Changing gears - newbie

[harrow1977]

Hi

My first thread :-)

I recently bought a Specialized HardRock Sport

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/hardrock-sport-disc-2013-mountain-bike-ec040961

I haven't really cycled for years but wanted to get back into it, esp some off-road/MTB. Also, I work about 10 miles away, and there's always the possibility I could cycle in to keep myself fit.

The bike has 3 gears on the left and 8 on the right hand bars. I've been reading around, and the general advise seems to be:

Left gear 1: Right gears 1 - 3
Left gear 2: Right gears 4 - 6
Left gear 3: Right gears 7 - 8

Does this sound about right? So I shouldn't really right Left gear 2/ Right gear 7 or 8, for instance?

I rarely use Left Gear 1/ Right 1 - 3 to be honest...it's generally left gear 2 i'm in when cycling around.

Secondly, I notice when going from Left gear 2 to 3, I need to click the button twice otherwise it seems to get stuck in no gear in the middle sort of thing...is this normal?

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Hi

My first thread :-)

I recently bought a Specialized HardRock Sport

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/specialized/hardrock-sport-disc-2013-mountain-bike-ec040961

I haven't really cycled for years but wanted to get back into it, esp some off-road/MTB. Also, I work about 10 miles away, and there's always the possibility I could cycle in to keep myself fit.

The bike has 3 gears on the left and 8 on the right hand bars. I've been reading around, and the general advise seems to be:

Left gear 1: Right gears 1 - 3
Left gear 2: Right gears 4 - 6
Left gear 3: Right gears 7 - 8

Does this sound about right? So I shouldn't really right Left gear 2/ Right gear 7 or 8, for instance?

I rarely use Left Gear 1/ Right 1 - 3 to be honest...it's generally left gear 2 i'm in when cycling around.

Secondly, I notice when going from Left gear 2 to 3, I need to click the button twice otherwise it seems to get stuck in no gear in the middle sort of thing...is this normal?

Pretty much but you do have a little more overlap than that, I ride a 7sp triple and I am quite happy to use the rear 2nd gear with my outer front, though if i am going to be in it any length of time I will drop to the middle front ring and down on the rear a couple of gears, it also gives a better cadence control. Conversley the same is true for the inner front ring I am quite happy down to 5th (though in truth I dont use it very much these days unless I need options going uphill), and before anyone pipes up about it being a granny gear my gearing is pretty much the same as a compact double, just I have greater options and closer gearing, and it higher on the front being a 52th ring not a 50th ring.

 

[MrJamie]

I think it really depends on how your gear ratios overlap, youll get used to knowing which ones give you the right range to be able move up/down. I'd be happy using more like 5 or 6 at the rear with each front ring though.

About the gear change, presumably you mean that its reluctant to move into the biggest of the 3 front chainrings? Gears are quite easy to adjust, but if you want to do it yourself, make sure you've got plenty of time to mess around with it and watch youtube videos for guides

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I think it really depends on how your gear ratios overlap, youll get used to knowing which ones give you the right range to be able move up/down. I'd be happy using more like 5 or 6 at the rear with each front ring though.

About the gear change, presumably you mean that its reluctant to move into the biggest of the 3 front chainrings? Gears are quite easy to adjust, but if you want to do it yourself, make sure you've got plenty of time to mess around with it and watch youtube videos for guides

On the other hand, if it goes cleanly into gear after a double click and the chain runs quietly, I'd just leave it as it is. It's probably, as MrJamie says, curable with a simple tweak of the indexing but if it ain't broke....

 

[MaxInc]

Left gear 1: Right gears 1 - 3
Left gear 2: Right gears 4 - 6
Left gear 3: Right gears 7 - 8
Does this sound about right? So I shouldn't really right Left gear 2/ Right gear 7 or 8, for instance? I rarely use Left Gear 1/ Right 1 - 3 to be honest...it's generally left gear 2 i'm in when cycling around.

Normally you would stay in Left Gear 2 most of the time and probably use a range of 1-6 even 7 on the right.

Left gear 1: Right gears 1 - 3 - Ridiculous hills
Left gear 2: Right gears 1 - 7 - Normal riding on wide range of terrains
Left gear 3: Right gears 5 - 8 - Fast flats / downhill

Secondly, I notice when going from Left gear 2 to 3, I need to click the button twice otherwise it seems to get stuck in no gear in the middle sort of thing...is this normal?

It's not normal and quite annoying when it happens. It is generally caused by either too much or not enough tension in the cable connecting the Right Gear Shifter to the rear derailleur. Like it's been said, best to watch one of the plenty YouTube videos on how to adjust the rear derailleur.


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z69_7e05cDg

 

[Velo711]

Ninety percent of the time, I just leave the chain on the middle front chain ring,
and use the right hand shifter for the usable eight or nine gears.

