[Ianator]

hey,

I just got a new bike, its a LeMond and I think the gears are shimano ultegra. I cannot figure out how to switch the gears! I know it sounds stupid but this is my first road bike and they little deals behind the brakes either change it up or down but the are all the way one way or the other and I cannot figure out how to get them to go the other way.
what I mean is, the gears are switched all the way down or up and I cannot figure out how get them to go the other way. I thought there is probably a switch that makes them go the other way but I cannot find it.

any help would be great.
-Jason

 

[northwest]

the brake lever makes them go the other way.

 

[TurboTurtle]

the brake lever makes them go the other way.

Got it? Pushing the paddle sideways shifts to a smaller cog/ring. Pushing the whole lever sideways shifts to a larger cog/ring.

I hope you didn't get this bike at a bike shop.

TF

 

[Ianator]

ok I'll try that, Why not at a bike shop??
thanks
.Jason

 

[JCavilia]

'cause a bike shop

shoulda showed you how it works. If they didn't, they're not such a good shop. I think that was Turtle's point.

 

[khill]

Shifting

ok I'll try that, Why not at a bike shop??
thanks
.Jason

Most bike shops will explain all this to the purchaser of a new bike as part of the sales process. The shop usually gives the bike a final check before handing it over to the customer and (at least around here) that includes making sure the customer understands how to shift, how the brakes work, how to check the tires, etc.

To quote Sheldon Brown:

"S.T.I. uses the main brake lever, pushed inward, to select larger sprockets, and a smaller, auxiliary lever inside the brake lever to select smaller sprockets"

from http://sheldonbrown.com/gloss_st-z.html#sti

 

[crumjack]

shoulda showed you how it works. If they didn't, they're not such a good shop. I think that was Turtle's point.

I would think they would do this not just as a service but to protect themselves. Why take the risk of someone crashing and messing up a bike during a test ride because they don't know how the shifters. work.

BTW, not a dumb question at all. If you've never used it before, its not that obvious.

 

[CNY rider]

I went and bought a really expensive custom bike 2 years ago. I had been riding my old bike for 10 years, with DT shifters.

Pretty embarrasing when I went to pick it up, got on, and realized I had to ask how to shift.

 

[TurboTurtle]

I went and bought a really expensive custom bike 2 years ago. I had been riding my old bike for 10 years, with DT shifters.

Pretty embarrasing when I went to pick it up, got on, and realized I had to ask how to shift.

Embarrasing is trying on a pair of Sidi shoes and not being able to release the buckle to get out of them. - TF

 

[crumjack]

Embarrasing is trying on a pair of Sidi shoes and not being able to release the buckle to get out of them. - TF

Been there, got the t shirt...

 

[tornado]

The way I remembered when I switched from downtube shifters is that by pushing the big lever (brake) toward the stem moves to a bigger ring or cog. Pushing the little lever (behind the brake) toward the stem moves to a littler ring or cog. It won't take long before you can do it without thinking about it.

 

[Ianator]

I did it and I got it to work, went on a short ride tonight and it was awesome. I feel stupid for not noticing that. ;p

the bike shop is actually a really good one but the reason I did not know how is my grandpa bought it and so they told him all that. and I was not there. and he did not tell me.
Thanks for all you guys's help!
-Jason