thoughts on ratchet shifters?

Yes, That's the one I'm talking about. If your basing your opinion on the way it "looks" then theres not much use in talking about it. Based on 35 years of real world experience the Cheetah is an infinitely better shifter for all the reasons I mentioned. Go to the US nationals and walk around the pits and see what the real racers prefer and ask them if their choices were made on the way the shifter "looks"

real pro racers might make the choice on which sponsor pays more , then get some custom built unit you'll never see for sale on the store shelves