LH Gripshift as a dropper post remote and RH Gripshift Di2

Discuss light weight issues concerning mountain bikes & parts.

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motorapido
Posts: 334
Joined: Fri Jul 30, 2010 7:08 pm

by motorapido

Have seen a few people have modified a LH gripshift and was wondering if anyone on the forum has and what they have done to it.

I have done it myself by removing the ratchet ring and the metal spring plate that runs on it, but their is no return force to the grip and it still feels quite draggy to rotate.

So was wondering what others have done before i fit it.

My thoughts are to add a helper spring to give a snappier return to the grip, and possibly flush all the grease out of the bearings and then relube with a lower viscousity grease or a perfluorinated one to get a better action.
Last edited by motorapido on Fri May 11, 2018 8:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.

by Weenie


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motorapido
Posts: 334
Joined: Fri Jul 30, 2010 7:08 pm

by motorapido

Have tried the helper spring and re lube and it seems to have done the trick, whipped out the existing spring from the shifter and then mounted a tension spring with a self tapping screw in each end loop. One screw into the shifter main body, with the other in the ring that pulls the shifter cable.
So when the shifter is in the no cable tension position, the spring has almost no tension, and then loads up as you rotate the grip, it is a fairly light spring just strong enough to make the shifter rotate back to its start point. once i washed out and relubed the shifter bearings.

Next stage is to convert the RH shifter to operate a Di2 Mech, waiting for some minature reed switches to turn up to see if i can make a Zirbel like magnetic operated switch to the shifter. Then wire these up to a Alfine shifter electronic module.

Hopefully i will end up with a slick looking matched setup,

tonytourist
Posts: 1426
Joined: Sat Oct 10, 2009 7:13 am
Location: 90039

by tonytourist

Sounds like a cool project! Do you have any pictures?

motorapido
Posts: 334
Joined: Fri Jul 30, 2010 7:08 pm

by motorapido

Waiting for the minature reed switches and magnets to turn up will post some pics when its up and running. I'm trying to get it to retrofit into a standard gripshift housing and grip without mods but that might be a bit too much of a struggle. The electronics module is the problem and i don't really want to try to get the board out of its casing, which would be the obvious way to gain some space.

motorapido
Posts: 334
Joined: Fri Jul 30, 2010 7:08 pm

by motorapido

Well the reed switch idea dosen't really work from an ergonomic point of view, the twist shift is too easy to change gear accidentally without the load of a cable.

Scrapped it and have a new idea in the pipeline.

In the mean time here is the dropper remote and fork lockout, trying to get it as integrated as possible so have scrapped a lot of the Sram bits, trying to get the brake lever as snug as possible to the grip and shifter required a groove in the clamp of the gripshift, but put the remote lockout in an awkward position. The answer was to skim down the end of the gripshift so that the lockout could grip it and take the place of the inboard shifter clamp ring. I also grooved the outside edge of the clamp to get the brake lever clamp nice and tight in. Need to use a small pipe bender to tighten the bend on the lockout noodle.

ImageIMG_5277 by Paul Townsend, on Flickr

Hope to get the shifter switches soldered up and bonded to finish of the shifter this week. It will be a gripshift by name and asthetics only to match the dropper remote, i hate mismatched bar layouts, just bugs me when it doesn't look balanced.

by Weenie


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motorapido
Posts: 334
Joined: Fri Jul 30, 2010 7:08 pm

by motorapido

Left dropper remote is finished off now, rebent the noodle for a cleaner line, and got a good angle that matches the shifter.

ImageIMG_5282 by Paul Townsend, on Flickr

Right hand shifter has wound up being a gripshift in name and housing only, as the actual grip is fixed with a couple of momentary switches that you can nudge with your finger and thumb without loosening your grip on the bars.

Required a complete gutting of the gripshift and the Alfine donor shifter, total weight is 65grammes.

Electronics module,
ImageIMG_5279 by Paul Townsend, on Flickr

installed in casing,
ImageIMG_5281 by Paul Townsend, on Flickr

Trial fit with some old bars and brakes, top view.
ImageIMG_5283 by Paul Townsend, on Flickr

Bottom view,
ImageIMG_5284 by Paul Townsend, on Flickr

End view where you can see buttons are offset to lower section of grip,
ImageIMG_5285 by Paul Townsend, on Flickr

Tried to get a view with my hand on the grip, i'm right handed and couldn't get the camera at a good angle.
But basically you just rock your knuckles to activate the buttons, index finger knuckle shifts up, as your unlikely to be braking and need to upshift, and the thumb knuckle downshifts to leave your index finger free to grip and brake.
ImageIMG_5286 by Paul Townsend, on Flickr

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