Shifting without gear indicators

[Catrin]

My new Jamis is a 10-speed triple without gear indicators, SRAM triggers. I've never ridden a bike without indicators and while I am sure I will learn it I must admit on my little hilly ride yesterday I had no idea where I was on the rear cassette.

Thankfully I was on the middle chain and actually never had a need to move the front up or down, outside of experimenting to see how it felt. That bike shifts like butter - but how is there a tip about how I can keep track of my small gear?

[Veronica]

The only bike I have ridden with gear indicators is our old tandem. I just go by feel and when I try to shift down and can't - I know I just need to suck it up and keep pedaling.

Veronica

[zoom-zoom]

when I try to shift down and can't - I know I just need to suck it up and keep pedaling.

That, too!

[Catrin]

Makes sense, guess that I am just spoiled I do not find it intimating, but a year ago I probably would have

[kmehrzad]

I tend to look down occasionally and get an idea of where I am.

[nscrbug]

I've never ridden a bike WITH shift indicators...sure sounds cool, though! I go by feel, like everyone else. Can't tell ya how many times I thought I had one more gear to shift down into, only to discover that I was out of gears. Yup...that's when you just HTFU and keep pedaling.

[Mr. Bloom]

I think indicators can be added at the LBS.

[jessmarimba]

My new bike doesn't have them either. I'll +1 Veronica's comment.

But it is an awfully happy feeling sometimes to get off the bike and realize you were in a harder gear than you thought and still felt great!

[laura*]

I think indicators can be added at the LBS.

Not on the new high end SRAM triggers.

Hmmm - maybe it is possible to mount some "inline" indicators into the shift cables.

[zoom-zoom]

On my previous bike I couldn't see my rear cassette...due to my position and the bike's geometry. On my current bike I can see the rear cassette perfectly.

So I had to kind of learn blindly, too. Mostly I got to be familiar with my sweet spots and learned to feel when I was cross-chaining and needing to move up or down on the front rings.

[Roadtrip]

No trick here and if you find one I sure would like to know! Two of my three bikes have shifters without indicators. I think it's just feel thing really.

Shannon

[featuretile]

Catrin,
I put a gear indicator on my Ruby after seeing one on another bike.
Dura-Ace 10-Speed Inline gear indicator, rear
I bought it online here, and brought it to my LBS. I like it. It goes on the right shift cable.
http://www.bikeparts.com/search_resu...p?ID=BPC307832