Why remove the display on gear shifters?

bike-a-swan

I quite like them but they always seem to interfere with where I want the brakes, so where I can they've come off. Don't miss them very often though...

lvquestpaddler

I removed mine tonight, looks far neater now and the 595 brakes sit better beside them. I could never work out from a fluoro orange marker what cog it was on either so good riddance ! (not like the revoshifters that at least give a number )

bennett_346

People seem to be overplaying the whole "I don't need them" story as if it'll gain them some credit or something. Fair enough they're not much use for experienced riders and can be a nusiance with brakes but come on.

andrewjoseph

The sram indicators are only a thin strip of plastic that can stick in one place. I've had this happen to two X7 and an X9 set of shifters. The only way to sort it is to take the shifters apart and try to unkink the plastic. Once kinked though it will kink again soon.

The best way to realise you don't need the indicators is by night riding, you can't easily see the display so soon learn to ride by feel.

stubs

Its one of those things that you think you need till you remove them for whatever reason and then realise you never looked at the indicator anyway. I took them off for the usual reason to move the brakes to a better position not for the 8 grammes I saved or for the looks.

rockmonkeysc

If you remove the indicators you can fit the gear shifter on the other side of the brake lever which gives a better position for one finger braking while keeping the shifter in a usable position. Very common set up for downhill & 4X bikes

supersonic

I still have the habit of taking a quick peek at the cassette if I want to know what gear I am in!

But it is personal preference. No right or wrong here.

But at the top end, it is for weight savings.

Anonymous

RockmonkeySC wrote:

If you remove the indicators you can fit the gear shifter on the other side of the brake lever

Hmm. I definitely don't have indicators on my bike. Maybe I took them off when I removed the shop-fitted reflectors and bell

bennett_346

supersonic wrote:

I still have the habit of taking a quick peek at the cassette if I want to know what gear I am in!

But it is personal preference. No right or wrong here.

But at the top end, it is for weight savings.

But it doesn't save weight lol

Thewaylander

Gooa admit never had a set of indicators on a shifter that worked long enough to know if it was a good idea or not lol

bennett_346

Thewaylander wrote:

Gooa admit never had a set of indicators on a shifter that worked long enough to know if it was a good idea or not lol

Mine (Sram x5) are completely misaligned from the numbers/dots since an ice attack in the winter.

blablablacksheep

the only reson i can think of is getting used to different set-ups ie 10 speed to 9 ect.

Other than that sometimes you might forget which gear you in and just want to know how many up/down gears you have to play with ect.

griffter18

took all mine off.

1. Less to break/repair
2. Less to get distracted with
3. Less weight.
4. I have a very good pair of eyes that I cant take off and these are far better at telling me which gear Im in.

lostboysaint

nicklouse wrote:

why do you need a display?

If you have them do you actually look at them?

That.

If you're not in the right gear then your legs should be telling you, not your eyes. Also you should really be looking down the trail, not at your handlebars!

BlueAdvocate

My Rockhopper has them but I don't use them however they don't get in the way of brake set-up. The Tektros are still set-up for one finger braking.[/u]

Raymondavalon

supersonic wrote:

I still have the habit of taking a quick peek at the cassette if I want to know what gear I am in!.

+1 I find myself doing that too.. TBH I do not miss the display at at..

dusk

I've just got a new bike and I was thinking the shifters looked funny, turns out the don't have a display and I hadn't even noticed. I thinks it's like how you don't need it in a car, you just know what gear you're in

ilovedirt

I ride downhill and run the brake levers on the inside of the bars as i 1-finger brake, and shimano shifter windows get in the way of that, plus if you're bombing down the side of a hill at warp speed, you don't really have the opportunity to look at your shifters to check what gear you're in. Though why you would want to I don't know, as your legs tell you that...

tomstickland

I've never looked at the display when riding.
Don't use something - get rid of it.

MountainMonster

I agree with everything that has been said so far.

Anonymous

MountainMonster wrote:

I agree with everything that has been said so far.

you forgot "fluffy kittens"

MountainMonster

Fuck, looks like i'm still in the runnings for most useless then.

LaAndy

Just reading this thread, I would like to remove mine purely to make the shifter look better. 8)

Can anyone tell me how to go about removing the Display? Does it remove the whole display and plastic surround or just the window?

Thanks
Andy