Quote Originally Posted by Mr. SR500 View Post
Congrats on the new bike, sounds cool!

No a big deal going 9 instead of 10 speed, we have both and although I wish everything was 10. 9 speed stuff will still be around, but 10 is fairly standard now. What a 10 gives you over a 9 is tighter gearing, so the gears are spaced closer together. This then lets you stay in the correct gear for you, the type of riding, etc...
Well that's a nice description, but I am not having any trouble finding or getting into the "correct gear for me" in any given situation with my current 9 speed setup. You may disagree, but I feel I have plenty of gears spaced plenty close together. I'm glad they will continue to make 9 speed- I know other people who prefer them as well.

If you are jumping 2+ gears at a time, you are not shifting enough. Maybe because of the bar end shifters that Grant likes to use, but ideally you should shift as need and when needed.
And if you had a 20 speed instead of a 10 speed, would you then be shifting gears in tiny increments twice as frequently as you are now?
I believe that it is possible to get too hung up on shifting for every little difference (unless one is racing or competing of course). Sometimes I am going on a flat and in the perfect gear, then there's a small short rise followed by another length of flat. I'm not going to shift for that little rise, to me it seems more streamlined and efficient to just push my legs a bit or else stand up for a few strokes to get over the hump rather than be constantly shifting small increments for every temporary change in the road. I actually enjoy using my body to make adjustments if it enables me to shift a tiny bit less often. It's fun. My goal is not to be shifting constantly to find the perfect gear for the moment while riding my bike.
Mostly I shift one gear, sometimes two, sometimes 3 at a time(!) if the terrain is changing suddenly. Whatever works well.

I know mashers that will slug up a him in the same gear they started in. I assume you are getting STI shifters, you'll be shifting with ease in no time.
Enjoy the new bike!
Thanks, I'm sure I will enjoy it! I know some of those hill mashers too- they seem to have a tendency to get knee problems a lot which then keeps them off their bikes for periods of time.
I feel I must say that I already am shifting with ease with my bar end shifters.