Top normal/low normal rear mechs

Belv

I understand the difference, so is it just personal preference or is there some performance advantage of one over the other?

The Spiderman

Low normal,easier shifts to low gears.Top normal easier shifts to high gears.
Low normal or rapid rise really works best with flappy paddle dual control shiftes where both shifters are working in the same motion.Flip either hand down to select a higher gear,flip up to get a lower gear.Same for left and right.Easy peasy.

You can use low normal with conventional shifters but it sure as hell conused the hell out of my brain with either hand working in the opposite direction to the other.

I have dual control shifters,with a low normal,rapid rise mech and its certainly useful feature to be able to dump a load of gears,in a downshift to find a low gear in a hurry for those unplanned,climbs..........

Drivetrain is usually under greater load in those situations,so its really helpful having the spring naturaly helping to guide the mech to those lower gears.

Of course if I was a good rider I would have changed geras in anticipation of the terrain.

sc999cs

I had rapid rise for a while but didn't like it. One part of my commute stopped at the brow of the a hill so I'd be in a low gear. When I'd start off again on the now level surface I'd change 3 gears in one go with one push of the levers to get to a higher gear. Result was the gears didn't change very fast (as only the spring to pull them) and I was spinning out making very little progress. Disconcerting with cars bearing down on you.