My lovely new bike.

I got my new 1st road bike yesterday!! She is a beautiful 2006 Specialized Dolce Elite. I have one question. I seem to have problems shifting up on the front derailer. The bike shop told me I just don't hold the shifter long enough. I think it should shift up faster. I especially have this problem going into the top third gear but today the chain almost fell off going from the 1st gear to the second. Am I doing something wrong or is it the bike?
And, for my first day out on my lovely new bike - I almost broke my hand falling over on from a dead stop trying to use the clipless pedals. The left hand is not working so well right now. My neighbor keeps asking me - Why are you purposely attaching yourself to the bike?????? and I'm having a hard time answering her.

I can't help with your shifting question - but I can say welcome to TE.

As for your cleats, I'm impressed that you are using cleats immediately after buying a road bike. It took me a year to break down and give them a try. (But then I'm sort of old and clutsy.) When I first switched to cleats I used Speedplay Zeros but I always felt like it was just a matter of time before I fell. I recently switched to Speedplay Frogs and can't believe how easy it is to get in and out of them.

Hope your hand heals quickly. And I bet someone will be able to give you the shifting information you are looking for.

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Originally Posted by Savra

I got my new 1st road bike yesterday!! She is a beautiful 2006 Specialized Dolce Elite. I have one question. I seem to have problems shifting up on the front derailer. The bike shop told me I just don't hold the shifter long enough. I think it should shift up faster. I especially have this problem going into the top third gear but today the chain almost fell off going from the 1st gear to the second. Am I doing something wrong or is it the bike?

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Shimano shifters require a long, steady pull to get the derailleur to move from smaller to larger gears. I'm not sure how you are numbering your chain rings (front gears) so I can't say too much more about it.

Welcome to TE!!! The shifting, I have found is a delicate art at times. I drop my chain at times to, and sometimes I can work the shifter to get the chain back on, and sometimes I have to stop and put it back on. I don't do it nearly as often anymore. I have found on mine, it's particular about have a quick smooth motion. I seem to only have trouble with the 3 front rings and my problem is usually going from the the small ring on the front to the second ring. I don't know all the trerminolgy so I may be confusing everyone but myself. LOL Anyway, I say all that just to say that you aren't alone, and if it's not something wrong with the bike, then you will learn with practice.

Same thing with the clipless peddles. I would practice cliping in and out of them several times before I went out on the road again. I think everyone or just about everyone has fallen at least once when going to clipless peddles.

I hope your hand gets better quickly, and I would love to see pictures of your new beauty!!

LBS is right -- hold it until you feel it move, then let go. You'll do just fine, you just have to get used to it. Yes, it takes a little longer to shift. You have to go a ways up in $$$ level of componentry to get quicker. I have a Dolce elite, and it is the same. But I love my bike! What color is yours?

And we all have our embarrassing moments trying to learn clipless pedals. I crashed into the curb going uphill about 2 mph. I saw it coming, just couldn't get out! Oh well..

Thank you for all of your encouragement! The hand is doing better today. Someday there will be no more falling, right. Thank you for the advice on shifting. I'm sure it will help. I will post pictures of my bike a little later today. She is powder blue with a black seat. I must say, there is a world of difference between riding a road bike and riding a mountain bike. I went up hills in the last two days at speeds I never could have on my mountain bike. I can cut through the air like butter. I love it!!!! And along the same vein, this is a great community of bikers. :)

Does your bike have Tiagara or 105?

I have Shimano 105 and have less shifting issues than you describe but I still do have to look down when I do bigger shifts to make sure I'm not stressing my chain/cogs too much :P (i.e. big ring on big ring, etc). When I was starting out on my road bike, I had to look down every time I shifted to verify my shift and what it looked like. Which was kind of dangerous as a beginner because that meant I wasn't always looking where I was going. Then again, I was very cautious about where I rode because I was so unsteady in my shifting. Some people remember which gears they are in but I like to just shift and enjoy the ride :p

Plus I am hyper-vigilant about cars around me--I have to know where they are at all times! So knowing where the cars are takes priority over what gear I'm in! :p

So maybe you'll want to upgrade your front or rear derailleur as you become more proficient at shifting :)

Just curious: did you ride any other bikes with upgraded componentry? Did you notice a difference? :)

