gears...what does this mean?

[ilima]

Can you clarify what you mean by "it will change your right STI (controls the rear) to a configuration opposite of a road or top normal mtn derailleur"? "Low normal" and "top normal" are terms I don't think I've heard before.

Thanks

I only heard of the terms 'low normal' and 'top normal' recently, as I was cobbling components together for a commuter. SadieKate's post gives you an idea of the why behind a low normal RD, so I'll just explain the actual practical mechanics.

With the STI shifters on a road bike, shifting the little lever (not the whole big brake lever) will put you into a smaller ring, front and back. On the front (left shifter), that means shifting the little lever will make pedaling easier, but on the back (right shifter) it will make pedaling more difficult.

With my 'low normal' RD, the right shifter works opposite of that. Shifting just the little lever puts me into a bigger cog making pedaling easier.

Because I live on a big a$$ hill, I decided to go with the low normal for my commuter; mostly for kicks but also because I didn't want to be struggling up the steep (~20%!) pitches with a load and have trouble shifting into an easier gear. When I first start riding the bike I have to remember that the rear shifting is opposite of my road bike, but that's been pretty easy.

[Kalidurga]

This has been a great thread. I've been thinking since last year of building a new cyclocross bike with lower gears in the cog set, and the information here has been very helpful. Since I'm currently using Shimano Sora levers and plan to switch to Tiagra or better on the new bike and would have to get used to different shifters entirely, I wouldn't have the issue of adjusting to the RD shifting being "backwards" with a low-normal setup.

Thank you, ladies, very much.