Sram X5 shifters question

SquareHaze

I feel a bit dumb asking this as i already raised it with the Halfords bike guy but.... do all X5 shifters work opposite to the other side?

On the left hand shifter you move up gears using the larger rear trigger
On the right hand side you move up using the smaller trigger at the front (which feels wrong)



Ive been looking for a bike for yonks and after searching fleabay and checking forums finally plumped for a 'Fury' the other day after spotting the halfords thread in the other section.
Halfords bloke reckons them working the opposite way is normal ......
Ive done 30k round Cannocks trails (FtD,MT) and around 30 miles on towpaths and im still having to think which does what before changing gear which is a real pita.


Also if it is normal (ie halfords wont fix it) is it possible to change one of them round myself/at a LBS? Or is it a case of buying some new shifters already?


cheers!

chedabob

It's normal. You'll get used to it eventually.

waby1234

Yep, same on my fury

Deputy Dawg

The same paddle will push onto the larger sprocket so the front will be the opposite way to the rear.

The only way around it is switching to a shimano top normal der. & shifters.

SquareHaze

Cheers all! i feared as much. Guess I will have to get some new ones then as i really don't fancy taking them apart to change it over as there's no chance it will be a simple job.

nicklouse

SquareHaze wrote:

Cheers all! i feared as much. Guess I will have to get some new ones then as i really don't fancy taking them apart to change it over as there's no chance it will be a simple job.

you can not "take them apart" to change them over. it is the way all shifters work. Except for shimano rapic rise rear mechs when used with no rapid rise shifters.

you will need new shifters and rear mech if you want to change.

cooldad

What did you use before?

diy

easy way to remember is BIG lever = big cog, Little lever = little cog.

SquareHaze

To be honest im not toally sure what is on my nail bike - i brought a built up bike by some random bloke that i then found out isnt up to taking any semi serious riding. My biking knowledge stopped in 97 when i got a car license.

According the ad on the nail was

lx rapid rise rear mech (so nick could be spot on)
and both the shifters have shimano stickers on them (but no visable model type - it was converted to 7 speed so i actually only used the right hand/rear one).



I wont be getting any new ones until the 6 week check up at helfords so maybe in 5 weeks i will be used to it - contemplating Snowdon on Thurs so will try to remember the big = big, little = little thing (though i will prob be in the lowest gear all the way up so its probably not going to be an issue at all)

cooldad

It's not rocket science, just shifting gears. Push the lever and it changes.

SquareHaze

toally agree, guess ive just been spoiled never having to think about changing gears before

sand_dancer

Big lever allows greater leverage when working against shifter spring tension i.e. front mech when changing into a higher gear is against spring pressure whilst rear mech changing into lower gear is against spring pressure

Northwind

SquareHaze wrote:

toally agree, guess ive just been spoiled never having to think about changing gears before

Not really, if you had this from the start you'd have never had to think about it, it's only weird to you because you've had weird gears before.

SquareHaze

haha very true guess i was doubly lucky getting gears that made sense to me before ... seriously who ever thinks changing up a gear is more important and should be on the easier to use trigger can keep his sanity, give me the wierd and logical anytime (well until i get used to them in then im sure i will agree with you - well hopefully as changing sounds like a pita)