Oh! And don't forget that the tension on your clipless pedals is most likely adjustable! That means the amount of force required to clip in or swing your foot out to unclip! If you find the tension that is right for you, you will have less accidents :D:D

I had a more experienced cycler help introduce me to cycling so they loosened the tension for me when I first started out so my feet wouldn't be trapped onto my bike in case I fell because I couldn't detach my pedal :)

But there are all kinds of things I learned as I rode more about my bike :)

The derailer is a Shimano 105 for both front and rear. I did notice on my ride today that if I change what gear I am in in the back then I have less problems shifting up in the front (I hope that makes sense). And your right, I do need to release the tension on the left peddle (the side I fell on). I can unclip from the right much easier than the left.

Savra,

I just picked up my first road bike last week after riding a hybrid for a long time. I also went to straight to clipless pedals.

You may get a chuckle out of the thread that I posted yesterday on the very same subject!

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=22751

I made a lot of progress in one day of practice! We CAN do this!

Cindy

I also had a Dolce with 105, and I had trouble shifting from the granny gear, so I ended up switching to a compact double. That may not be the right solution for you, if you're in super hilly terrain. I think one thing that may help is making sure you're in the middle of the cassette when you shift the chainrings.

I guess my biggest question in all this is why does the road bike have such a hard time shifting when my mountain bike didn't? Is it the type of derailer being used? Or the shifters? Is it the triple in general or just my Dolce Elite? I will admit, I did ride a few other bikes before buying this one but only from bike stores that allowed jaunts around parking lots and not the neighborhood. This was the first bike I got a good feel for. I bought it for it's fit and because I liked the bike store more than anything else. Other bikes seemed to shift better but didn't seem to fit right. I went for fit instead of shifting in the hopes the shifting issues would work themselves out or that I would get used to them. I admit, I am getting used to them. So I guess I made the right decision on fit. :)

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Originally Posted by Savra

I bought it for it's fit and because I liked the bike store more than anything else. Other bikes seemed to shift better but didn't seem to fit right. I went for fit instead of shifting in the hopes the shifting issues would work themselves out or that I would get used to them. I admit, I am getting used to them. So I guess I made the right decision on fit. :)

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You did good!

Shifters/brifters/derailleurs can all be changed. Frames, well, not so much. If the bike feels good but the shifting is annoying: that can be changed. If the bike shifts great but the fit is annoying: ooh, bigger problem.

Congratulations on your new bike!

Hi Savra,
Congratulations on your new bike -- sounds like you're off to a great start!

It took me some time to get comfortable shifting through my front chainrings. The bike I started on (which I just sold) was Ultegra/triple. I have a 105/triple and my new bike is new Ultegra/double. In general, triples tend to be a bit slower shifting and harder-shifting. My 105 has always been a bit fiddlier than the Ultegra triple was but I finally got it tuned in and it's been very reliable for me this season, so you can certainly do just fine with 105.

All of that said, a lot of getting a clean shift in front is technique. I never drop my chain anymore, and I make the shift up into my big chainring on the first try too. A few tips:
1. The timing for shifting up (into bigger rings in front) and shifting down (into smaller rings in front) is different. To shift up on 105, you can expect to have to give the shifter a big shove (bigger than you might expect) -- do it decisively, and you do have to hold it a tad longer than when downshifting. When you downshift, it should also be decisive (timid shifting can lead to undershifting), but on my triples at least this is a much quicker shift, and if you hold it too long you risk overshifting (overshifting on the way down can mean that you drop your chain).

On my 2008 Ultegra double, the upshift on the front is really light and easy, almost the same as downshifting, so this varies according to components.

2. **This is really important. Upshifting or downshifting in the front, you need to let up on the pedals for a moment. You don't need to STOP pedaling, you just need to softpedal for a revolution. Many a dropped chain has come from trying to shift into the granny while whaling up a hill. Practice this and the rhythm will become automatic for you.

3. If you should drop your chain, you can usually sweep it back up without having to stop if you **RELAX** :D and immediately upshift (while soft-pedaling).

