Gear Changing

[desperion]

I have a Dawes Galaxy 2007 with bar end gear shifters. I can change the rear cog quite happily, because I can feel and hear the click of the lever as it changes. I have difficulty with the changing the triple on the crank, as the lever for that does not click and the only indication I get is when I hear the chain slip to the new position ( by which time I have usually lost momentum) which for me a newbie is most disconcerting. Any suggestions to ease the matter would be helpful.

The other question I have how do you effectively change gear. For example if I am approaching a hill with the chain on the centre cog front and the big cog rear, I can happily change down through the nine gears. When I get to the lowest gear set if need be I then have to change to an even lower gear presumably by dropping to the small cog front, first. This leaves me in the position where I am in an extremely low gear (since my rear cog is also the smallest) and I am left wasting energy by spinning pedals. Is this correct or am I doing something wrong ?

 

[byegad]

Hi desperion.
The front changer is friction only so what you describe is right. Try looking at the position of the changer when running on each of the front rings. You should be able to develop an instinct for where it goes for each gear. The reason for it being friction only is so it can be adjusted, if you hear the chain catching try creeping the lever so it runs silently.

The way you can improve on the situation you describe at the bottom of hills is to learn to change both front and back at the same time. A change at the front is usually equivalent to two changes at the back, it depends on the number of teeth on each ring and the rear cassette.

So climbing a hill, when you get to just past midway down the rear range on the middle front ring drop to rhe smallest front ring and change the rear back up one step, you will effectively have changed down one step and now you can run down the range in even steps until you hit bottom gear.

This sounds complicated but isn't once you've done it a few times it's easy enough. Try it on a quiet road just changing between the small and middle ring and changing the rear at the same time. With a bit of practise tou will also find you can change the front one step and the rear two and be in effectively the same gear, useful if you are already climbing and see the road ahead getting steeper.

Hope this helps, byegad

 

[Tynan]

friction? you should be able to feel the tension and the moment when it starts to go

I might be some sort of freak but I almost never move from the big one at the front, too much ag to change front and back at once

 

[Ivan Ardon]

Are you sure you've got your references to what's happening on the back cog the right way around? Small cog at the back = faster/harder to pedal - used for downhills and bombing along on the flat, big cog at the back = slower / easier to pedal - used for hillclimbing and headwinds.

Spinning is good for your knees, don't worry about it unless you're changing gear too early for hills rather than changing gear throughout the hill to suit the gradient, your speed and strength.

 

[fossyant]

You'll get the knack of changing gear, changing front chain rings and rear sprockets at almost the same time.

 

[desperion]

Thanks folks, as usual you have been extremely helpful. Its a lot to take in, but I think i've got the general drift and Im sure my gear changing will benefit from your sound advice.

 

[col]

Hi desperion,i practiced on a flat, slowly changing the front gears,so i could feel and see how they went before trying on a hill,you will soon get it.