Questions for bike gurus: Riding with manual shifters..

[notfred]

I've ridden a friend's Trek 8000 which has manual shifters, and I did fairly well. However, I am having trouble trying to figure out the derailleurs. After I was done riding his bike, the derailleurs were all misaligned and bent.

Tomorrow I have to ride a bike roughly 10 miles (mostly flat roads of course), but I'm afraid of totally killing the derailleurs, as there are some things I still don't understand. This is because I initally thought you had to keep your hand on the shifter at all times, even when riding at a constant speed. Well I've done a lot of reading, but everyone has different opinions to this.

Getting on the bike: I need to leave it in low gear and push on the shifter.

After I'm on the bike: Hand on brake, hand pushing on shifter, let go of shifter slowly while beginning to pedal.

Switching gears: Stop pedalling, push shift lever, pedal again.

Fast riding: Once I get into high gear, I can let go of the shifter and just keep pedaling.

Say I wanna keep it at a constant speed: Once I get into gear of choice, I can let go of the shifter and just pedal?

Slowing down: This is where everyone had different opinions. Do I downshift, or do I ride it on gear, push on the shifter fully and brake?

When stopped at a light/stop sign: I leave it in gear and press on only the brake. When I need to start it up again I push on the shifter, change to low gear, let go of the shifter while starting to pedal.

getting off the bike: I need to leave it in gear and put down the kickstand.

Any help from you bike gurus would be great!

Thanks.

 

[zixxer]

omgwtf


Did you ever ride a bike as a kid?



/me resists temptation to make a parody thread re:

Questions for cobra gurus: Fixing a broken car..

 

[Anubis]

its not a car

thats all im saying

 

[Zhou]

tell me your not serious.

Also why trek 8000 instead of the Gary Fisher Big Sur?

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Well, first, remember, tomorrow is opposite day so do exactly the opposite of what you're told tomorrow. This goes for every Wednesday that you ride a bike

If you have more questions, feel free to IM me

 

[minendo]

Whatever you do, make sure you don't redline it.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Also, when you're coming to a stop, pedal backwards, the aerodynamical advantage given to you by doing this is amazing. Trust me, I ride a Trek 4300

 

[ThisIsMatt]

Wow, wtf. Sounds like you're making this way too complicated. You should never be pushing on the shifter unless you're changing gears.

First, though, what type of shifters are you using? Gripshift? Push/pull quick shifters?

Sounds like you're trying to shift while putting too much force on the drivetrain. The derailers, especially the front, will have a hard time moving the chain if you're putting a lot of force on it. You need to shift while lightly pedaling, so most of the time you're going to need to shift down before you come to a stop, otherwise you're going to have a real hard time shifting when you try to start and you'll be putting excessive force on the whole works. When shifting, try to just lightly move the pedals around.

 

[Zhou]

It is a trek 8000, so therefore it is a rapid fire (style) shifter.

 

[Kelemvor]

Assuming you're not actually kidding...

NEVER SHIFT UNLESS YOU ARE PEDALLING and preferably at a decent speed. When about to stop, shift down BEFORE you stop, NOT while you are already stopped or just starting to move again.

And you shouldn't have to touch the shift lever except while actually shifting. If it doesn't stay in the right gear, something is wrong.

 

[ThisIsMatt]

Originally posted by: Zhou
It is a trek 8000, so therefore it is a rapid fire (style) shifter.

Ok, then do as I said, and no, do not push on the shifter while starting or anything of that nature. There's no clutch or anything of the sort involved. Downshifting when coming top just click through one or two gears at a time with the shifter until you're in a good starting low gear...

So...parody?

 

[Demon-Xanth]

ZING!

 

[ThisIsMatt]

Hmm, well this just goes to show how much of a retard Notfred is. Tomorrow he'll be asking an equally stupid, yet serious question.

 

[Mr N8]

ROFL! 10/10

 

[Zhou]

Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth
ZING!

OMFG