Oh, and I was a wreck when I first got clipless pedals. My boyfriend and I got into lots of fights because he would ride as normal, but little (normal) things he would do would make me nervous because I was scared to death that I"d get put in a situation in which I would have to stop or slow suddenly and I wouldn't be able to get out of the pedals :eek:. It took me a month or two to get relaxed and comfy with them. Now it's totally second nature and I wouldn't give up clipless pedals for anything, so just keep riding :p.

A few more thoughts...

A lot of women who have small hands have a hard time with the big shove needed to shift up. If you have small hands, you might look into shimming your levers or replacing them with short reach levers (though this last option can get $$$).

Bars that are too wide can make everything feel kind of awkward too. Smaller bars will not specifically address "reach to the lever" problems, but it could help the whole setup feel more natural. This is not a terribly expensive thing to change either.

Lastly, adjustment really does make a big difference. A derailleur that is just slightly off adjustment can make shifting too slow (or too fast, though in my experience it's more common for a not-so-good tune-up job to result in a chain that hesitates and rattles and undershifts). Sometimes I think it can seem to be shifting properly on the stand, when hand-pedaled, but when you get it out onto the street under real shifting conditions it's not quite right. So it would be worth checking that too. Once I was having a couple different lingering problems including front der adjustment; they kept adjusting it and telling me it was fine, but then it would hesitate forever when downshifting (and other assorted issues). Finally I took it in on a slow day, and had them adjust, then I'd go out and ride in the parking lot and report back, then they'd adjust some more, then I'd test it again. After 3-4 rounds we got it perfect. In your case, you might make sure a mechanic has actually test-ridden your bike to check the adjustments, not just run through the gears on a stand.

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Originally Posted by Savra

The derailer is a Shimano 105 for both front and rear. I did notice on my ride today that if I change what gear I am in in the back then I have less problems shifting up in the front (I hope that makes sense). And your right, I do need to release the tension on the left peddle (the side I fell on). I can unclip from the right much easier than the left.

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I ride with my clipless with reeeeally low tension when I know I'll be making a lot of stops (busy streets) and sometimes increase it if I'm doing a long rural ride.

One thing I tend to do is get my foot out earlier than I need to while I'm getting used to a new bike or pedals.. that way I'm safely out before I have to stop and can avoid the dreaded full stop tip-over move ;)

I will say I definitely have issues with how much I have to reach to brake or shift. My hands are very small. I had the mistaken impression that buying a women's specific bike would include taking into account my small hands. Oh well. I will try the shim thing. There is a bike store here that insisted I pay them $75 to fit me before even letting me test ride a bike (the $75 would have then gone towards the purchase of the bike). Their suggestion irritated me but they would have made sure the brake reach fit. I would gladly have paid them the $75 to fit me had I been able to test ride first and had an idea if I liked a bike from their store. Oh well - what is that saying - hind sight is 20/20?

It sounds like a passive-aggressive scheme to have you buy your bicycle from their shop exclusively which limits your potential to find the best bike for you, not the best bike they can offer you :(

When I was bike shopping (although I had the idea that I would get it that day and then take it up North with me...bad idea but oh well), I got to ride anything I wanted for free and that's the way it should be! They may ask you for your license or something while you're out on the bike to prevent you from stealing it but you shouldn't be financially tied to their shop if you haven't even been on a bike :(

:) Thats why I went with the bike I did. The bike shop I got it from was very cool about letting me take it for a spin around the neighborhood. They were very encouraging and didn't make me feel stupid with all my questions. So I picked my bike half for the bike and half for the shop that sold it. I had been to six shops and started feeling like Goldilocks and the three bears. One shop was great but didn't have the kind of bike I was looking for. Others had great bikes but crappy sales people who told me it would dirty their bikes if I road them in the neighborhood. I was so happy to finally find one that had a bike that fit me and had great sales people who knew how to sell bikes.

For what it's worth... I was also surprised by how long I had to hold the lever to shift up a chainring. Now I hold it and don't let go until I've felt the chain move and engage.

I fell a couple of times from a dead stop too. It takes practice to get the hang of it. You'll get there!

Thank you for the encouragement. I must say, TE rocks!!!

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Originally Posted by rij73

For what it's worth... I was also surprised by how long I had to hold the lever to shift up a chainring. Now I hold it and don't let go until I've felt the chain move and engage.

I fell a couple of times from a dead stop too. It takes practice to get the hang of it. You'll get there!

