diff --git a/app/components/bikes.rb b/app/components/bikes.rb
index 327ec8d..a7c42c3 100644
--- a/app/components/bikes.rb
+++ b/app/components/bikes.rb
@@ -2,11 +2,14 @@ class Bikes < Netzke::Basepack::Grid
   def configure(c)
     super
     c.model = "Bike"
+
+    # columns with :id set, have :min_chars set in init_component
+    # See: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/17738962/netzke-grid-filtering
     c.columns = [
       { :name => :shop_id, :text => 'Shop ID'},
       :serial_number,
-      { :name => :bike_brand__brand, :text => 'Brand' },
-      { :name => :bike_model__model, :text => 'Model',
+      { :id => :bike_brand__brand, :name => :bike_brand__brand, :text => 'Brand'},
+      { :id => :bike_model__model, :name => :bike_model__model, :text => 'Model',
         :scope => lambda { |rel|
                     if session[:selected_bike_brand_id]
                       rel.where(:bike_brand_id => session[:selected_bike_brand_id])
@@ -17,13 +20,13 @@ class Bikes < Netzke::Basepack::Grid
       },
       #needs to have type :action or else won't work in grid, because... netzke
       { :name => "color", :text => "Frame Color", :type => :action, :editor => { :xtype => "xcolorcombo"}, :renderer => :color_block},
-      { :name => :bike_style__style, :text => 'Style' },
+      { :id => :bike_style__style, :name => :bike_style__style, :text => 'Style' },
       { :name => :seat_tube_height, :text => 'Seat Tube (in)'},
       { :name => :top_tube_length, :text => 'Top Tube (in)'},
       { :name => :wheel_size, :text => 'Wheel Size (in)'},
       :value,
-      { :name => :bike_condition__condition, :text => 'Condition'},
-      { :name => :bike_status__status, :text => 'Status'},
+      { :id => :bike_condition__condition, :name => :bike_condition__condition, :text => 'Condition'},
+      { :id => :bike_status__status, :name => :bike_status__status, :text => 'Status'},
       { :name => :owner, :getter => lambda { |rec|
                                               user = rec.owner
                                               user.nil? ? "" : "#{user.first_name} #{user.last_name}"
diff --git a/app/components/bikes/javascripts/init_component.js b/app/components/bikes/javascripts/init_component.js
index e152db1..fc44002 100644
--- a/app/components/bikes/javascripts/init_component.js
+++ b/app/components/bikes/javascripts/init_component.js
@@ -3,6 +3,17 @@
     // calling superclass's initComponent
     this.callParent();
 
+    //due to Netzke bug, :min_chars attribute doesn't work
+    var min_char_columns = [
+      "bike_brand__brand",
+      "bike_model__model",
+      "bike_style__style",
+      "bike_condition__condition",
+      "bike_status__status"]
+    Ext.each(min_char_columns, function(column, index) {
+      Ext.ComponentManager.get(column).editor.minChars = 1;
+    });
+
     // setting the 'rowclick' event
     var view = this.getView();
     view.on('itemclick', function(view, record){
diff --git a/app/components/user_logs.rb b/app/components/user_logs.rb
index 2152d19..78a882a 100644
--- a/app/components/user_logs.rb
+++ b/app/components/user_logs.rb
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ class UserLogs < Netzke::Basepack::Grid
       { :name => :end_date, :format => "g:ia - D, M j - Y", :default_value => Time.now.to_formatted_s(:db) },
       { :name => :hours, :getter => lambda { |rec| (rec.end_date - rec.start_date)/3600 }, :sorting_scope => :sort_by_duration},
       :description,
-      { :name => :user_action__action, :text => 'Action', :default_value => ::ActsAsLoggable::UserAction.all.first.id },
+      { :id => :user_action__action, :name => :user_action__action, :text => 'Action', :default_value => ::ActsAsLoggable::UserAction.all.first.id },
       { :name => :logged_by, :getter => lambda{ |rec|
                                                 user = User.find_by_id(rec.logger_id)
                                                 user.nil? ? "" : "#{user.first_name} #{user.last_name}"
diff --git a/app/components/user_logs/javascripts/init_component.js b/app/components/user_logs/javascripts/init_component.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..05bde6c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/components/user_logs/javascripts/init_component.js
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+{
+  initComponent: function(){
+    // calling superclass's initComponent
+    this.callParent();
+
+    //due to Netzke bug, :min_chars attribute doesn't work
+    var min_char_columns = [
+      "user_action__status"]
+    Ext.each(min_char_columns, function(column, index) {
+      Ext.ComponentManager.get(column).editor.minChars = 1;
+    });
+  }
+}
diff --git a/app/components/users.rb b/app/components/users.rb
index fc96ca1..c56ad94 100644
--- a/app/components/users.rb
+++ b/app/components/users.rb
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ class Users < Netzke::Basepack::Grid
       :first_name,
       :last_name,
       :email,
-      :bike__shop_id
+      { :id => :bike__shop_id, :name => :bike__shop_id}
     ]
 
     c.columns << :reset if can? :manage, User
diff --git a/app/components/users/javascripts/init_component.js b/app/components/users/javascripts/init_component.js
index de240a6..f2c7e47 100644
--- a/app/components/users/javascripts/init_component.js
+++ b/app/components/users/javascripts/init_component.js
@@ -2,6 +2,13 @@
   initComponent: function(){
     // calling superclass's initComponent
     this.callParent();
+
+    //due to Netzke bug, :min_chars attribute doesn't work
+    var min_char_columns = ["bike__shop_id"]
+    Ext.each(min_char_columns, function(column, index) {
+      Ext.ComponentManager.get(column).editor.minChars = 1;
+    });
+
     this.getView().on('itemclick', function(view, record){
       // The beauty of using Ext.Direct: calling 3 endpoints in a row, which results in a single call to the server!
       this.selectCustomer({customer_id: record.get('id'), customer_type: 'User'});