Do you count the gear when you ride?

[novetan]

Presently I’m using a Shimano Alfine which comes with a shifter gear indicator that show 1,5,9, so I’d know approximately what gear I’m engaging. If riding on the familiar road, I’d use the tried and tested gear which give me the best speed (assuming no wind).

I recently bought a new road bike with 2 front cogs, Shimano Ultegra shifters but this is without any indicator. I’d have to constantly keep looking down to check the cassette what gear I’m engaging and thereafter I have to constantly keep the gear no. in mind when I shift and counting.

What’s the proper way to keep track of the gear no. without keeping a count in the mind. Or is it all just by feeling when riding.

 

[davereo]

I just shift into the gearing needed by feel. If it feels difficult I drop down into an easier gear. If it is to easy I shift up. If I am cranking up a steep long hill and run out of gears I just have to leg it out.

 

[alienator]

I just shift into the gearing needed by feel.  If it feels difficult I drop down into an easier gear. If it is to easy I shift up.  If I am cranking up a steep long hill and run out of gears I just have to leg it out. 

What he said. The brifter lever will let you know quite obviously when you've run out of gears.

 

[An old Guy]

I don't think it is quite as easy as just shifting by feel.

I look down a lot. My cassette is a 16-30. I usually use the 18, 19, or 20. There is not much difference in "feel," but the long term effects are noticable.

 

[WillemJM]

Three of my bikes are Dura-Ace with gear indication and one is Campy Record with none. When I ride with indication, it is a nice to have, but when I ride Campy, I don't really miss it. Through experience one kind of subconsiously knows where the chain is all the time.

 

[Livestrong0701]

Yes, i am constantly having to look down, but i am working on trying to just learn to feel which gear i am in. I usually can, but i look down just to make sure i am not putting the chain under stress.

 

[novetan]

So you guys are supposingly season riders still have to look down as going by feel can be wrong. Why then Shimano don't manufacture the high end with indicator just like the Sora or Tiagra. Or is it a mancho thing that high end shifter are meant for pro and don't require indicator as their feel is almost always precise.

I think nothing is better than an indicator right, as our eyes are not taken away from seeing ahead.

 

[alienator]

So you guys are supposingly season riders still have to look down as going by feel can be wrong. Why then Shimano don't manufacture the high end with indicator just like the Sora or Tiagra. Or is it a mancho thing that high end shifter are meant for pro and don't require indicator as their feel is almost always precise. I think nothing is better than an indicator right, as our eyes are not taken away from seeing ahead. 

Someone claimed it can be wrong. It's not wrong, however, to shift when you feel you are in the wrong gear. That's dead on accurate every time.

 

[subwoofer]

As most others here, I check by looking down if I need to.

Mostly I ride by feel and pretty much know which gear I'm in by feel and awareness of the slope I'm riding on.

I'm very proactive and early on my gear changing when I'll need to be changing down, always being in gear early. For general riding or cruising it is entirely by feel. My shifters show the crank cog clearly and the gear only has 1 and 9 with the indicator being 'somewhere in between'.

 

[alfeng]

Originally Posted by novetan .

So you guys are supposingly season riders still have to look down as going by feel can be wrong. Why then Shimano don't manufacture the high end with indicator just like the Sora or Tiagra. Or is it a mancho thing that high end shifter are meant for pro and don't require indicator as their feel is almost always precise.

I think nothing is better than an indicator right, as our eyes are not taken away from seeing ahead.

FYI. Shimano's FLIGHT DECK computer has the gear indicator on its display which I think you want ...

• this is also true of the obsolete Campagnolo ErgoBrain computer designed to be used with many of Campagnolo older (V2) shifters.

There are advantages & disadvantages to choosing the Flight Deck ...

Primarily, you will be paying a premium for the connectivity which you are looking for over a generic CATEYE (the maker of the Flight Deck & ErgoBrain) ... and, the Flight Deck's functionality is probably a bit limited compared to what is available on some more recent cycling computers.

The Flight Deck harnesses are available, separately, so that means you can simply buy additional harnesses if you have more than one bike rather than additional computers ... however, with the exception of the "universal" harness, they are shifter specific & THAT can create a potential nuisance.

BTW. I generally only look down to check what gear I am in when I have run out of gears and wonder why there isn't an easier cog to shift the chain onto.

 

[jpr95]

Originally Posted by alfeng .


BTW. I generally only look down to check what gear I am in when I have run out of gears and wonder why there isn't an easier cog to shift the chain onto.

LOL! Same here. I generally have a rough idea of what gear I'm in at the rear, and always know what front chainring I'm using (mostly the 39/middle ring--the 30 gets used only on the steepest inclines and the 52 is for going downhill mostly--I won't be using the 52/11 combo on the flats!)

 

[novetan]

Originally Posted by alfeng .


FYI. Shimano's FLIGHT DECK computer has the gear indicator on its display which I think you want ...

• this is also true of the obsolete Campagnolo ErgoBrain computer designed to be used with many of Campagnolo older (V2) shifters.

There are advantages & disadvantages to choosing the Flight Deck ...

Primarily, you will be paying a premium for the connectivity which you are looking for over a generic CATEYE (the maker of the Flight Deck & ErgoBrain) ... and, the Flight Deck's functionality is probably a bit limited compared to what is available on some more recent cycling computers.

The Flight Deck harnesses are available, separately, so that means you can simply buy additional harnesses if you have more than one bike rather than additional computers ... however, with the exception of the "universal" harness, they are shifter specific & THAT can create a potential nuisance.

BTW. I generally only look down to check what gear I am in when I have run out of gears and wonder why there isn't an easier cog to shift the chain onto.

