Help me! Road Bike Part Grades for Dummies

[Thorn]

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.

I do! I do! I never shift incorrectly Campy (ok, if I've been riding Shimano and I just get on Campy it takes a minute or two)....thumb goes down, lever goes up. Simple. Shimano? Do I want the inside or the outside lever? I screw it up at least once a ride and that is too often for me. SRAM? Oh, I can't imagine I'd ever get that right.

I used to think I was just uncoordinated, but now I liken it to a right-left mild dyslexic sort of thing. Hard to explain, but I often get things backwards--e.g., say right when I mean left. I always have to think through and derive the answer. Campy doesn't require much deriving--push the button down to go down; push the lever up to go up. Shimano requires deriving and has that right/left thing and when I'm tired I can't derive.

[elk]

Thanks! Liza and Thorn!

It sounds like the difference between shifting my road bike and my commuter (which has an internal hub)...the road bike has "brifters" and I have to decide whether to push the big or little lever inwards on both sides, whereas my IG shifter is up or down...

I also have that left/right huh? problem...and I have been studying my shifters by making drawings to get ready to get back on...!!!HOnest! And I've been driving a manula car all my life.

IOW...I think if i ever get ta choose, I might really like the Campy....and now I understand why counterintuitive was the right word Mimi.

[rij73]

OK, since this has become a Campy v. Shimano thread here is a question I've always wanted to ask. Is it possible to shift both ways while in the drops on Campy? I've seen Campy bikes in bike shops before, and I could never understand why the buttons on the hoods are as good as or better than shifting at the lever. I would think that especially for racers who spend a lot of time in the drops, the Shimano style would be more convenient, but am I missing something?

[Starfish]

OK, since this has become a Campy v. Shimano thread here is a question I've always wanted to ask. Is it possible to shift both ways while in the drops on Campy? I've seen Campy bikes in bike shops before, and I could never understand why the buttons on the hoods are as good as or better than shifting at the lever. I would think that especially for racers who spend a lot of time in the drops, the Shimano style would be more convenient, but am I missing something?

I have always wondered this, too!

[KnottedYet]

I have a challenging time shifting from the drops, the button is a bit of a stretch for my hands from there. I let go of the drop and slide my hand up the curve a little to reach.

Getting Salsa Short-n-Shallow bars made it much easier, though.

[DirtDiva]

With Shimano, the direction you push the brake lever is the direction the chain moves. Much easier way of remembering than lefts and rights.

[elk]

With Shimano, the direction you push the brake lever is the direction the chain moves. Much easier way of remembering than lefts and rights.

but but but...i can only push them one way...the big lever moves you one way and the small one the other...???? But they both go the same direction.

[Thorn]

Getting Salsa Short-n-Shallow bars made it much easier, though.

Yep.....my FSA wing pro (short drop, but not as short as the Salsa) make it easy. To be honest, I was surprised that I could because I cannot shift my Shimano from the drops. However, that's really the difference between a bike that fits (my Campy equipped) and a bike that doesn't fit (my Shimano equipped) and not a difference in the shifter style.

[rij73]

Wait, so how exactly is the button reached? You can reach it with your thumb? I just have a hard time picturing it...

[alpinerabbit]

Is it possible to shift both ways while in the drops on Campy?

In a word, yes.