following my earlier thread with my woes setting up my lever postition on new XT brakes, I think I might stick 'em inside of the shifters. This means taking the shifter windows off I reckon, but that seems easy according to the Shimano instructions (newish XT shifters) I think

me

Always.

Nope, I like the shifters well out of the way so levers inside means a stretch, or one finger only, and I like the added option of 2 fingers if needed 🙂

I used to, in the SRAM days, now i use the shimano dual control doofers..

oh yes indeed, why do folk need windows isn't it apparent what gear you're in?

me

I used to, in the SRAM days, now i use the shimano dual control doofers..

I got some of the older XT dual controls second hand, wasn't convinced at first, but they were cheap. Now though, couldn't be without them.

Yep, XTR shifters with XT brake levers inboard of them. Perfect.

My Juicys are inboard. One finger braking works a treat for me!

Inboard on one bike and not on the other – down to Formula oro brakes on one and Stroker Trail on the other

pics?

This sounds odd.

Like this, XT levers in-board of Sram shifters for one finger braking.

I 1-finger brake with the std set up, should I change? (not trolling)

It's up to you. With my levers where they are and the shifters inboard I couldn't change gear easily, hence the set-up in the photo. Works for me.

Me too. Always run the levers as far in as poss to give me one finger braking with hands at end of the bars. I think I always have.

Not sure of XT, but SLX shifters have a small disc when you remove the windows – to fill the hole. Plus they've 3 mounting holes, for the 2 bolts, so you can also move them to get them 'right'.

neither 8)

see iain? – all the cool kids are doing it…

Alway inboard of the shifters; the hook of the brake lever is then always inline with my index finger.
The windows should go in the bin at the same time as the reflectors ie. as soon as you get a new bike home.

I remember when shifter window thingys were first introduced by Shimano and there was a big shouty debate about their usefulness then too (albeit on the trail, in the pub or in letters pages of magazines, there was no forum). That makes me feel old and sad.

I'm also pretty sure it used to be all fields round here.

I always put the shifter as far in as possible as having big hands this is easier, having brakes inboard would make them harder to use for me

pics?

This sounds odd.

that's why I didn't say

pics

😀

ahwiles – think you are going to convince me to at least try it !

Thanks

Sounds good….for chimpanzees!!! LOL

cynic-al – yeah, me too 😆

all my other bikes..no

new XT brakes – i think i might have to :

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/new-xt-brake-setup-question

❓

like this sillys

always

you get more leverage and thus more power out of your brake and for any decent brakes including my **** hopes one finger is all you need (cue juvenile wisecracks!!!) plus my opinion is that the lever should come as close to your closed fist round the bars as poss. This is because :-

a) increases the power you can get out of your finger
b) reduces strain on your muscles/tendons/other connective tissue that i usually hack off chicken and in this case is in your and this therefore reduces arm pump on long decents!

I broke a window on the SLX so took both windows off – you quickly get used to living without them. I tried inboard brakes but the shifters were at a funny angle and too close to my fingers. So I put them on conventionally and moved both shifter and brake inboard 1 inch. Downhill I hold the outboard part of the grip and fore-finger brake. Uphill I hold the middle part of the grip and can reach the shifters.

oh yes indeed, why do folk need windows isn't it apparent what gear you're in?

It's apparent what ratio you're using, with the overlap between chainrings it's not always apparent how you've got it.

b) reduces strain on your muscles/tendons/other connective tissue that i usually hack off chicken and in this case is in your and this therefore reduces arm pump on long decents!

?????????

Yes, makes perfect sense – I only need the very end of the brake lever, so that can go well inboard and the lever sits in the space.

I use a saint lever that has the two way downshift, so I can usually get to it with either my finger or thumb.

Never even thought about it.

I'm sure all my bikes have been setup 'in-board'. I take it 'in-board' means closer to the stem than the gear clamp is.

Would it work the other way round?

Has anybody else got a photo of the shifters inboard to compare to the imadge above?

Quirrel – correct. Bikes from bike shops always come with the gear shifters closer to the stem and the brakes closer to the grips. Seems though that current generation brake levers may feel better if the other way round and as per the pics earlier.

I am having some probs with new xt brakes, hence stuck this thread up to get some opinions and pics. Cheers

Haven't got gear windows on my road bike, don't see why they are needed on a mtb.

As ever, it's about want rather than need. Keep up at the back!

iain, show us a photo of your set-up…

(with finger/s on brake lever)

MrNutt has shown you everything you need to know.

brake levers may feel better if the other way round and as per the pics earlier.

Right.

If you are pulling the lever further away from it's pivot point, then it's requiring less force to apply the brakes. Moment of a Force = Force x Distance.

Not sure how this translates into a hydraulic system, but it's still going to require less force to via the piston to compress it if you are applying that force further away.