Rapid Rise - who knew?

JaRok2300 · Joined: 01 May 2014 Posts: 461 Location: Worcester, UK

I've been cycling and tinkering with all manner of bikes for the best part of 50 years but still something comes out of left field that you've never heard of.

Picked up a 2nd hand MTB a couple of weeks ago (Whyte PRST-1, I like anything a bit weird) Ad. said it needed the brakes bleeding and a new cable for the rear mech (yeh, yeh, we've all heard that before) and it genuinely did, brakes bled up fine and new cable sorted the gears.

But here's the thing, with no cable attached the rear mech sits in the biggest cog (easiest gear) meaning the shifter works completely opposite to normal. I Googled it and apparently it's called Rapid Rise and seems to polarise users like clinchers & tubs.

Anyone come across this before or use one or have I just led a sheltered life and everyone knows about it?

Ps. It's all Shimano XTR not some niche components.

Whisk · Joined: 09 Jun 2005 Posts: 8739 Location: London

News to me, but I guess it makes sense to not be stuck in your most difficult gear if you snap a gear cable. It also means that you're not working against the spring if you want to drop to an easier gear.
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doug · Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2019 4:49 pm Post subject:

I had heard of Rapid Rise, but other than knowing I didn't want it when I bought an MTB in the early 00s, I never seen it in real life. That and dual control levers.
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fat buddha · Joined: 13 Jul 2004 Posts: 2547 Location: rural Zuzzex

Mrs FB has Rapid Rise on her MTB - the shifters with the flappy up/down levers that are dual control with brakes.

she loves it and thinks it's an easy system to use and has seen no reason to change. I just thought it a bit odd!
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