Why would anyone not want to have Gear Indicators on their Gear Shifters?
#51
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Kips Bay, NY
Posts: 2,212
Bikes: Ritchey Swiss Cross | Teesdale Kona Hot | Haro Extreme | Specialized Stumpjumper Comp | Cannondale F1000 | Shogun 1000 | Cannondale M500 | Norco Charger | Marin Muirwoods 29er | Shogun Kaze | Breezer Lightning
Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 576 Post(s)
Liked 1,001 Times
in
488 Posts
You are clearly a noob at poasting. I am an expert poaster and can tell I am on page 3 just by feel. ;-)
Another reason why I dislike OGDs is ilustrated here:
Im using 3x7 shifters on a 2x5. Since the OGD is not removable, I had to tape over the gears that dont exist so that my wife doesnt get confused. If they were removable, Id get rid of them and tell her to go by feel. Now she keeps asking me what number she should be in :-(
Another reason why I dislike OGDs is ilustrated here:
Im using 3x7 shifters on a 2x5. Since the OGD is not removable, I had to tape over the gears that dont exist so that my wife doesnt get confused. If they were removable, Id get rid of them and tell her to go by feel. Now she keeps asking me what number she should be in :-(
Last edited by DorkDisk; 04-14-20 at 06:51 PM.
#52
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Martinsburg WV Area
Posts: 1,704
Bikes: State 4130 Custom, Giant Trance 29
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 422 Post(s)
Liked 182 Times
in
123 Posts
You are clearly a noob at poasting. I am an expert poaster and can tell I am on page 3 just by feel. ;-)
Another reason why I dislike OGDs is ilustrated here:
Im using 3x7 shifters on a 2x5. Since the OGD is not removable, I had to tape over the gears that dont exist so that my wife doesnt get confused. If they were removable, Id get rid of them and tell her to go by feel. Now she keeps asking me what number she should be in :-(
Another reason why I dislike OGDs is ilustrated here:
Im using 3x7 shifters on a 2x5. Since the OGD is not removable, I had to tape over the gears that dont exist so that my wife doesnt get confused. If they were removable, Id get rid of them and tell her to go by feel. Now she keeps asking me what number she should be in :-(
#53
Banned.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Vegemite Island
Posts: 4,130
Bikes: 2017 Surly Troll with XT Drive Train, 2017 Merida Big Nine XT Edition, 2016 Giant Toughroad SLR 2, 1995 Trek 830
Mentioned: 29 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1916 Post(s)
Liked 310 Times
in
218 Posts
You are clearly a noob at poasting. I am an expert poaster and can tell I am on page 3 just by feel. ;-)
Another reason why I dislike OGDs is ilustrated here:
Im using 3x7 shifters on a 2x5. Since the OGD is not removable, I had to tape over the gears that dont exist so that my wife doesnt get confused. If they were removable, Id get rid of them and tell her to go by feel. Now she keeps asking me what number she should be in :-(
Another reason why I dislike OGDs is ilustrated here:
Im using 3x7 shifters on a 2x5. Since the OGD is not removable, I had to tape over the gears that dont exist so that my wife doesnt get confused. If they were removable, Id get rid of them and tell her to go by feel. Now she keeps asking me what number she should be in :-(
#54
Banned.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Vegemite Island
Posts: 4,130
Bikes: 2017 Surly Troll with XT Drive Train, 2017 Merida Big Nine XT Edition, 2016 Giant Toughroad SLR 2, 1995 Trek 830
Mentioned: 29 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1916 Post(s)
Liked 310 Times
in
218 Posts
I hope you boys will contribute when I get around to starting a thread on "The Madness of Single Speed & Fixed Gear Bikes".
#55
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 13,445
Mentioned: 33 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4233 Post(s)
Liked 2,948 Times
in
1,807 Posts
I know which chainring I'm using in the front (there are only 3), unless I try to shift poorly on a hill and it doesn't shift. As far as the back, if I'm worried I might be in crosschaining danger, I'll look down and check, but for the most part, I shift by feel and only worry about it when I run out of gears and there's still more hill to go.
