shifting woes

[pm8588]

I have been riding on roads on my mrb for the past 5 years and finally decided to spring for a road bike. I recently posted on this forum (was considering Trek bikes) and got lots of helpful feedback. In the end, I got a Specialized Sequoia. So much ligher than my mtb, great handling. I'm having some trouble shifting on the front, however. I've been used to rapid fire shift mechanism on my mtb. Can't seem to get the hang of the shift levers on the road bike. I feel that my grip is not quite strong enought to upshift without a significant effort. I took the bike back to my LBS and they helped me adjust the handlebar position which helped some. Any thoughts, insights or suggestions?

[JDom226]

I just bought the same bike about a month and a half ago. I had trouble the first time shifting to the big ring. Just push that lever over and let it go. The bike should just shift right on up. After reading the other posts on shift, I do make sure that I'm not on the smallest rear ring when I do this. I try to be on one of the middle rings in the back. When I first tried shifting, I was trying to feel my way into the shft. The Sequoia shfters are geared to push and go. Give it a try and good luck.

[melissam]

You might want to look at this article on the Chain Reaction website:

Front Shifting How-To

Good luck!!

-- Melissa (who really should go for a ride tonight...)

[trekin']

I've been riding my new Trek 1500 WSD for over 2 weeks, and love the bike, except for the shifting. It has Shimano 105 shifters, derailleur, etc. I can't tell where the chain is while riding, since I don't have numbers to look at like my old MTB, and I can't see the rear rings without looking backward between my legs without running off the road. When I reach the smallest or largest ring, the chain starts to rattle. My LBS showed me the "half click" method with the front shifter to move the chain just enough stop the rattle, which I did OK on the trainer in the shop, but on the road I either can't get it to half click at all, or it goes all the way and I end up either dropping the front chain to the smallest ring (causing my feet to start flailing around), or messing up the chain altogether. The LBS owner disappointed me when he told me it was something I'd have to "get used to." I can't find any instructions anywhere (even in the Trek manual) on how to work the shift.

We ride where there are alot of inclines, and there can be alot of shifting going on. I don't think "getting used to it" is acceptable, especially when you could end up messing up with traffic around, you are trying to keep up with others, and you just paid $1000 for the bike, and could ruin the chain if you just let it rattle (which I end up doing after arguing with the bike and losing).

I'm still learning terminology, so I hope this message made sense. I'd appreciate any comments/suggestions/tips from those of you with experience!

[jobob]

My new (used) Riv came with STI shifters, and after about a week I decided to heck with that ! ... so now it has old-fashioned RetroGrouch non-indexed barcons. I think V. and I are the only ones here that use those

trekin', did you read the article that Mellissa linked in the message above? It makes a lot of sense - I may have stuck with the STIs had I read that ... well, no, to be honest I would have probably still gotten rid of them because I thought the big clunky STI levers were uuugly as sin and just didn't look right.

And I don't mean to sound argumentative, but once it's been determined that your set up is correct, you will have to get used to it - no matter what shifting system you use. It just takes practice, and soon it will be second nature.

- Jo.

[emily_in_nc]

Originally posted by jobob
My new (used) Riv came with STI shifters, and after about a week I decided to heck with that ! ... so now it has old-fashioned RetroGrouch non-indexed barcons. I think V. and I are the only ones here that use those

Nope, I've got 'em on my Bike Friday (my touring/errand/chill out bike). I just got the bike this summer, and it took me just one ride or two to adapt to the bar-cons. I love 'em. They shift so smoothly! My husband has STI on his Bike Friday and is always having to adjust the deraileurs. None of that for me!

And I don't mean to sound argumentative, but once it's been determined that your set up is correct, you will have to get used to it - no matter what shifting system you use. It just takes practice, and soon it will be second nature.

