R could certainly be improved if friction were less of an issue, the triggers were padded with covers, and if the mounting brackets were changed to allow installation without removing grips. As a drop'handlebar user, I'm really hoping Cinq5 focus on developing mounts for other clamp diameters as well as for mounting alongside the brake hoods for "brifter-like" performance.

The one unknown is how long the Shift:R will continue to function well in actual use. It is a new product and has not yet accumulated the enormous service record of Rohloff's shifter, but the use of precision-machined, high-quality materials bodes well for the user who prefers trigger shifting.

The Shift:R is available for drop or straight handlebars from the Cinq5 online store for €299.00 incl. VAT plus delivery.
See: http://shop.cinq5.de/epages/es984127.sf/en_GB/?ViewObjectPath=%2FShops%2Fes984127

The Cinq5 Shift:R is available from St John's Cyclery for €336.77 as I'm writing this.
See: http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/cinq5-shiftr-thumb-shifter-for-rohloff-hubs-prod32695/?currency=eur&geoc=us

Best,

Dan.

[Danneaux]

Additional Photos

As you can see, my handlebars can become crowded with test gear. This is partly why I chose to fit two Thorn Accessory T-bars when I took delivery of the Nomad.

While testing the Cinq5 Shift:R, I preferred to use it with my Rohloff rotary shifter and external shift-box as a backup. The dual system allowed direct A-B comparisons. My test-tours were done solo in remote areas, so having the two systems while testing assured I could default to a sorted system and continue without interruption if problems occurred. I had no problems with the Shift:R in my use.

Best,

Dan.

[honesty]

They sound interesting. I've always thought that these in a set up like Kelly's take offs would really be the best for drop bars. They look like they would lend themselves to that setup so it's unfortunate they dont do the diameter for it. I would have thought they could have provided shims for the wider diameter clamp to fit this area though?

[Andre Jute]

Excellent review, Dan: complete, full, fair, unbiased.

The question at the end of every review is always, Would you spend that much of your own money for these Cinq5's Shift:R trigger shifters?

[mickeg]

Thanks for posting.

So, the ratchet mechanism is in the EX Box?  

Regarding the shifters, on some of my bikes I wrapped the brake levers with cloth bar tape.  You might be able to do the same on the shifter levers.  See photo.

EX box without Torx screws - great.

I would prefer the cable stops in the shifter, and here is why.  I have some vintage (1970s or 1980s) Shimano bar end shifters from before indexed shifting became the norm.  While the more common and popular Suntour bar end shifters of that era had a ratchet mechanism, the Shimano shifters instead had a built in return spring designed to pull against the derailleur spring, reducing the amount of friction necessary in your shifter to keep your shifter in the right gear.  If the cable stop was in the shifter, you might be able to use those old bar end shifters, one shifter to up shift, the other to down shift.  The shift mechanism on those old bar end shifters might also function in the Kelly Takeoff bracket or the Retroshift levers cited above.

[Danneaux]

I've always thought that these in a set up like Kelly's take offs would really be the best for drop bars. They look like they would lend themselves to that setup so it's unfortunate they dont do the diameter for it. I would have thought they could have provided shims for the wider diameter clamp to fit this area though?

Adam, a Kelly Take Off setup would seem ideal, but those can sometimes cause interference with handlebar bags used for touring. Everything is a tradeoff, it seems.

ToutTerrain tell me they would like to implement my suggestion for rubber covers, but doing so would cause significant additional cost. That might be the case for other improvements also. I do know ToutTerrain/Cinq5 are committed to continued development of their products, so perhaps we will see such things in the future. They have steadily improved their The Plug chargers, so it is possible we'll someday see a wider selection of mounts.

This brings me to Andre's question...

The question at the end of every review is always, Would you spend that much of your own money for these Cinq5's Shift:R trigger shifters?

Andre, because I spend so much time on my bikes, I place fit first and foremost. For me, that means drop handlebars for the way they position my hands and for the hand positions they provide. I avoid drops with a large clamp diameter because they make the handlebars too stiff for my comfort on rough roads.

If the Shift:R trigger shifters were optimized for my handlebar's clamp diameter and -- even better -- if they incorporated a Kelly-like mount that cleared my HB bag, I'd definitely consider them. Being able to shift without moving one's hands is nice to the point of being addictive and does lead one to shift more frequently, being in the "perfect" gear more often.

