Hi guys and girls i'm looking to buy a new mech for my bike but i'm not sure to go for a normal one or a rapid rise. Whats the advantages of a rapd rise one compared with a normal one and should i just stick to a normal one?

Depends what you're used to I reckon. RR (low-normal) effectively means you can move up multiple gears where as 'normal' mechs shift down multiple gears

What are you using Rapidfires or Dual Control, because I found I hated RR on Rapidfire pods but liked it on Dual Control. Dual Control was designed to use RR mechs from the outset I think anyway

Horses for course so they say

Neither is better, it's all down to personal preference.

I've only found plus points with rapid rise, smoother shifting down the block and the ability to shift up multiple gears in one sweep of the shifter.

Someone who dislikes RR will come and mention the bad points :)

Thanks i'm using LX Rapidfire pods at the moment. Is rapidrise only worth bothering with on dual control shifters then?

Like Mike says it's all personal preference IMO. I like Rapid Rise on Dual Control shifters, but I don't like it with triggers. So I've one bike with XT low-normal flip flops and one bike with regular shifting SRAM X9 triggers

If I were you I'd stick with what you've got at the mo, especially if you're used to it

thanks guys!

I converted to RR a couple of years ago - hated it at first and found it a dog to set up compared to normal. Once I got used to it though it works for me. Only down side I find over normal is the need to keep the cables totally stiction free otherwise your vital change down from 11T to 32T (which relies on the spring tension) is not consistant. Not as annoying on normal as you are not so desperate for a specific gear going up from 32T to 11T - well that's what I found anyway! My old hack bike is normal and it's weird feeling now!

The design of the RR mech is poor in my opinion, i own both a RR LX mech and a XT norm, and the XT beats it by miles.

The way in which the mech is sprung holds it to close to the frame when in most gears, creating a very noisy ride.

But i would go with whatever you have now...

"The way in which the mech is sprung holds it to close to the frame when in most gears, creating a very noisy ride." So you're saying that a RR mech is sprung differently (aside from the obvious difference which would have no effect on the proximity to the frame)? Never noticed that myself and certainly not noticed it hitting the frame.

No need to write a negative post Mike, I wrote the review if you click the link up top. It's the only negative review I've ever written on BM BTW (and went to the trouble of writing again when I got a blue screen on hitting sbumit) which gives you an idea of how much my first encounters with RR cheesed me off. Magic above has it about right.

Old dogs and new tricks John :)

I don't need to learn any new tricks now Shimano have seen sense Mike. :)

I agree, they seem to be catering for everyone now.

I will admit to ridding one RR equipped bike that worked perfectly. A meticulously maintained Scott Genius with flippy shifters.