Shimano I-spec II question

steve_sordy
steve_sordy Posts: 2,443
edited January 2019 in MTB workshop & tech
I have a XTM8000 shifter joined to a BR-M520 brake by an I-spec II clamp. The I-spec II clamp is supposed to offer a greater range of angle adjustment (between brake and shifter). But mine doesn't. In fact it appears to be almost fixed. This is on a newly supplied bike.

Before I start dismantling this, am I right to assume that there actually is a "greater range of adjustment", bearing in mind that this was Shimano's third iteration of an adjustable clamp.

On the "I-spec a" iteration, I had to separate the brake and shifter and use separate clamps in order to get the angle adjustment I was looking for.

Comments

  • cobba
    cobba Posts: 282
    These 2 photos show what sort of adjustment range you should be getting.

    https://ep1.pinkbike.org/p4pb11930060/p4pb11930060.jpg

    https://ep1.pinkbike.org/p4pb11930058/p4pb11930058.jpg
  • JBA
    JBA Posts: 2,852
    You get very limited angle adjustment but quite a lot of inboard/outboard adjustment. THIS shows what is available.
    “Life has been unfaithful
    And it all promised so so much”

    Giant Trance 2 27.5 2016 ¦ Sonder Broken Road 2021¦ Giant Revolt Advanced 2 2019 ¦ Giant Toughtroad SLR 1 2019 ¦ Giant Anthem 3 2015 ¦ Specialized Myka Comp FSR 2009
  • steve_sordy
    steve_sordy Posts: 2,443
    Thanks to all that replied, it was all useful.

    If I wanted to put the brake and shifter on separate mounts, my assumption is that I remove the i-spec gubbins from the shifter and use the existing brake clamp for the brake. I will need to buy a separate clamp for the shifter.

    Does anyone know which clamp that is would any Shimano shifter body clamp do the job?
  • JBA
    JBA Posts: 2,852
    It’s not just the clamp, Steve. You need to change the top case of the shifter.
    I am doing what you want to do but in reverse: bar clamp to iSpec B to connect XT shifters to XT M785 brakes.

    SJS sell all the required parts: I think THIS is what you need.

    However, it may be easier, and possibly cheaper to buy a new bar mount shifter and sell the iSpec II shifter.
    “Life has been unfaithful
    And it all promised so so much”

    Giant Trance 2 27.5 2016 ¦ Sonder Broken Road 2021¦ Giant Revolt Advanced 2 2019 ¦ Giant Toughtroad SLR 1 2019 ¦ Giant Anthem 3 2015 ¦ Specialized Myka Comp FSR 2009
  • steve_sordy
    steve_sordy Posts: 2,443
    All helpful stuff thanks. :)
    I was out on the bike yesterday for the first proper ride and I started to use the finger pull on the small lever (like Shimano intended) rather than the thumb push (a Shimano option, but is a SRAM feature). I used to be a Shimano boy, but moved across to SRAM when I got my first all SRAM bike. So I was trying to set up the bike like my last two SRAM bikes. During the ride, I had a go at using the shifter as it was intended. I'm still not 100% happy but I can live with it for now. It is no longer a "must do", more of a "something to do later". :)
  • JBA
    JBA Posts: 2,852
    steve_sordy wrote:
    I started to use the finger pull on the small lever (like Shimano intended) rather than the thumb push (a Shimano option, but is a SRAM feature).

    I think it's the other way round. Early Shimano trigger shifters were push - push. The option to up-shift using the forefinger is a relatively recent innovation. I didn't even know it was an option until I got my current Trance with XT shifters. My Stumpjumper FSR has SRAM gears and I instinctively only used my thumb when I got the Trance.
    I now randomly use my thumb or my finger for up-shifts and both feel equally natural.
    “Life has been unfaithful
    And it all promised so so much”

    Giant Trance 2 27.5 2016 ¦ Sonder Broken Road 2021¦ Giant Revolt Advanced 2 2019 ¦ Giant Toughtroad SLR 1 2019 ¦ Giant Anthem 3 2015 ¦ Specialized Myka Comp FSR 2009
  • steve_sordy
    steve_sordy Posts: 2,443
    JBA wrote:
    steve_sordy wrote:
    I started to use the finger pull on the small lever (like Shimano intended) rather than the thumb push (a Shimano option, but is a SRAM feature).

    I think it's the other way round. Early Shimano trigger shifters were push - push. The option to up-shift using the forefinger is a relatively recent innovation. I didn't even know it was an option until I got my current Trance with XT shifters. My Stumpjumper FSR has SRAM gears and I instinctively only used my thumb when I got the Trance.
    I now randomly use my thumb or my finger for up-shifts and both feel equally natural.

    It is not that recent. My first mtb had finger pull and that was in 2008. I had thought that the ability to shift the small lever with either a thumb push or a finger pull was Shimano's "thing". But that was entirely based upon my experience since 2008. Does anyone know for sure when Shimano first offered this feature? :)
  • JBA
    JBA Posts: 2,852
    At my age 10 years ago IS relatively recent! :D
    “Life has been unfaithful
    And it all promised so so much”

    Giant Trance 2 27.5 2016 ¦ Sonder Broken Road 2021¦ Giant Revolt Advanced 2 2019 ¦ Giant Toughtroad SLR 1 2019 ¦ Giant Anthem 3 2015 ¦ Specialized Myka Comp FSR 2009
  • doogee
    doogee Posts: 82
    steve_sordy wrote:
    JBA wrote:
    steve_sordy wrote:
    I started to use the finger pull on the small lever (like Shimano intended) rather than the thumb push (a Shimano option, but is a SRAM feature).

    I think it's the other way round. Early Shimano trigger shifters were push - push. The option to up-shift using the forefinger is a relatively recent innovation. I didn't even know it was an option until I got my current Trance with XT shifters. My Stumpjumper FSR has SRAM gears and I instinctively only used my thumb when I got the Trance.
    I now randomly use my thumb or my finger for up-shifts and both feel equally natural.

    It is not that recent. My first mtb had finger pull and that was in 2008. I had thought that the ability to shift the small lever with either a thumb push or a finger pull was Shimano's "thing". But that was entirely based upon my experience since 2008. Does anyone know for sure when Shimano first offered this feature? :)

    The 'when' is something I can answer (to a point), I have a mtb hanging in my garage with a set of 9spd XT shifters from the early 2000's (M750 series), which are forefinger (pull) upshift only. I think the push/pull upshifts were introduced by Shimano with the M770 (2008 XT) model year looking at release dates. Whether it was on XTR before this and on other groupsets around this time I'm not sure. I believe it was in response to SRAM introducing trigger shifters with the push/push design.

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