As it is, I can't directly use the drop-bar mounts with my handlebar diameter and the MTB mounts are for straight handlebars or for use on my T-bar. I think it would be possible to fit a T-bar directly under a drop handlebar's stem and so gain most of the advantages but it would require a longer reach. I'm really hoping a mount optimized for the 23.8mm OD diameter grip sections of nearly all drop handlebars becomes available. I don't see any problems using the same triggers if they were simply on different mounts.

There's something else I alluded to in another thread on the topic: I think the key determinant in deciding whether the Shift:R is for you is how much value you place on having a trigger shifter. There is the matter of a whether trigger shifters are more ideal than a rotary, and that is something each person will have to decide. Compared to some indexed derailleurs and the leverage used to actuate them, the Rohloff can require quite a lot of effort to shift. My father's arthritic hands can't manage it no matter how it is actuated. Rotaries use a thumb-and-finger grip. Hase make one that allows use of the full hand: http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/rohloff-shifter-with-full-length-grip-by-hase-in-germany-prod31868/?geoc=us Triggers are dedicated to thumbs, and you shift more frequently because triggers are very convenient and only shift a couple gears per stroke, maximum. There is a tradeoff between convenience and hand fatigue and this is determined by personal preference, physiognomy, riding style, duration, terrain, and the kind of riding one intends and does. For the person coming to a Rohloff from a derailleur-geared MTB, trigger shifters require the least adaptation and have the most appeal. The usual response from bike shop staffers who see my bike: "The Rohloff would be great for what I do...but I don't 'do' grip-shifters. Is it available with triggers?". With the Shift:R, the answer is now "yes".

In the end, Rohloff sales are small in number compared to those for derailleur bikes. Alternate shifters are an even tinier part of what is already a niche market, so there are fewer economies of scale to reduce cost and maximize profits and so encourage development. This is the real reason we see few alternatives to the OEM rotary shifter and why it is remarkable when one comes to market.

With regard to the unit itself...the shift-box mechanism is laser-cut with high precision from special stainless and looks robust and did not fail once in my service during an extended test, but I have not used it over a span of some years or tens of thousands of kilometers/miles. Success does require paying real care on initial setup, which means reading the instructions carefully instead of just winging it. I think improper setup might adversely affect service life, as for any bicycle component. It does come with a 12-month warranty for defects in manufacturing and functionality.

So, the ratchet mechanism is in the EX Box?

Mickeg, while the indexing is in the hub as always for Rohloffs, the ratchet mechanism is indeed in the EX box. This is what makes possible the "backwards" cable routing with the heads in the shift-box and the ends secured at the levers.

If the ratchets were in the levers, you'd need something to take up the slack cable tension. Without the ratchet that allows for independent cable movement in the Shift:R, you'd have to wind-up the slack through a teeter-totter effect in the opposite lever.

In theory, you could shift a Rohloff with a downtube or bar-end shifter, but in practice you'd have to increase the drum diameter to get enough cable travel. I have pondered using a multiplier (opposite of the old Simplex demultiplicator) like a TravelAgent in reverse to change the cable pull to something reasonable, but friction would be a problem.  There's also the matter of friction from two cables and the return tension of a second lever. I think that would be the most straightforward approach.

The rotary shifter does allow for grabbing a whole lotta shifts in one turn. I can spin about half the available range when pressed, approaching the Rohloff shifter end-on as I would when turning a door knob.

Regarding the shifters, on some of my bikes I wrapped the brake levers with cloth bar tape.  You might be able to do the same on the shifter levers.  See photo.

This is a good idea and something I used to do also. I think there are a number of possible solutions to pad the Shift:R triggers. They are just too large for the old Campagnolo rubber covers I have on hand, but I think some vinyl thread caps would fit or some rubber vacuum caps. Here in the States, Fastenal will do no-minimum small orders and they came through for me nicely with vinyl caps for the ends of my Tubus Tara rack so I can stand the bike on the rack ends without damaging the powdercoat when changing a front wheel.

EX box without Torx screws - great.

