Do you count the gear when you ride.?

[SKoob]

When on my flat bar hybrid I tend to use the same gears on my route and use the indicator to count them, but on my drop bar bike with friction downtube shifters I tend to find I just go with what ever seems comfortable at the time.

 

[asterix]

Indicators are pointless, even on a familiar route the gear you use will be determined by a number of variables, other than the gradient. The wind may make a big difference, for example. Then how do you decide which 'number' you should be in on a unfamiliar route? Your legs will tell you, not a number on your shifter. I ride with a person who changes down in anticipation of the hill to come - not because her leg muscles tell her too, and guess what, she drops behind the group every time. I've used down tube shift levers, (no 'numbers'), Campag shifters (no 'numbers') and Tiagra shifters (with indicator). I have never felt the need and never even think to look at the indicator - it is totally irrelevant. Sram road bike shifters don't have indicators either. How do we manage? In fact, it is only the lower end shifters in the Shimano range that have indicators. Trust your legs.

You are right about trusting your legs, but others have said also quite rightly that they are concerned about chain angle. An indicator would be helpful in warning of extreme combos.

 

[youngoldbloke]

You are right about trusting your legs, but others have said also quite rightly that they are concerned about chain angle. An indicator would be helpful in warning of extreme combos.

I can see that an indication of whether you are on the inner or outer chainring might on occasion be helpful, however a quick glance down at the crankset will serve the same purpose, and on most bikes I have ridden the sound of the chain rubbing on the FD cage is plenty of warning. By the time most riders are thinking of purchasing bikes with top-end equipment like Ultegra, Dura Ace etc, one would expect them to have sufficient experience to know how the system works, and how to use the gears to best effect.​

 

[mcshroom]

I like to glance at the shifters every now and then to check (2300 shifters have indicators), but most of the time I try to ride by feel.

 

[asterix]

I can see that an indication of whether you are on the inner or outer chainring might on occasion be helpful, however a quick glance down at the crankset will serve the same purpose, and on most bikes I have ridden the sound of the chain rubbing on the FD cage is plenty of warning. By the time most riders are thinking of purchasing bikes with top-end equipment like Ultegra, Dura Ace etc, one would expect them to have sufficient experience to know how the system works, and how to use the gears to best effect.​

Yeah but it's no big deal though if someone would like an indicator, is it?

 

[youngoldbloke]

Yeah but it's no big deal though if someone would like an indicator, is it?

certainly not, each to his own .

 

[Smurfy]

On the Alfine 8 there is a distinct advantage to using 5th gear as much as possible, as it's the only gear which is direct drive (i.e. the same efficiency as a single-speed setup). On the Alfine 11 none of the gears are direct drive, so although some of the gears are slightly more efficient than others, there is little benefit in knowing exactly which gear you are in.