$@!#$@ what gear am i in?

[Eden]

A more elegant solution is the little indicator that comes on some Shimano equipped bikes. It goes right inline with the shifter cable housing and looks a bit like a little bubble level, but with 9 hash marks instead of 3. the little indicator moves to show you wich gear that you are in. Small unobtrusive, but lets you know right away what gear you are in.

[mimitabby]

yeah, that's kind of what i had on my raleigh.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Mimi,
I had to get used to my numberless bar end shifters as well.
My only advice to you might be to stay in the middle ring up front while you keep changing the only rear gears back and forth to get used to the feel of those. (needless to say, don't attempt steep hills while you do this).
Once that all becomes really familiar, try staying in a middle-ish gear in the back while you ride around switching between the front middle and small(uphill)gear. Forget the front big gear for now, you can get to know that one later.

These two exercises might help you get a better feel of the gearing, as they did for me.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

P.S. Better to lose the old mindset of mentally wanting to have gears numbered or named in your mind. Think big and small or instead of numbers.

Just think of the front small gear as not being needed unless you are going uphill in some way. Think of the middle front gear as good for most level riding.
Then think of the rear gears as being fine tuning variations for those front gears.
Then, it logically follows that you wouldn't want to be in your most "uphill" gear in back(biggest ring) paired with your most "downhill" gear in front(biggest ring). Or vice versa. Maybe I'm off the mark, but this way of seeing it helped me.

[Surlygirl]

A more elegant solution is the little indicator that comes on some Shimano equipped bikes. It goes right inline with the shifter cable housing and looks a bit like a little bubble level, but with 9 hash marks instead of 3. the little indicator moves to show you wich gear that you are in. Small unobtrusive, but lets you know right away what gear you are in.

Ditto. I have one. My favorite LBS put it on when I asked them to. Sure makes it nice and easy and not that expensive.

[Trek420]

Eden "A more elegant solution is the little indicator that comes on some Shimano equipped bikes. It goes right inline with the shifter cable housing and looks a bit like a little bubble level, but with 9 hash marks instead of 3. the little indicator moves to show you wich gear that you are in. Small unobtrusive, but lets you know right away what gear you are in."

me me me! waving hands!! I've got that! on Campy no less!!

When I try to look back and see what gear I'm in I ride into trees
When I try to remember what gear I'm in I forget
I heard reviews that Ergo Brain is expensive and hard to install and maintain....

My LBS suggested the bubble thing and it works well. No more guessing if I have gears left, I can see "whoopee, I'm climbing well in a bigger gear". It's small, unobtrusive, elegant....not unlike me heh

[mimitabby]

me me me! waving hands!! I've got that! on Campy no less!!

When I try to look back and see what gear I'm in I ride into trees
When I try to remember what gear I'm in I forget
I heard reviews that Ergo Brain is expensive and hard to install and maintain....

Trek, Spoke Wench,
thank you all; valuable advise. I am almost riding into a lot of trees.
I do try and stay in the middle chainring! HONEST!
I think part of what is going on is i am still forgetting shifting; left to right and right to left and all that stuff too.

I will look into that shimano thingy.

Juju, putting those numbers on my handlebars will NOT help me. It is just one more thing I'd have to look at!

[snapdragen]

Does anybody know what the little bubble thingy is called?

[mimitabby]

yeah, shimano what?
so we can buy it.

[HillSlugger]

Does anybody know what the little bubble thingy is called?

I just found one called "Dura-Ace 9-Speed Right Hand In line Gear Display" They also make one for 10-speeds. Unfortunately, there's no info on how big the thing is or how to install it.

[mimitabby]

I just found one called "Dura-Ace 9-Speed Right Hand In line Gear Display" They also make one for 10-speeds. Unfortunately, there's no info on how big the thing is or how to install it.

In Line gear display is good. i can say that to my LBS

thanks!

[li10up]

Over-simplified reply but it will work until you get the hang of it.

Stay in your middle chainring up front. When you run out of gears to make it easier to pedal, shift to your inside (smaller chainring up front). This will most likely make your pedals have no resistance so you will need to shift to a harder gear in the back.

When in the middle chainring and you run out of gears to make it harder to pedal, shift to your outside (largest chainring up front). You may need to shift your back gear to an easier gear.

Move back to your middle chainring up front as soon as possible to prevent crossover - which wears out the chain and your gears sooner.

[Trek420]

MDHillSlug and all, though it says "Dura-Ace 9-Speed..." I have Record 10 speed and it works!

My LBS said there was a chance it would not work and if so then Ergo Brain would be next step...don't know how he did it but....

Flightdeck is nice, you get speed, distance, gearing AND cadence. But only for the Shimano equiped.