Jer81B

Hi guys,

Well after wanting a new bike I finally got my aggressor today and am very excited to ride it for the first time. Figures today we finally get rain after a month but its okay we need it and I will head out tomorrow. But I have some questions that I hope I can get some help on. The bike shop I got it at were great about answering my questions but of course I forgot to ask certain ones when I was there. So I have some and please forget my newbie terms as I am still learning more and more about mountain biking.

The first is about shifting. When I look at the shifters I see two "paddles" on each shifter. Now I think he told me that I have to click the bottom one first and then click the top one ( thats where I can see the number for the gear ) to actual change the gear? Is this true? does the bottom "paddle" kind of act like letting the clutch out on a car? but in bike terms remove tension from the chain? I have read about cross chaining and see some videos on you tube about avoiding it? would this cause damage to the chain if done too many times?

Also should I be shifting to a lower gear when coming to a stop? I know that if you have to stop suddenly you stop but, if you know a stop is coming up to downshift to a lower gear.

I also feel the rear tire kind of feels like its has a small amount of friction on it, barely noticeable but would this be caused by having brand new brake pads? like I was saying its barely noticeable.

Any help would be great, looks like a cool place around here

Jeremy

NoBrakeNate

For your shifting, the big lever will push the chain to a bigger gear, and the small lever goes to a smaller gear. Now how this works on the rear and right shifter is the big lever will go to lower gears and the small will be higher. The front and left shifter is opposite, so the big lever goes to harder gears and the smaller is easy gears. Go out and play with it and you will get it in no time.

Cross chaining, just think if your in an easy gear on the front you want to be in something easy in the rear and so forth. Its not a big deal so don't stress about it, worse thing that could happen is you will hear the chain rub on the front derailleur and you will need to shift. If you cross chain a lot you will wear out the drive train a bit faster.

When coming to a stop just be in a gear that you can accelerate from, just about middle works fine unless there are hills or something.

For the drag on the rear, see if the brake pads are touching the rim, other than that your hub could be a bit tight.

Hopefully that helps but you can always swing by the shop you got it and they should be happy to help you with any of this.

Jer81B

Thanks for the quick reply Nate. Im still a little fuzzy on the shifting,lol so bare with me

So both those "paddles" on the shifter actual shift gears. Again Im new so Im going to question alot of things

NoBrakeNate

No problem. But yes both levers shift, one is up and one is down. The only hard part is the front shifter is opposite the rear. Go out and play with it and you will pick it right up.

Jer81B

Oh now it seems to be clicking, no pun intended. well kinda.

I wonder why there was two. I just assumed that it was automatic once it got to the highest gear that it would automatically go back down,lol,lol. I have so much to learn.

Jer81B

Another question for you is what would be the best way to clean my bike after I take it out? what should I use to wipe it down? a damp cloth maybe?

DX-MAN

Glad you're getting the shifting thing; it'll become almost subconscious after a while.

You can use pretty much whatever you like to wipe the bike down; old t-shirts, dishrags, etc., all will work. Damp, okay. Dripping wet, okay. Dry, okay. How clean do you want it?

NoBrakeNate

Spray some mild cleaner on a rag and wipe it down. Pay good detail to suspension and other moving parts.
Make sure you lube the chain with bicycle chain lube every 30 miles or so.

No car washes or other high pressure washes, it can blow the grease out of the bearings.

Jer81B

Cheers Fellas, I picked up some chain lube from the bike shop today also.

Jer81B

Well guys today was the first time out with the bike.

I woke up around 5:00am so I could go out at 5:30am when there was nobody else up. Its pretty quite around my area anyway but on Saturday its even more quiet. I set out down the street and was just loving it. It was nice to have the cool wind ( its been around 105 here lately ) the bike felt great and very responsive.

I was going through the gears to get comfortable with them and I was quite surprised at how easy I was able to go up and down through the gears. Once I found a comfy gear setting I left it at that as my area is flat as a billiard table and didnt really need to change gears at all, even when I stopped I founf id easy to get going without having to switch gears.

Another newbie question- There doesn't have to be a "set" gear when stopping does there?

The only thing I noticed that was a pain is I want to get a kickstand for the bike as Im not a fan of leaning it against the house or car or laying it down when I take the bike out and have to go back into the house to get something I may have forgot. Would a kickstand look like crap on a mountain bike? and if not would you guys have a recommendation on one.

All in all a great time and hope to get out tomorrow again. Also Nate you were saying I shouldn't have to lube the chain until every 30 miles or so? I assume that If the chain gets dirt and dust on it that it should be done before that? also the bike shop told me to put a drop on each link and then run the chain through a rag to remove the excess and just leaving a very thin film, is this true?

Thanks again guys

Jeremy

Zephyr11

No set gear for stopping. Just stop in whatever gear you're in.

Dont put on a kickstand. If it accidentally pops down while you're riding, it'll get caught on something and you'll fall. Just lay it on the ground, drive side up.

JonathanGennick 

If your lube is actual oil, then yes. That is how I do it. However, wipe the chain down first too. The less dirt mixed in w/the lube, the better. I wipe my chain as clean as I can. Then I put on lube a drop at a time. (I use an oil lube). Then I let the oil work in. Then I wipe off as much excess as possible.

Jer81B

Thanks guys,

Yeah Jonathan its the chain lube I got from the bike shop. And Zephyr what would be the drive set up? I assume the side with the gears and chain