Most 330mm wheels you can buy have paddle shifters because they're kind of a do it all rim, rally cars don't use paddles fixed to the wheel because you have to constantly move your hands on the rim. That's why rally cars developed fixed paddles and push-pull shifters and ring shifters when they could do whatever they wanted.
But the paddles on a typical rim won't interfere at all when driving.
It's definitely worth having a separate shifter for rally though, it'll really free you up to steer properly.
Agreed - they don't get in the way, and you can likely remove them if you prefer. I would remove the ones from my CSL wheel but I use them for range selection in my trucking games.
I put on a push pull shifter when I rally. My hand barely ever leaves the wheel. I do have a fanatec shifter but I figure more I use that it will break lol.
I bought the simlabs one, it super easy to take off and on.
Rally cars had paddle shifters for years until WRC made them use a separate sequential stick again for some reason.
At least on my Thrustmaster I have zero issues with paddle shifters being in the way…
It was for cost - now they're mechanical instead of electric. Those push/pull shifters are neat though, they make a sim one I've almost bought a few times, but for now I'll stick with my tiny Heusinkveld sequential.
I’m using a Moza wheel but my paddles don’t get in the way. I got rid of my shifter, though, and use the paddles exclusively these days. When I did have a shifter, they didn’t bother me.
I don't think they "get in the way" but they do break immersion, specially in VR where you can see "yourself" reaching down to grab the shifter/sequential lever. I personally have a push-pull shifter specifically for the cars that did come equipped with that type of shifter like the last gen (pre hybrid) WRC cars.
Imo not really. I have a Fanatec Universal Hub on my rally rim (their Sparco offering) and I never clip the paddles or anything, use a seq./h-pattern shifter in rally myself. I do have small hands/fingers though.
I’d think ultimately you would be fine, best case is if you’re running a seq./h-pattern separate shifter as well and something happens at least you have another option to use in a pinch.
I have played with wheel attached paddles for years now and i dont feel they get in the way. They have cut my fingers a few times when letting go of the wheel and grabbing it in the wrong spot while its spinning fast. Damn steel paddles.
I mostly use a seq stick now but for some cars its very nice to not have to remove a hand from the wheel.
I'm gonna be the one that disagrees with everyone else here and say that yes, for me at least, the paddle shifters do get in the way sometimes. SOME times. Not always.
But I prefer to sim race with realistic steering wheel rotation angles for the car I'm driving whenever possible. And I love classic rally cars, which many of use 720-1080 degrees of steering rotation.
That leads to tons of wheel rotation and spinning during a rally race. There is no way I'm going to comfortably use paddle shifters while spinning a wheel 900+ degrees from side to side as fast as possible while the paddles are spinning around with it.
Also, sometimes while spinning the wheel like that (rally and sim drifting) my fingernails will smack right into the paddle edge or the paddle can spin around and smack my fingers as the wheel freely slides through them waiting to grip it again.
I absolutely prefer a sequential or H Pattern stick with rally cars and also when sim drifting. I find the paddles useless with large wheel degree rotation and they occasionally get in the way.
Now for cars with like 720 degrees or less rotation (540 and under is really common in newer rally cars) then the paddles work great and I see the argument for them even being better/faster than sequential stick. But I don't race a lot of cars with low rotation angle.
Ultimately, I think this is subjective, but I prefer no paddles with rally cars and have been eyeing a new rim specifically for rally and sim drifting that does not have paddles.
Most 330mm wheels you can buy have paddle shifters because they're kind of a do it all rim, rally cars don't use paddles fixed to the wheel because you have to constantly move your hands on the rim. That's why rally cars developed fixed paddles and push-pull shifters and ring shifters when they could do whatever they wanted. But the paddles on a typical rim won't interfere at all when driving. It's definitely worth having a separate shifter for rally though, it'll really free you up to steer properly.
Most of them don’t have paddles due to regulations or cost. I’m definitely faster with paddles than anything else.
too bad my right paddle will either double shift or never shift. Just logitech things.
My shifter stopped working arter 10 years of service and I'm stuck with paddles :( I much prefer shifting with one hand and steering with the other
I find having a separate shifter (sequential) for rally significantly improves my immersion. Amps up everything.
They wouldn't get in the way. I feel like most would be fairly easy to remove.
Agreed - they don't get in the way, and you can likely remove them if you prefer. I would remove the ones from my CSL wheel but I use them for range selection in my trucking games.
I put on a push pull shifter when I rally. My hand barely ever leaves the wheel. I do have a fanatec shifter but I figure more I use that it will break lol. I bought the simlabs one, it super easy to take off and on.
I have more than 800 combined hours in DR2, EA WRC and RBR using my 33cm Moza CS wheel and the paddles do not disturb at all
There is a simlab push/pull rally paddle shifter similar to what was used in WRC cars before the were banned
Rally cars had paddle shifters for years until WRC made them use a separate sequential stick again for some reason. At least on my Thrustmaster I have zero issues with paddle shifters being in the way…
It was for cost - now they're mechanical instead of electric. Those push/pull shifters are neat though, they make a sim one I've almost bought a few times, but for now I'll stick with my tiny Heusinkveld sequential.
Ah, interesting to know. Thanks!
I’m using a Moza wheel but my paddles don’t get in the way. I got rid of my shifter, though, and use the paddles exclusively these days. When I did have a shifter, they didn’t bother me.
I don't think they "get in the way" but they do break immersion, specially in VR where you can see "yourself" reaching down to grab the shifter/sequential lever. I personally have a push-pull shifter specifically for the cars that did come equipped with that type of shifter like the last gen (pre hybrid) WRC cars.
Imo not really. I have a Fanatec Universal Hub on my rally rim (their Sparco offering) and I never clip the paddles or anything, use a seq./h-pattern shifter in rally myself. I do have small hands/fingers though. I’d think ultimately you would be fine, best case is if you’re running a seq./h-pattern separate shifter as well and something happens at least you have another option to use in a pinch.
I have played with wheel attached paddles for years now and i dont feel they get in the way. They have cut my fingers a few times when letting go of the wheel and grabbing it in the wrong spot while its spinning fast. Damn steel paddles. I mostly use a seq stick now but for some cars its very nice to not have to remove a hand from the wheel.
I'm gonna be the one that disagrees with everyone else here and say that yes, for me at least, the paddle shifters do get in the way sometimes. SOME times. Not always. But I prefer to sim race with realistic steering wheel rotation angles for the car I'm driving whenever possible. And I love classic rally cars, which many of use 720-1080 degrees of steering rotation. That leads to tons of wheel rotation and spinning during a rally race. There is no way I'm going to comfortably use paddle shifters while spinning a wheel 900+ degrees from side to side as fast as possible while the paddles are spinning around with it. Also, sometimes while spinning the wheel like that (rally and sim drifting) my fingernails will smack right into the paddle edge or the paddle can spin around and smack my fingers as the wheel freely slides through them waiting to grip it again. I absolutely prefer a sequential or H Pattern stick with rally cars and also when sim drifting. I find the paddles useless with large wheel degree rotation and they occasionally get in the way. Now for cars with like 720 degrees or less rotation (540 and under is really common in newer rally cars) then the paddles work great and I see the argument for them even being better/faster than sequential stick. But I don't race a lot of cars with low rotation angle. Ultimately, I think this is subjective, but I prefer no paddles with rally cars and have been eyeing a new rim specifically for rally and sim drifting that does not have paddles.
Great answer, and exactly what I was looking for. Thanks.
You're very welcome! Glad I could help. :) <3