Paul Components Thumbies

Really clever design that allows you to mount bar-end shifters as traditional thumb shifters. These mounts are dead-simple to install and are solidly made. I used them to convert the bar end shifters from my Surly LHT to thumb shifters on an upright handlebar.

Would Buy Again: Yes
Would Recommend: Yes

Reviewed on: October 20, 2012
Reviewed by: Scott G., Oregon

Was this review Helpful?  Yes  No    Report as Inappropriate

Perfect compliment for bar ends

These are simply a joy to install and hands down. Top these with some bar end icing, set your end limits for the DR's and forget it.

Pros: Easy install, best shifting of any setup PERIOD.

Cons: Once you use a setup like this everything else will pale in comparison.

Would Buy Again: Yes
Would Recommend: Yes

Reviewed on: June 10, 2012
Reviewed by: Robert H., Oregon

Was this review Helpful?  Yes  No    Report as Inappropriate

great but spendy...

these work really well and the quality is ok. a little overkill, maybe, considering the older ones used to be a cheap investment...here you pay a lot for the name...which would be ok if they were made in his shop and not somewhere else.

oh well, what can you do if no one else makes them...

Pros: decent and work

Cons: price, no choice for alternatives

Would Buy Again: Yes
Would Recommend: Yes

Reviewed on: May 06, 2012
Reviewed by: Jeff P., Oregon

Was this review Helpful?  Yes  No    Report as Inappropriate

For long distance touring these thumbies put your shifting right where it is needed. Great invention.

Would Buy Again: Yes
Would Recommend: Yes

Reviewed on: March 30, 2012
Reviewed by: Robert E., Oregon

Was this review Helpful?  Yes  No    Report as Inappropriate

What's not to like? Quality and construction is outstanding, and they work great. Absurdly easy to install. Worth every penny.

Would Buy Again: Yes
Would Recommend: Yes

Reviewed on: March 22, 2012
Reviewed by: GRAVELBIKE.com, Colorado

Was this review Helpful?  Yes  No    Report as Inappropriate

Paul Quality and Cool factor

Bought these for my commuter, wanted to go this route because i know they will hold up well and add a cool factor to the bike. very simple set up, work great.

Pros: Cool setup, very clean design, cool like most paul stuff

Cons: none

Would Buy Again: Yes
Would Recommend: Yes

Reviewed on: January 28, 2012
Reviewed by: Duncan G.

Was this review Helpful?  Yes  No    Report as Inappropriate

Another great product from Paul Components

I used these to convert my Long Haul Trucker to North Road bars. They work fantastic, and take up very little "clamp room" on the bars.

The machining is perfect, and the keying is perfect for my shimano shifters.

Pros: Excellent machining
Increases versatily

Cons: none

Would Buy Again: Yes
Would Recommend: Yes

Reviewed on: January 02, 2012
Reviewed by: Steven S., Oregon

Was this review Helpful?  Yes  No    Report as Inappropriate

versatile

I was looking to build a geared commuter bike. I had a pair of reverse brake levers in my parts stash and I didn't want to spend money on handlebar levers. My LBS suggested these so that I could mount my reverse levers in the handle bar ends and mount the bar-end shifters on the handle bar.

I was skeptical about this topsy-turvy solution but it absolutely works. The setup is very light. Plus it works with road and mountain derailleurs which is fantastic. I also think that placing the bar-end sfifters on the handle bars is much safer and more convenient than on the downtube position.

I suppose the downside is they just aren't as slick as trigger shifters or brifters. Also for those that want to recreate a retro-look, these would not be appropriate.

Pros: Handlebar position seems intuitive for me
Light
Works with mountain and road derilleurs

Cons: not as slick as sti brifters or trigger shifters
might not be appropriate for recreating retro road bike looks

Would Buy Again: Yes
Would Recommend: Yes

Reviewed on: September 02, 2011
Reviewed by: Raphael T., International

Was this review Helpful?  Yes  No    Report as Inappropriate

great product

i had to mount these on my wife's Long Haul Trucker. the frame is a 42cm with drop bars. she was having issues with the barcons hitting her legs while riding. the thumbies solved the problem. easy to mount and install.

cable routing can get a little funky.

Pros: everything

Cons: none

Would Buy Again: Yes
Would Recommend: Yes

Reviewed on: May 20, 2011
Reviewed by: josh t., California

Was this review Helpful?  Yes  No    Report as Inappropriate

These are a precision CNC piece of beauty. My retro-grouch side loves the Thumbies. I've used thumb shifters since the early 80's so it was nice to see Paul address a gap in the market.

Pros: It's nice to be able to buy USA made bike parts.

Cons: Retaining bolt doesn't want to stay tight. Kinda pricey once the shifter are added into the price.