 

[harrow1977]

Thanks everyone....I'll check out the video about adjusting the derailleur.

Out of interest, since I'm new to biking, when you guys were in my situation, did you make adjustments like this yourself (to learn), or take it to the bike shop to be safer?

Secondly, people mention that there's a lot more overlap on the gears, so it's actually acceptable to ride with the Left gear on 2 and the right one up to 8?

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Thanks everyone....I'll check out the video about adjusting the derailleur.

Out of interest, since I'm new to biking, when you guys were in my situation, did you make adjustments like this yourself (to learn), or take it to the bike shop to be safer?

Secondly, people mention that there's a lot more overlap on the gears, so it's actually acceptable to ride with the Left gear on 2 and the right one up to 8?

It can be done, but probably better ratios going onto 3 and moving up to 6 on the right, also a better chain line.
I have had bikes on and off since I was a kid and learnt then, the only real thing thats changed on road bikes are the shifters, pretty much the same in components, materials have changed, and things like bottom brackets and clipless pedals.

 

[Andy_R]

Avoid big ring to big ring and little ring to little ring. Everything else inbetween:

As far as adjusting your gears, you may as well try it yourself first. Start with the barrel adjusters for your gear indexing (the click when you change). Turn a quarter turn clockwise - is it better or worse? If its better keep on turning a quarter turn clockwise and checking. If it's worse, turn a quarter turn back to where you started, then keep on turning quarter turns anti clockwise and checking. If you totally kn@b it up, take it to the bikeshop afterall. Chances are though that you'll sort it out yourself, will save a couple of quid, and will have learnt how to adjust your gears"

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Avoid big ring to big ring and little ring to little ring. Everything else inbetween:

As far as adjusting your gears, you may as well try it yourself first. Start with the barrel adjusters for your gear indexing (the click when you change). Turn a quarter turn clockwise - is it better or worse? If its better keep on turning a quarter turn clockwise and checking. If it's worse, turn a quarter turn back to where you started, then keep on turning quarter turns anti clockwise and checking. If you totally kn@b it up, take it to the bikeshop afterall. Chances are though that you'll sort it out yourself, will save a couple of quid, and will have learnt how to adjust your gears"

I personally would stay away from 1 and 8 on the middle as you have no where else to go apart from changing the front, which if you already going up hill i.e 2 and 1, and you dropped to 1 on the front depending on the ratios this can be a big jump, I would already be in 1 and say 4-5 on my bike 1 and 4 is pretty much the same as 2 and 1, I then have the other 4 to go up or 5 and possible 6 to go down, but usually I would be on the middle ring before that.

 

[Andy_R]

I personally would stay away from 1 and 8 on the middle as you have no where else to go apart from changing the front, which if you already going up hill i.e 2 and 1, and you dropped to 1 on the front depending on the ratios this can be a big jump, I would already be in 1 and say 4-5 on my bike 1 and 4 is pretty much the same as 2 and 1, I then have the other 4 to go up or 5 and possible 6 to go down, but usually I would be on the middle ring before that.

You could plan like that as an experienced rider, but if I was a newbie, I'd keep it simple until I got a feel for the gearing....just my choice, that's all. TBH, it's been so long since I've used the granny ring on my bike it's got a coating of rust on it.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

You could plan like that as an experienced rider, but if I was a newbie, I'd keep it simple until I got a feel for the gearing....just my choice, that's all. TBH, it's been so long since I've used the granny ring on my bike it's got a coating of rust on it.

A little likewise,
But I view it as a range of gears to be fully utilised.
I have pretty much the same range of ratios as a compact double, 34x28 giving 31.94" my 30x26 is 30.35" the other end 52x13 105" compact 50x12 (an example ) 109" so over all not a lot of difference, however I do have one extra gear between 37.57" and 30.5 of 34.3" over many compact set ups,also would you call using a gear length of 31.94" a granny gear, thats on a compact as I said it pretty much the same as my 30x26 of 30.56"
I usually ride on the 52 ring dropping down to the 40, again higher geared than most compacts
I also don't have the big drop from 50 to 34.
So I wouldn't really call it a granny gear, as it gives the impression it's only for old people, and a newbie might see it as a sign of weakness and try to avoid using it.

But as you say we are all different, but when I started seriously last year I tried to keep my cadence up by the use of lower gearing, my avg gear " this month is 66" 52x21, last Aug it was 57" 40x18

 

[MaxInc]

Out of interest, since I'm new to biking, when you guys were in my situation, did you make adjustments like this yourself (to learn), or take it to the bike shop to be safer?

Components on a bike stretch and wear with time and that includes cables. It is a good skill to learn since it's not that difficult and will need readjusting after a certain amount of time / miles. Also is worth noting that the shifter may behave slightly different under load when pedalling hard compared to when the gears are adjusted on a work stand. It is common practice to make the adjustment first, then take a short ride to check and then fine tune the settings.