Grip shifters

[lobstermash]

Before buying a geared bike for my very keen bike riding 6 year old, I looked at a lot of bikes. I don't think I found any that had proper shifters. The bike we ended up with is a KDS X-Lite. It's an excellent bike (if a little heavy at 12.2kg) and is being ridden with vigour. However, as predicted, the grip shifters are an issue. After 4-5km, he can't shift into easier gears thanks to sweaty hands.

I'm reluctant to buy him a pair of gloves - he'll grow out of them in a month or two. I'm considering finding some proper shifters, but the grips are pretty firmly glued on and it'd be a pain to remove. Does anyone have any other potential solutions? Like a spray that makes the rubber sticky or something like that?

[grimbo]

I got my young fellahs gloves 2 years ago when they were 8 and 9 for the same reason, and the gloves are still fitting OK, FWIW.

While the gloves have helped when hands get sweaty, the tektro shifters on one of the bikes are pretty stiff and are still difficult for small hands to twist.

[find_bruce]

Most people recommend grip shifters as being easier for little hands.

If he can use it, but his hands become slippery, you could try any one of various sprays on his hands eg stickum
Itac 2 Sports Grip - as used by lawn bowlers and ahem pole dancers, also on evilbay

[lobstermash]

Yikes, funny how pole dancing gear is often in $20 and $50 denominations

Might go the glove route...

UPDATE: That was easier than I thought... Big W have kids' gloves in various sizes