Can you easily change gear shift mechanisms?

omma_to_3

My old mountain bike has a twist shifter. I liked it. When I bought my 7 and 8 year olds their first geared bikes, the ones I picked had the twist shifter. My new bike has the push button type shifter. My kids do not have the hand strength to actually change their gears! So I was wondering, how easy would it be to change the shift mechanism on their bikes? How expensive?

omma_to_3

Or, is there a way to adjust the twist shifter to be easier for them to turn?

jacksonpt

Where did you buy the bike? How much did it cost?

First thing to do is to look at the cables. Make sure they aren't bent or kinked. There is a wire in the center of those cables that has to be able to move, and if the cable is bent or kinked, that can prevent the wire from moving freely.

omma_to_3

They are Diamondback MTBs that I bought at D ick's. I wish I had shopped around a bit because the LBS had specialized kids' bikes on sale for $199. I think I paid $169 for the Diamondback's. I do like them, but didn't realize how hard the shifters would be for the kids.

cohophysh

pretty sure you can swap them for the twist shift...I would ask your LBS to be sure

NWCyclingBeast

I am not certain if Grip Shift is even in business anymore, but my guess is that they are essentially an index-shifting mechanism like the push button stuff... Cohophysh is right... Hit up a bike mechanic at your local shop.