Would Buy Again: Yes
Would Recommend: Yes

Reviewed on: January 23, 2011
Reviewed by: Tom R., California

Was this review Helpful?  Yes  No    Report as Inappropriate

Great functionality

I didn't used thumbshifters the first time around, but I'm a huge fan of the Pauls, particularly for my city bike and those with "difficult" drivetrains like my Xtracycle. The ability to "finesse" the shifter or slip it over to friction mode to fine tune can be a real lifesaver when things are a little out of adjustment.

That said, I find I prefer (SRAM) triggers for proper mountainbiking. The action is just a little more definite, a little faster and a little easier to find when the world is rattling madly around me.

Small complaint but I find the aesthetics of the shifter cable (swooping way out in front of/above the bar) to be a bit ugly. Not sure how you'd deal with that, and it certainly doesn't affect the functionality.

Pros: Well engineered, fills a definite niche.

Cons: A bit costly and you have to include the price of the shifters as well.

Would Buy Again: Yes
Would Recommend: Yes

Reviewed on: January 13, 2011
Reviewed by: Aaron M., New Zealand

Was this review Helpful?  Yes  No    Report as Inappropriate

Innovative, useful product - takes me back to 80's thumb shifters

If you want to put your shimano/sram/campy bar end shifters up top, this is the way to go. Imagine the quality and feel of frictionless shimano 2 or 3x9 shifters, but next to your thumbs. I have an upright and drop bars for my cyclocross, and these are on the upright bars. Easy to install, simple to adjust cable length. The lever is the right distance from the bar for good shifting. Excellent work, Paul Comp.

Pros: Puts the shifters on top!
Easy to adjust cable length
Easy to install
Great new place/method for shifting

Cons: Clamp is circular, not hinged, so if you want to remove these, you have to remove everything else in the way (grips, brake levers).

Would Buy Again: Yes
Would Recommend: Yes

Reviewed on: November 16, 2010
Reviewed by: Adrian F., Philadelphia

Was this review Helpful?  Yes  No    Report as Inappropriate

Good quality, easy to use, works well for my shifting needs. I gave up my rapidfire shifters for these with some bar end shifters and will never go back

Pros: Work well, good quality

Cons: Expensive

Would Buy Again: Yes
Would Recommend: Yes

Reviewed on: October 18, 2010
Reviewed by: Terry T., Hawaii

Was this review Helpful?  Yes  No    Report as Inappropriate

Thumb shifters better than ever!

These mounts are great if you want to have classic, top of the bar shifting. I use them on both road and mountain bikes. I really like how you can put different speed bar-end shifters on them depending on your needs. I run an 8-spd shifter on one set and a 9-spd shifter on the other. Ultra reliable. Only drawback is that the cable comes out at a 90 degree angle, which forces the left & right housings to rub on each other if you run them close to the stem (like on road handlebars).

Pros: Reliable.
Fits road or mountain handlebars.
Can run any speed bar end shifter.

Cons: Cable angle can cause housing rub.

Would Buy Again: Yes
Would Recommend: Yes

Reviewed on: October 03, 2010
Reviewed by: Noel B., Oregon

Was this review Helpful?  Yes  No    Report as Inappropriate

awesome

these are great, paired them with dura ace shifters, they're cool, light, and a little retro. No play in mine, indexing is fine.

Would Buy Again: Yes
Would Recommend: Yes

Reviewed on: October 02, 2010
Reviewed by: b, Washington

Was this review Helpful?  Yes  No    Report as Inappropriate

Good ergonomics, bad shifting/

I had high hopes for these and I still hope to get them set up correctly, but I have not gotten them to index right with a pretty normal Shimano XTR set up.

I really like the feeling -- they're solid and well made. However, there's a little play at the interface between the bar end shifter and the Thumbie that really shouldn't be there. Once you're riding it's insignificant, but there should be some kind of soft washer or something to tighten the interface.

After various shops (and Chris King support at a race) failed to get these to index properly, I switched to friction -- I actually like it, but it shouldn't be that way.

Pros: Well made, good concept. Good ergonomics, simple, positive feel.

Cons: Some set up difficulties -- the Thumbie itself may not be to blame, however. More expensive than other similar products (IRD).

Would Buy Again: Yes
Would Recommend: Yes

Reviewed on: October 01, 2010
Reviewed by: Mark J., Oregon

Was this review Helpful?  Yes  No    Report as Inappropriate

Best shifter (IMO) if you run mtn bars, or bars that don't accept bar ends. I prefer these to all others. Everything Paul Engineering makes is first rate quality, and these feel great, have an outstanding track record. You can even find this same set-up on Jeff Jones Bikes.

Would Buy Again: Yes
Would Recommend: Yes

Reviewed on: September 18, 2010
Reviewed by: eric b., Oregon

Was this review Helpful?  Yes  No    Report as Inappropriate