__________________
Bikes: 1996 Eddy Merckx Titanium EX, 1989/90 Colnago Super(issimo?) Piu(?),1990 Concorde Aquila(hit by car while riding), others in build queue "when I get the time"
Bikes: 1996 Eddy Merckx Titanium EX, 1989/90 Colnago Super(issimo?) Piu(?),
#56
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Stockholm, Sweden
Posts: 167
Bikes: Scott Spark 30, Scott Sportster 10,Chesini X-Uno, Miyata Century, Cannondale SuperSix
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 16 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
To my sheer and utter amazement, some people don't change their thread display options, and this is something that I am struggling mightily with to understand.
--
Ragnar
#57
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Martinsburg WV Area
Posts: 1,704
Bikes: State 4130 Custom, Giant Trance 29
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 422 Post(s)
Liked 182 Times
in
123 Posts
Hey all, we're back to 2 pages!
#58
Senior Member
I find it hilarious at the reply's saying they pretty much know when to upshift or downshift, so they don't need indicators. It's not about knowing when or when not to shift, it's about having info at a glance.
I have a buddy that only rides about 1/50 of what I ride in frequency. He has a low-cost Schwinn hybrid with gear indicators. When I had a similar bike and he would go riding with me, he would always ask what gear I was in, just to gauge how we compared in cadence styles I supposed. Since getting my Roam 2, which have Acera shifters only showing actual numbers of 1 and 9 and nothing between, I do find it a bit aggravating that I have to really take a couple of seconds now to narrow it down to give a specific gear number when he asks. Used to, it was right there at a quick glance. Now, I have to calculate how many little red bars I am from 1 or 9. LOL
Also, when going down (or up) a long hill, I miss being able to take a quick glance to see exactly how many gears I have left before running dry. I understand the more you ride you essentially "become one" with your bike after much experience. But I really like what two other posters said in particular, when they said: (1)"It's not possible to always know which gear I am in just by feel. Wind, road conditions, and physical fatigue varies way more than my ratio's do." and (2) "anything that gives me more information, and makes it easier for me, gets my vote."
I wonder how often many of those that claim to be so "in tuned" with their bike, goes to grab another gear only to find there isn't one.
I have a buddy that only rides about 1/50 of what I ride in frequency. He has a low-cost Schwinn hybrid with gear indicators. When I had a similar bike and he would go riding with me, he would always ask what gear I was in, just to gauge how we compared in cadence styles I supposed. Since getting my Roam 2, which have Acera shifters only showing actual numbers of 1 and 9 and nothing between, I do find it a bit aggravating that I have to really take a couple of seconds now to narrow it down to give a specific gear number when he asks. Used to, it was right there at a quick glance. Now, I have to calculate how many little red bars I am from 1 or 9. LOL
Also, when going down (or up) a long hill, I miss being able to take a quick glance to see exactly how many gears I have left before running dry. I understand the more you ride you essentially "become one" with your bike after much experience. But I really like what two other posters said in particular, when they said: (1)"It's not possible to always know which gear I am in just by feel. Wind, road conditions, and physical fatigue varies way more than my ratio's do." and (2) "anything that gives me more information, and makes it easier for me, gets my vote."
I wonder how often many of those that claim to be so "in tuned" with their bike, goes to grab another gear only to find there isn't one.
#59
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Indiana
Posts: 478
Bikes: 2015 Trek 7.3
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
#60
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Bozeman
Posts: 4,094
Bikes: 199? Landshark Roadshark, 198? Mondonico Diamond, 1987 Panasonic DX-5000, 1987 Bianchi Limited, Univega... Chrome..., 1989 Schwinn Woodlands, Motobecane USA Record, Raleigh Tokul 2
Mentioned: 25 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1131 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I "think" my mountain bike has them? I'm not sure. I never look at them. If you're looking at an indicator on your mountain bike you're not riding fast enough. HOWEVER, on my commuter I like them. Why? When I'm coming to a stop I always like to downshift to the same gear regardless of which gear I'm currently in. The little indicator lets me know that and I can keep my eyes on the road while coming to a stop. My road bike does not have indicators and I'm fine with that.