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OK, now I'm thinking about this. You should not have to hold the lever. You push the lever. The derailleur shifts. The chain moves. ;)

Well, assuming this works - here is a picture of my new bike!!!!

Whooo-hoooooo! Pretty!
Congratulations!

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Originally Posted by SouthernBelle

OK, now I'm thinking about this. You should not have to hold the lever. You push the lever. The derailleur shifts. The chain moves. ;)

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Yes, but I have found that if I don't hold the lever for a couple of seconds, the chain moves up and immediately falls back. I was surprised at this, but it really is how it works on my bike.

Savra, the bike is lovely! Enjoy!

Welcome!
Keep at it. You're doing fine.
A few things: from pic of your bike (nice, btw:D) it looks as though your brifters are really high, almost on top of the handlebars. (or are the bars tilted back too much?) Does this position feel okay to you? Why I'm asking is... if you are in the drops, I can't imagine that you would be able to touch them at all. Also, when they are that high up even when you are on top, it pulls them away from your fingers and shoots them straight out. The only part close enough for you is at the origin of the brake so you are working too hard to pull them or get into another gear. (think physics... levers, teeter totters... hard to push/pull close to the fulcrum) If you need them over the top like that, you may have to get a shorter stem to bring the reach closer, not move the shifters towards you.
Also, it's true that a bike mech may get it shifting great on the stand but when you get it on the road under "load" conditions, it doesn't go well. I had that problem and got tired of taking it back to them so I looked it up on Sheldon Brown's website and set my own derailleur. It took me a few hours of messing around but it works great now. :cool: I don't have to push further or hold it to get it to shift correctly to a bigger ring. I have 105's on mine too and they shift the same up or down now. LBS setting... kept dropping the chain, not getting the whole way into gear without pushing a 2nd time, etc.

You may want to check the width of your handlebars and make sure they are right for you. Your arms should be lined up with your shoulders, not out to the side. You can easily get shims put in. Any LBS should be able to install them. They are easily ordered and I would be surprised if they didn't keep a pair in stock back in the shop area.

Knot is right, you did good getting a frame that fits. The rest gets adjusted along the way but there's no adjusting the frame. (those pesky welds ya know;))

Take care and be safe.

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Originally Posted by Xrayted

Welcome!
Keep at it. You're doing fine.
A few things: from pic of your bike (nice, btw:D) it looks as though your brifters are really high, almost on top of the handlebars. (or are the bars tilted back too much?) Does this position feel okay to you? Why I'm asking is... if you are in the drops, I can't imagine that you would be able to touch them at all.

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OMG - You are so right! I didn't notice before being a newbie but I just compared it to pictures I have of other bikes and those are very off. I think the handlebars are just tilted up too far. I did notice that there is little handlebar there when I go down to hold on to the drops. I feel like I have nothing to hold on to down there. I will take it to the bike store and have them adjust it.

This thread is certainly well named - that is a lovely new bike!!

Savra, your bike is beautiful! I love the color! I'm a newbie, too, so this is a great thread for me to follow, too.

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Originally Posted by RoadBunner

Savra, your bike is beautiful! I love the color! I'm a newbie, too, so this is a great thread for me to follow, too.

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Thank you. She is a great bike and the advice I have gotten here is definitely improving how we ride together. :D

[QUOTE=Savra;309697]

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OMG - You are so right! I didn't notice before being a newbie but I just compared it to pictures I have of other bikes and those are very off. I think the handlebars are just tilted up too far. I did notice that there is little handlebar there when I go down to hold on to the drops. I feel like I have nothing to hold on to down there. I will take it to the bike store and have them adjust it.

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Ok, I have no patience for waiting for other people to do things. I came home and took out my allen wrenches and adjusted the handlebars down myself. All better now. Thank you for the suggestion. I haven't ridden with the adjustment but it should help. I still need to see about shims though. The reach is still too far but at least it's a little easier to get a hold of the brake and levers.

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Originally Posted by Savra

The reach is still too far but at least it's a little easier to get a hold of the brake and levers.

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I don't ride a women's specific design bike and I had to add shims for my brakes. :) Sounds like you are just about set and ready to roll. Hope you continue to have great weather to ride that sweet little bike. :)