XX 10 Spd Twisty - They are coming!   Blackbox 10-speed Grip Shift helps Kulhavy Win XC Worlds

Latest ETA from SRAM is Late-April 2012

SRAM's reengineered Grip Shift may require the same twisting motion to change gears as the original version, but the system is an entirely different beast inside.
Three rows of stainless steel bearings, a coil return spring, and a metal indexing system are all details that make the new Grip Shift very different from the old model.

SRAM's recent release of their redesigned Grip Shift system greatly polarized riders, with many of those who are old enough to have used the original version being more receptive to the idea than riders who have never had to twist a shifter to change gears.
While the tide certainly shifted towards trigger shifters over the last decade, SRAM strongly believes that there are many riders out there who would use an updated Grip Shift system.
Enough, in fact, that their drivetrain development team has actually been working on a ten speed Grip Shift system since the inception of XX itself - nearly five full years.

Grip Shift is available in both XX and X0 flavours.
Interestingly, there isn't much between the XX and X0 shifters when it comes to weight, with both of them weighing within a few grams of each other. The differences between the two come down to the XX's carbon fiber shift cover -
the X0 uses an aluminum piece, and the XX's Ride-On sealed shift cables that come with the XX shifters - the X0's comes stock with standard cables. Both shifters use the exact same internals, same hardware, and same grip profile.

Unlike the original design, both the XX and X0 Grip Shift barrels rotate on three rows of bearings that, along with a much better sealing system that what was used in the old version, should keep it running smooth down the road.

Ball bearing internals
The original Grip Shift was a relatively simple unit that consisted of only a few parts: the outer shift barrel, the body, and a flat spring, as well as the barrel adjuster. While its simplicity meant that there was very little to go wrong,
SRAM knew that the old Grip Shift wouldn't cut it by today's standards. Inside you'll find three rows of ball bearings that the barrel rotates on, a much more robust setup than the plastic-on-plastic rotating parts within the original,
a design that often needed to be re-greased to run smoothly.

Metal shift indexing
Take apart the original Grip Shift and you'll discover that the shifter's indexing was provided by a series of ridges on the inside face of the plastic barrel that passed over a flat spring (that could be either plastic or metal).
Over time the plastic ridges would wear out, causing the shifting to feel less defined and with an amount of free play. The internals of the new XX and X0 units make use of a much more refined layout, employing an 7075 aluminum
indexing surface for the flat spring to click against. This design should not only provide consistent action in the long run, but also be precise enough to accurately manage the tighter tolerances of a ten speed gearing range.
SRAM has also used a coil return spring within the shifter.

Interlocking shifter and grip
There were no such things as Lock-On grips back when Grip Shift was first released, but now it is hard to find a bike on the showroom floor that doesn't include them. And for good reason: they not only prevent the dreaded throttle grip,
but also make removing and reinstalling grips nearly effortless. SRAM has designed in a Lock-On system to the new Grip Shift that interlocks the supplied grips right into the shifter, effectively turning them into a single unit.
The grip itself is held in place with a clamping collar at its outer end (just as you'd find on a standard Lock-On grip), and its inboard end features a flange that clips directly into the the shifter. This not only helps keep
both the grip and shifter stationary, but also allows the interlocking section to act as a seal that works to keep out moisture and grime. Want to use your own grips? Not an issue. Simply pop out a ring in the end of the shifter
and push in the included blanking ring that now acts as a barrier to mother nature. No tools required.

X0 Grip Shift v.s. trigger shifter weight comparison
The X0 Grip Shift system in its entirety, that includes the shifters, all hardware and cables, as well as the interlocking grips, do weigh more than a set of X0 shifters. The total numbers are a bit misleading, though, given
that you have to add a set of Lock-On grips to the trigger shifters in order for it to be considered fair. Only when you do that do you get a real picture of the comparable weights, with the totals adding up to show that the Grip Shift
system is lighter by 76 grams. That's not much by any means, and certainly not enough to warrant choosing twisters over triggers, but the gram counters out there will likely take it into consideration. Interestingly, SRAM says that the
XX and X0 Grip Shift units are within a few grams of each other, this despite the XX's carbon fiber cover compared to the X0's aluminum version.

Grip interface
Both the XX and X0 level shifters use the exact same grip interface that sees the left and right grips lock into place within the shifter body. Think of the entire system - both the shifter and the grip - as a one piece lock-on unit.
SRAM is well aware that many riders will want to use their own grips, though, and have designed a system that allows users to slip in a interchangeable ring that plugs those slots when using standard grips, keeping the system's inner
workings protected from the elements much better than if the regular grip was simply pushed up against the shifter. We expect different Grip Shift compatible lock-on grips to be available from aftermarket companies in the future,
or riders could simple cut down their favorite Lock-Ons to the appropriate length. Using grip length to tune the shifters postion will be vital to attain the best ergonomics for rider's hand.