| Modern road bike shifters are integrated with the | | | | they are both thumb-activated, leaving the rest of |
| brake levers. All of the three major component | | | | the fingers to grip the handlebar and brake lever. |
| manufacturers (Shimano, SRAM and Campagnolo) | | | | A push-pull looks the same, but one of the levers can |
| have similar styles of shift/brake levers, although | | | | be operated as a push (thumb) or pull (forefinger). |
| each one has a different feel and internal | | | | This is no more or less efficient, just personal |
| mechanisms. | | | | preference. |
| The latest trend is toward single-lever, where the | | | | Grip shifters (or twist shifters) use a twisting motion |
| braking and shifting is accomplished with one lever. | | | | to shift, like motorcycle levers. Grip shifters are not |
| The rider pulls on the lever to brake, and clicks the | | | | very common among performance bikes because of |
| lever to the side once or twice depending on | | | | how easy it is to inadvertently shift while gripping the |
| whether he wants to shift up or down. With | | | | handlebars hard in a technical section. |
| traditional brake/shift levers, the rider pulls on the | | | | Hybrid bikes typically come with mountain bike |
| larger of the two levers to brake, and pushes either | | | | shifters, either in the lever styles or twist-shift styles. |
| the large or small lever toward the bike to shift. | | | | Kids' bikes usually have grip shifters because they |
| Mountain bike shifters also come in several varieties: | | | | require less manual dexterity to operate. |
| - push-push, | | | | There are also tiny shifters that can be mounted on |
| - push-pull, and | | | | the ends of aerobars on time-trial bikes. These are |
| - grip shift. | | | | shifters only; the rider must move his hands to the |
| A push-push system uses two shift levers on each | | | | outer bar to reach the brake levers. |
| handlebar, one for shifting up, the other for down - | | | | |