Tks for details. Does the Flight Deck comes with lights? If it has, it is bright enough?

 

[alfeng]

Originally Posted by novetan .

Tks for details. Does the Flight Deck comes with lights? If it has, it is bright enough?

The Flight Decks which 'I' have are the older, 9-speed model ...

Amongst the two design 'problems' which may have been addressed in the 10-speed version are:

1. lack of back lighting (which is what I think you are referring to)
2. lack of a capacitor or flash memory or whatever which will allow the computer head to retain the stored data

Now, what I have found is that back lighting looks good on paper, but is probably not meaningful unless you are planning on doing a lot of riding at night. This may be stating the obvious, but using the back light will shorten the battery's life. An auxiliary headlamp on your helmet will probably be a better way to light up the display.

The second issue can be more relevant because it seems that the battery usually dies when you aren't looking (e.g., in the middle of the week!) ... the end user has something between 3-and-5 minutes to change the battery after it dies ... there is a "low battery" indicator; but, I don't know how long it is displayed (NOT long enough).

BOTH issues were addressed in the Campagnolo ErgoBrain which I vaguely recall was introduced after the Flight Deck (again, both are made by Cateye); so, I can only hope-or-presume that the 10-speed variant of the Flight Deck has back lighting + is capable of retaining data ...

BUT, someone else will have to clarify whether or not the more recent 10-speed Flight Deck computer heads incorporated back lighting & data retention.

BTW. The wireless harness is an idea that looks good on paper, but you will be paying a premium for the nuisance of having the unit not function when the computer head's battery is merely a little weak (but, far from dead) ... it wasn't until I tested a failing computer head in a hard-wire harness AND then swapped the computer head from the hard-wire harness to the wireless unit that I was able to come to that conclusion ...

• in retrospect, it's possibly a-good-thing to have the computer head become hinky in a wireless harness when the battery is weak because it is an unintended "early warning system" which will give you the opportunity to quickly change the battery without losing the stored data, BUT it is nonetheless an annoyance if you don't have a spare battery handy

 

[novetan]

Originally Posted by alfeng .


The Flight Decks which 'I' have are the older, 9-speed model ...

Amongst the two design 'problems' which may have been addressed in the 10-speed version are:

1. lack of back lighting (which is what I think you are referring to)
2. lack of a capacitor or flash memory or whatever which will allow the computer head to retain the stored data

Now, what I have found is that back lighting looks good on paper, but is probably not meaningful unless you are planning on doing a lot of riding at night. This may be stating the obvious, but using the back light will shorten the battery's life. An auxiliary headlamp on your helmet will probably be a better way to light up the display.

The second issue can be more relevant because it seems that the battery usually dies when you aren't looking (e.g., in the middle of the week!) ... the end user has something between 3-and-5 minutes to change the battery after it dies ... there is a "low battery" indicator; but, I don't know how long it is displayed (NOT long enough).

BOTH issues were addressed in the Campagnolo ErgoBrain which I vaguely recall was introduced after the Flight Deck (again, both are made by Cateye); so, I can only hope-or-presume that the 10-speed variant of the Flight Deck has back lighting + is capable of retaining data ...

BUT, someone else will have to clarify whether or not the more recent 10-speed Flight Deck computer heads incorporated back lighting & data retention.

BTW. The wireless harness is an idea that looks good on paper, but you will be paying a premium for the nuisance of having the unit not function when the computer head's battery is merely a little weak (but, far from dead) ... it wasn't until I tested a failing computer head in a hard-wire harness AND then swapped the computer head from the hard-wire harness to the wireless unit that I was able to come to that conclusion ...

• in retrospect, it's possibly a-good-thing to have the computer head become hinky in a wireless harness when the battery is weak because it is an unintended "early warning system" which will give you the opportunity to quickly change the battery without losing the stored data, BUT it is nonetheless an annoyance if you don't have a spare battery handy

Thks again for info, Alfeng. Appreciate very much for your explanation.

 

[maydog]

My 9 speed flight deck has a low battery indicator that shows up long before the battery is dead, its not much of an issue since the battery lasts several years even with frequent use.

Backlight is a non-issue, I can see the display after sunset without lights. I use a helment mounted light when it is dark, the display shows nicely.

The gear display is nice and works well, but I still find myself peeking at the gears.

 

[vspa]

i look down on false flats when i am on the big chainring to avoid shifting into the big/big combination, but i also look down to estimate the better gear for a particular cadence and heart rate reading, on second thought, i check them out quite often really, at least when riding solo.

 

[gudujarlson]

I don't understand how a gear indicator could help someone determine what is the best gear to be in. The best gear is the gear that feels best. An indicator can't tell you that.

 

[Dave Pace]

Originally Posted by gudujarlson .

I don't understand how a gear indicator could help someone determine what is the best gear to be in. The best gear is the gear that feels best. An indicator can't tell you that.

Only time i ever use my gear indicator is when i bring my bike out after a rest and want to check what gear I left it in before I get on.

 

[Dr Lodge]

I've got the Sora 8 speed shifters with indicators, but I find them useless in telling me which gear I'm actually in. And of course they even more useless in the dark! I do look down at the cassette to see which sprocket is engaged, usually when I know I'm towards one or other extremes to avoid shifting into big-big or small-small combinations.

 

[An old Guy]

Originally Posted by gudujarlson .

I don't understand how a gear indicator could help someone determine what is the best gear to be in. The best gear is the gear that feels best. An indicator can't tell you that.

People spend money on devices that indicate their cadence, heart rate, even power output. That would suggest that "feel" is not a reliable indicator.