It is possible to get stainless metric countersunk flat head socket cap machine screws ( http://www.albanycountyfasteners.com/Flat_Socket_Head_Cap_Screw_6MM_Stainless_Steel_p/5500000.htm for example), but the Torx fitting becomes a Real Good Idea if the connection has seized, as it will withstand greater torque than a hex socket. First thing I did on my Nomad was to pump the external shift-box full of Phil Wood waterproof grease, then coat both the coverplate bolt threads and countersunk heads with anti-seize. Countersunk machine screws are real devils to undo once galling has set in because the head interface makes it difficult to get penetrating oil in to the threads.
===========
Getting back to following the directions: You'll not see posed photos of the 'box interior like mine elsewhere, showing the return springs in place on the switch unit (ratchet cassette); it is just too much work for reviewers to disassemble the shift-box, then reassemble and feed the cables in from above for illustrative purposes and then reassemble the 'box properly. Real cable changes are quick and easy but must be done properly, which means first removing the cable retainers and pulling the springs out the front so they won't get stretched or damaged on removal. Such seemingly small details are important to ensure the unit isn't damaged in setup or routine maintenance.

For those who have asked, the camera used to illustrate the review with macro shots is my Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone. The entire report was written and formatted on the phone using my ThinkOutside iGo Stowaway Bluetooth keyboard and stand. The combination is rapidly coming to replace my laptops for production writing and fits in the two front hand pockets of my jeans for real mobility; my "office" can be wherever I am. It is working out much better than a laptop, netbook, or dedicated tablet for my touring and portable computing needs.

Best,

Dan.

[macspud]

I think it would be possible to fit a T-bar directly under a drop handlebar's stem and so gain most of the advantages but it would require a longer reach.

Dan,
If you reversed the Cinq 5 levers so that you were using the left lever on the right and the right lever on the left, the levers would be above the T-bar, if you had the T-bar at just the right height then they could be positioned so that you wouldn't have to stretch to reach them.
Hopefully that makes sense, does in my minds eye.
Iain.

[Danneaux]

That's a real good idea, Iain, and one could still choose which one they wanted for up- and downshifts.

I think (trying to visualize while I am away from them) this would place the levers *above* the T-bar? Hmm. If so, then they would indeed be in about the right spot if the T-bar was below the handlebars. Yes, I think it is a possibility. Would depend on the right combination of stem reach and T-bar length to get things dialed-in, but really intriguing and of course the triggers can be rotated around the 'bar to get a good approach angle. Good thinking!

All the best,

Dan.

[macspud]

Adam, a Kelly Take Off setup would seem ideal, but those can sometimes cause interference with handlebar bags used for touring. Everything is a tradeoff, it seems.

Dan,
Maybe something along the lines of these:
http://www.gevenalle.com/about/
The owner seems to be open to prototyping new products and helping bicycle tinkerers, situated in Oregon too.

[Danneaux]

Yes, Iain, I included this link in my review above, and had suggested it to ToutTerrain/Cinq5 as a possible direction to consider.

The trigger-shift concept probably works best for straight/MTB 'bars because one's hand positions are already pretty limited to the handgrips. On drop handlebars, a person tends to move around more because there are more grips possible and the brake hoods position presents some challenges. As it stands, mounting the triggers on each side of the stem still means moving from the most-used position atop the brake hoods. Similarly, positioning them near the hoods or on the brakes means they're unavailable elsewhere. Just the nature of things.

Trying to rig triggers or shifter for drop handlebars is a surprisingly complex challenge. Positioning a la the Kelly Take Offs, can mean fouling a handlebar bag and sometimes the stroke exceeds the distance a thumb can easily travel or interferes with a good handgrip atop the brake hoods. SunTour did it pretty well with their Command Shifters, shown here: http://si6.mtb-news.de/fotos/data/5623/medium/Cockpit_von_oben.jpg

I've had pretty good luck mounting thumbshifters on my drop handlebar tops near the stem on my tandem. They're switchable from indexed to friction and the placement is convenient. I think the Shift:R could work nicely in a similar spot if a wider range of clamp diameters becomes available.

I've tried the RetroShifters, and they work pretty well, possibly the best of the current solutions out there.

All the best,

Dan.

[macspud]

Yes, Iain, I included this link in my review above, and had suggested it to ToutTerrain/Cinq5 as a possible direction to consider.

Sorry Dan,

I somehow missed the link whilst reading through your review.
I should have known that you'd have covered all the bases with your usual extremely thorough research.

Good to know that the RetroShifters worked well when you trialed them.

Iain.

[Danneaux]

No worries, Iain! Suggestions always welcome! You've some good ideas.

I like the idea of the RetroShifters...and think something like that would be a nice mounting point for the Shift:R.

All the best,

Dan.