Best choice of budget shifter?

Scoodle

Hello.

I just bought my son a 2nd-hand 24"-wheel Raleigh BadMax (I know, I know...) alloy-framed, front suspension bike which is in very good cosmetic order but which needs a few parts to finish it off.

One of these items is new shifters. It's an 18-speed, so 3+6 required.

I was going to make the simple and obvious choice of Shimano Revoshift (that's what's already on there). Whilst searching for these, however, I also came across similar systems by 'Micro-Shift' and my other child's Raleigh has 'GripShift Max' fitted.

1st Q is, which is the best of that lot?! They are all roughly similarly priced.

Q 2 is, I've also come across a set of Shimano Rapid-Fire shifters with brake levers ( http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SHIMANO-RAPID ... 4aae661b21 ) which, at £21 delivered is no more expensive than the twist-grips above as I also need new brake levers for the bike|!

I have GS200 thumb shifters on my own old Raleigh which I think are superb, so I'm drawn towards the the latter choice - unless someone warns me against them for good reason! Although my son's bike is a 'mountain bike' style, it is almost exclusively used on roads and other metalled surfaces with occasional gravel tracks, but certainly not for any 'proper' off-roading.

Thanks for any advice.

nicklouse

basic rule of thumb match the brands and match the gears.

if you have 6 on the back a microshift 9sp will not work.

so what are you doing re the mechs etc....

Scoodle

Hi.

Thanks for the prompt reply.

The Rapid-Fires are 3+6 so should, I'd have thought, suit the Shimano SIS 3+6 gearset on the bike?

I've also just found these Shimano TX50 shifters: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SHIMANO-TX50- ... 1e65dda397

Thanks.

Scoodle

Can anyone please tell me if these Shimano shifters: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... AQ:GB:1123 are any good?

And how would they compare with Shimano's TX50?

Thank you.

nicklouse

they work.

supersonic

Very little in performance. Smaller hands may prefer gripshift type gears.

Scoodle

Damned with faint praise, Nicklouse!

Fair point supersonic, as they're for a 10-year old.

Many thanks to you both - it's appreciated.

386ka

Also, make sure the inner and outer cables are in good condition, and properly lubed, so the shifts will be easier still. Makes a great difference for a 10 year old

Scoodle

Cool - will do