why can't I figure out these gears....?

"MisNomer" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

ok I think i have the back ones figured out... easier? use the thumb harder? use the index
finger ....

That means thumb = more teeth. The chain moves to a bigger cog. Finger = less teeth. Chain drops to
a smaller cog.

Quoted message said:

but the front seems to be backwards... whenever i shift its always the wrong way

On the front it works the same in terms of how the chain moves. Thumb, chain moves up to bigger
ring, more teeth. Finger, it drops to smaller ring, less teeth.

It feels reversed because a smaller ring on the back increases gear ratio, while a smaller ring on
the front decreases gear ratio.

Duffy

"MisNomer" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

ok I think i have the back ones figured out... easier? use the thumb harder? use the index
finger ....

but the front seems to be backwards... whenever i shift its always the wrong way

the numbers just confuse me.

help a dyslexic

KO. 🙂

The way I remembered when I first started with Rapid Fires was "Thumbs Up!" (Think Fonzie or Roger
Ebert or something.)

Using the thumb makes the chain climb to larger gears, front and back; finger trigger makes it fall.
(Just ignore that pesky "easier/harder" part
🙂

If this is a triple (mountain bike?), you might try using the middle chainring a lot while you get
the rear shifting dialed in -- and *then* notice what a big difference shifting the front makes.
(You might even just forget the big ring for a while, and use only the middle 'n little.)

HTH,

Bill "or should that be, 'THT'?" S.

get an XTR Rapid Rise Rear Derailer, then both will work the same, index finger to shift to a
climbing gear, thumb to shift to a speed gear.

"Duffy Pratt" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"MisNomer" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

ok I think i have the back ones figured out... easier? use the thumb harder? use the index
finger ....

That means thumb = more teeth. The chain moves to a bigger cog. Finger = less teeth. Chain drops
to a smaller cog.

Quoted message said:

but the front seems to be backwards... whenever i shift its always the wrong way

On the front it works the same in terms of how the chain moves. Thumb, chain moves up to bigger
ring, more teeth. Finger, it drops to smaller ring, less teeth.

It feels reversed because a smaller ring on the back increases gear ratio, while a smaller ring on
the front decreases gear ratio.

Duffy

"MisNomer" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

ok I think i have the back ones figured out... easier? use the thumb harder? use the index
finger ....

but the front seems to be backwards... whenever i shift its always the wrong way

the numbers just confuse me.

help a dyslexic Liz

On Shimano:

big lever=bigger chain ring or cog little lever=smaller chain ring or cog

MisNomer said:

ok I think i have the back ones figured out... easier? use the thumb harder? use the index
finger ....

Correct.

Quoted message said:

but the front seems to be backwards... whenever i shift its always the wrong way

Yes, that's because the shifters and derailleurs are designed around the bike, not around you. They
shift to physically smaller gears when you use the index finger, and physically larger gears when
you use the thumb. That's because the derailleur is spring-loaded to do the easy shift (to a smaller
gear), but requires human strength for the more difficult shift (to a larger gear).

Quoted message said:

the numbers just confuse me.

Low numbers are easier, high numbers are harder.

Quoted message said:

help a dyslexic

Ever hear that comedian who said "I'm dyslexic, you hole butt!"?

Whose cruel idea was it to make "dyslexia" such a tough word to spell, even for non-dyslexics?

Quoted message said:

Liz

--
Rick Onanian

I tried this yesterday! it works!

Thumbs up! Liz riding in the middle but now im ready for the hills, up and down!

Hey! Look what "Sorni" <[email hidden]> wrote :

Quoted message said:

The way I remembered when I first started with Rapid Fires was "Thumbs Up!" (Think Fonzie or Roger
Ebert or something.)

Quoted message said:

If this is a triple (mountain bike?), you might try using the middle chainring a lot while you get
the rear shifting dialed in -- and *then* notice what a big difference shifting the front makes.
(You might even just forget the big ring for a while, and use only the middle 'n little.)

HTH,

Bill "or should that be, 'THT'?" S.