Shifters

Question
QUESTION: My right shifter seems to have reversed itself. Is there a flip switch or something I may have hit? I remember that it use to shift from right to left (thumb push) into higher gears
but now it shifts (thumb push) from left to right to the lower gears now. I don't know why.

I just replaced my worn out LX Derailleur with an XT 772 Shadow but that is a top normal. I don't think that has anything to do with it or does it?

Chuck

ANSWER: Chuck,

I am not sure about this.  I know there isn't a switch that allows you to change the direction of the shifting.  That takes complete re-engineering of the shifter and derailleur.  However, I think this explanation from The Competitive Cyclist (an online bike store) may hold the key:

"Low-normal refers to the spring tension in the derailleur that pushes the cog up to the taller or easier cogs. Aka "rapid rise," many think this is good for people who spend a lot of time climbing in their granny ring. While it is designed to work with the XT Dual Control shifter, it also can work with XT Rapidfire shifter, though it will reverse the direction of the shifting."

Is it possible you have a low normal?  Or that you had a low normal and put on a top normal?  What kind of shifter do you have?  Your description sounds like a Rapidfire.

Graeme

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Graeme,

Thanks for the reply. You are right. I think I may have just thought about it the wrong way ( brain gliche that is).

My shifters are basic. Very basic and old. I could have swore I pushed the lever riding up the high gears from right to left. My friends bike shifts from right to left by pushing the thumb shifter in so I don't know. I'm not sure
if my last derailleur was a low normal. they are pretty hard to find if not impossible to find now. I said LX was my old. My mistake. It was a lower shimano derailleur than the LX. The shadow I put on is a top normal. I believe my old one could have been also. If I'm not mistaken the rapid rise's would climb up to the larger cog when adjusting these
without the cables whereas the top normal would drop down to the smaller cog.

Hmmmm... interesting .. the specs say the original was an XT rear derailleur.

Well, I don't know now. I'm going to put my new shifters on when they get here and leave it at that.

Thanks again for your help, input, and the explanation from The Competitive Cyclist.

Answer
Chuck,

You're welcome.  I keep puzzling about this, because I know that with the old Rapidfire, the thumbshift pushes the chain up onto bigger rear cogs.  As I look at the Shimano website, it appears that they have reversed the spring tension on their derailleur in order to make shifting up easier and use the thumb force to shift down.  They have, of course, reversed the operation of all of their new triggers.  

However, for you, on the old Rapidfire, the trigger that releases the cable tension is the forefinger trigger and not the thumb, so when you hit the trigger, the chain goes up in gear size (the spring pulls it up).  That is the opposite of the old-fashioned derailleurs which, when the tension is released, shift to the lowest gears.  Thus, your problem makes perfect sense: As you push the thumbshifter, it pulls the derailleur down from the large gear to the small gear exactly opposite from the function of the old-fashioned derailleur.  When you hit the forefinger trigger, the cable tension is released and the derailleur spring pulls the chain upwards.

As far as I can tell, this is one of Shimano's big new innovations, so I  suspect it is good that you are getting matching shifters, because it doesn't look like they are going back any time soon.

Take care,

Graeme