Gears

[Irulan]

I don't look at where I am. I just shift to make it easier or harder for my legs and the upcoming conditions.

Same here. None of my mountain bikes have ever had numbers, just hatch marks. You just have to mentally train yourself to know which way to go to go up or down a gear. This is fine until you get a bike that is reverse configured. I've had to retrail my brain since my newest bike has, I think SRAM instead of Shimano.

[SadieKate]

Same as Irulan and bike4ever. I've had a multitude of mtbs over the years none of those have been adopted out had any indicators. Of the three I own now, only two have window indicators with hatch marks.

None of my road bikes do. The odd misfires (i.e, cross gearing) seems to be in direct relation to the social pace of the ride (in other words, a lot of yakking).

[Paradox]

I am what would be considered a "beginner" mountain biker and I like having the numbers on my shifters. Since I got my bike two years ago I've had shifters with indicators and have gotten used to thinking "okay, so for this hill, I should be in 1 and 2 or I'll never make it." My boyfriend is thinking about putting something on my bike that has a bracket so the shifters/brake levers can be mounted in the same location, but I guess that type of shifter doesn't have the indicator. I'm not real keen on not having the numbers, but I guess someday I may have to adapt. Being a numbers person I suppose it is easier for me to remember the gears by their number rather than the little/middle/big chainring, etc.

I say if you like looking at the numbers and it helps you then it's ok. Just because someone else looks at the chain rings doesn't mean you have to.

[sundial]

I just shift until it feels right. I rarely look at my gears.

[Tuckervill]

My son uses the numbers on his mountain bike. He has friction shifters on his old 10-speed road bike. It was a big adjustment for him. He usually just gets in the big ring and mashes anyway, and if he needs easier pedaling, either stands or shifts the front!

The downtube shifters made me fall over with my trailer going uphill. I couldn't really take my eyes off the road, so I reached too far back, and that made the handlebars squirrely. Me, bike and trailer all landed on the right side. I came unclipped from the Frogs, thank goodness, and scraped my knee a little, but was otherwise unhurt. Landed in the ditch. That bike is getting an upgrade to shifters closer to my hands!

Karen

[SadieKate]

II'm not real keen on not having the numbers, but I guess someday I may have to adapt. Being a numbers person I suppose it is easier for me to remember the gears by their number rather than the little/middle/big chainring, etc.

I say if you like looking at the numbers and it helps you then it's ok. Just because someone else looks at the chain rings doesn't mean you have to.

Just a comment. If you ever go to a skills clinic or get a coach, they aren't going to talk numbers. They are going to talk small, middle, big both on the front and back. I've been on lots of ride with new riders who ask gearing advice and rattle off numbers. The experienced riders/racers/coaches all look blank.

Just a thought about trying to learn small, middle, big . . . .

[Paradox]

If you ever go to a skills clinic or get a coach, they aren't going to talk numbers. They are going to talk small, middle, big both on the front and back. I've been on lots of ride with new riders who ask gearing advice and rattle off numbers. The experienced riders/racers/coaches all look blank.

That's fine. I'm just riding for occasional fun, not intending to race, get a coach or embarrass myself with all you more experienced riders or anything. The numbers make it easier, I think.

She said that she likes to look at the numbers to learn the gears while mountain biking. It sounds like her husband is telling her she should ignore the numbers and look at the chainrings. My personal opinion is that if she wants to look at the numbers while learning, what is the harm in it. It is better than crashing while looking down at your bike. There is enough to learn in the beginning as it is, she said she is still getting used to how the gears change.

[SadieKate]

I don't race either and only ride for fun which means I can still take classes to lessen my fall down go boom factor.

It was just a suggestion so that if anyone wants to take lessons to improve and have more fun she'd be better prepared.