Jo is right. I've got STI shifting on my Terry, Campy Ergo-shifting on my Aegis, and now the bar-cons on my Bike Friday. You adapt and get used to whatever you have. With experience, you'll shift more smoothly. The key is never to be in the biggest or smallest (or even the second-biggest or smallest for smoothest shifting) cog in the rear when you shift in the front. It took me awhile to figure that out, but once I did, I did so much better with my shifting. Trekin', you WILL get to the point where you can look at your rear cog between your legs when you ride without veering - it's second nature for me to take a quick look when I lose track. The more you ride, the smoother your bike-handling skills will get. I know, I've been there. Or, you can get a Shimano Flightdeck computer, which will show you on the LCD which cog you're in in back.

Good luck!
Emily

[jobob]

(following up on my own message)

One thing you might want to try is to go out with someone more experienced w. STI shifting who could ride your bike up and down a few hills to see if he/she has the same problems you have - that will tell you either that the shifting is misadjusted, or, if the other rider does not experience those problems, you'll know that you need to work on your shifting technique.

Be patient with yourself, start out on the flats and once you can shift smoothly without chain rattle on the flats, then start working on the hills. You'll gradually learn just how much pressure you'll need to put on the lever under various circumstances, and over time it should become second nature.

[Trek420]

emily_in_nc encourages

"Trekin', you WILL get to the point where you can look at your rear cog between your legs when you ride without veering - it's second nature for me to take a quick look when I lose track."

yikes emily, I can't do it without running into a tree ;-)

I check the front ring. On the rear have learned to keep mental track by noting where i am when stopped and from there "I think I'm in the middle, I think I've got 3 gears left" sometimes I'm wrong 8-(

"Or, you can get a Shimano Flightdeck computer, which will show you on the LCD which cog you're in in back." ...and front, and cadence, and mph, and distance and how many days till Christmas and...you Shimano clad gals are so lucky. I looooooove my Campy but i miss flightdeck.

happy trails

[trekin']

Thank you all so much for your advice and encouragement! Every day I'm on the bike I'm gaining in confidence and skills. I just slipped out for a ride, and spent part of the time on back roads playing with the shift with no one around to distract me. The left shift (for the front) is extremely difficult to push, unless I'm shifting into a smaller ring. That's why I'm having so much trouble. I either can't move it at all, or I end up applying so much force I move it all the way over, which moves the chain up. I can't get to the half click, although I heard it once, but was pushing so hard I went right past it and put the chain onto the big ring.

I agree with Trek420...I'm afraid I'll run into a tree if I start trying to look back there...maybe the Flightdeck is a better idea...

By the way, please educate me...what are STI shifters, non-indexed bar-con, and campy ergos?

I did read the article linked by Melissa. It was very helpful in understanding shifting. Thanks all!

[Veronica]

Check out this thread for some pictures and explanations of various shifters.

Shifters





This picture of our tandem shows STI shifters.

[jobob]

STI is the shifting system that is described in the article that was linked in Mellissa's message. It stands for Shimano Total Integration. That is what is on your bike.

Bar-cons is the term often used for derailer shift levers which mount in the ends of drop handlebars, also known as handlebar-end shifters, or as as bar-end shifters. See the photo of Veronica's orange bike.

Non-indexed bar-cons means a barcon setup in which the front and rear shifters are set up so that they move the chain over the cassette in back (or the chainring in front) in a continuous motion, without preset stops from one ring to the next. When you move the levers you don't feel/hear any 'clicks'. You have to learn by feel how much to move the lever to effect the amount of shifting you want, and how to slightly move the lever back ("trim") to stop any chain rubbing. It sounds complicated but it isn't. Non-indexed is often termed 'friction' shifting. Often times people have barcons set up so they shift by friction (non-indexed) in the front and indexed in the rear. Fiction shifting is very nice since you don't have as many compatibility issues as you might encounter with indexed shifting (be it with indexed barcons or STIs or ergos or what-have-you) if you start swapping out components on your bike. Plus you don't have to adjust it as often because basically there is nothing to adjust

Campy Ergos are basically the equivalent of Shimao STIs. I am told there are some differences between the 2 systems, but I don't know what they are.

[jobob]

huh, I just noticed on V.'s tandem that the captain's front chainring is mounted on the left side .... are all tandems set up tht way?

- Jo

[Veronica]

On the left is a timing chain. It's what connects the captain's pedals to the stoker's. The regular front chain ring is on the right and under the stoker.



V.