Help me! Road Bike Part Grades for Dummies

[VeloVT]

Elk, TO ME Shimano is counterintuitive.

That doesn't mean it will be for you.

Between Campy and Shimano one hand goes up instead of down in gears. I am really having trouble expressing this; but I want you to know that there are millions of happy Shimano riders who don't have MY problem.

With Shimano:
Left hand: big lever shifts into bigger ring (harder gear)
small lever shifts into smaller rings (easier gear)

Right hand: big lever shifts into bigger cogs (easier gears)
small lever shifts into smaller cogs (harder gears)

So big lever means harder gears in front, but it means easier gears in back, and exactly the opposite for small lever.

Is this what you mean, Mimi? How is Campy different?