MTB twist shifters and levers for small hands

I am upgrading my wife's bike from 8 to 9 speed. She loves her sram attack
twisters, circa 2000. I purchased some new 9s attack twisters, shorty's and
found them to be 12mm wider than her older ones (8s ~57mm vs. 9s~69mm). She
has small hands and a narrow bar to begin with. This forces the shifters
farther inboard, along w/ the xtr levers ( circa 1999). The xtr levers are
not long enough for her to reach that xtra 12mm comfortably.
SRAM tech support told me all their shorty twisters are the same width and
doubted the 12mm difference in model years. they said the centera may be a
little shorter. They suggested the avid SD brake levers but were unable to
tell me the dimensions or if they were longer or shorter than the older
xtr's. Nothing obvious on the sram/avid website.
I either need a narrower 9s twister or a longer, adjustable reach brake
lever. We are running xtr rim brakes.
I have no problem going w/ an Avid brake lever, is it longer than xtr?
thanx alot in advance,
andy

"andy" trifox13atcovaddotnet wrote in message
ervers.com...
I am upgrading my wife's bike from 8 to 9 speed. She loves her sram attack
twisters, circa 2000. I purchased some new 9s attack twisters, shorty's
and
found them to be 12mm wider than her older ones (8s ~57mm vs. 9s~69mm).
She
has small hands and a narrow bar to begin with. This forces the shifters
farther inboard, along w/ the xtr levers ( circa 1999). The xtr levers are
not long enough for her to reach that xtra 12mm comfortably.
SRAM tech support told me all their shorty twisters are the same width and
doubted the 12mm difference in model years. they said the centera may be a
little shorter. They suggested the avid SD brake levers but were unable to
tell me the dimensions or if they were longer or shorter than the older
xtr's. Nothing obvious on the sram/avid website.
I either need a narrower 9s twister or a longer, adjustable reach brake
lever. We are running xtr rim brakes.
I have no problem going w/ an Avid brake lever, is it longer than xtr?
thanx alot in advance,
andy



Perhaps the Amy grip version of SRAM shifters (if you can find them)? That
and LX brake levers circa 98-00 (??), which are small levers, is how I set
up
a ride for a female friend of mine. From a quick look, Avid SD levers look
just about the same length as old XTR.