#61
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Bozeman
Posts: 4,094
Bikes: 199? Landshark Roadshark, 198? Mondonico Diamond, 1987 Panasonic DX-5000, 1987 Bianchi Limited, Univega... Chrome..., 1989 Schwinn Woodlands, Motobecane USA Record, Raleigh Tokul 2
Mentioned: 25 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1131 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
With that said, I rode an old schwinn up a mountain once. Yeah, that thing was geared HIGH, I struggled getting up the hills.
#62
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Munising, Michigan, USA
Posts: 4,131
Bikes: Priority 600, Priority Continuum, Devinci Dexter
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 685 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 55 Times
in
37 Posts
I wonder how often many of those that claim to be so "in tuned" with their bike, goes to grab another gear only to find there isn't one.
I've grown accustomed to not knowing ahead of time when I'm going to run out of gears. It's a tradeoff, right? One that I'm willing to make, but it's fine that others prefer them. Shimano's approach of removable indicators is a nice way to give everyone the option.
#63
Senior Member
Some people like to compare. I just answer truthfully that I don't know what gear I'm in. Usually I know the front ring -- I've got only one of them on my primary bike -- but in the back I have only a general idea as to whether I'm high low or middle on the cassette.
Happens to me often on steep hills. It's how I know when I'm in the lowest gear -- when I can't go any lower. Doesn't bother me. What would I do differently if I knew? The hill is the same either way.
I've grown accustomed to not knowing ahead of time when I'm going to run out of gears. It's a tradeoff, right? One that I'm willing to make, but it's fine that others prefer them. Shimano's approach of removable indicators is a nice way to give everyone the option.
Happens to me often on steep hills. It's how I know when I'm in the lowest gear -- when I can't go any lower. Doesn't bother me. What would I do differently if I knew? The hill is the same either way.
I've grown accustomed to not knowing ahead of time when I'm going to run out of gears. It's a tradeoff, right? One that I'm willing to make, but it's fine that others prefer them. Shimano's approach of removable indicators is a nice way to give everyone the option.
The reason why I don't just keep shifting until I'm in the lowest and climb it that way? Because I like knowing I don't have to.
#64
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Munising, Michigan, USA
Posts: 4,131
Bikes: Priority 600, Priority Continuum, Devinci Dexter
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 685 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 55 Times
in
37 Posts
I downshift by feel as the hill goes upward and becomes steeper and the pedals become harder to press. When I hit the steepest part of the hill I'm in the easiest gear.
The reason why I don't just keep shifting until I'm in the lowest and climb it that way? Because I like knowing I don't have to.
OK. I'm straying off topic. Back to indicators....
#65
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Middelbury, Vermont
Posts: 1,105
Bikes: Giant Escape 1
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 136 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times
in
2 Posts
Since getting my Roam 2, which have Acera shifters only showing actual numbers of 1 and 9 and nothing between, I do find it a bit aggravating that I have to really take a couple of seconds now to narrow it down to give a specific gear number when he asks. Used to, it was right there at a quick glance. Now, I have to calculate how many little red bars I am from 1 or 9. LOL
#66
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Eugene, Oregon, USA
Posts: 27,547
Mentioned: 217 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18373 Post(s)
Liked 4,508 Times
in
3,351 Posts
I usually know when I'm at the extremes. High/Low on front, or top 2 or low 2 on the rear. Anything else hits at somewhere mid-cassette which is just fine. Then it is simply bumping it to the appropriate gear for the moment.
I do occasionally notice my speed has fallen, and then look down and notice that I had dropped to the low sprocket on front sometime, probably over the last small rise somewhere.
I do occasionally notice my speed has fallen, and then look down and notice that I had dropped to the low sprocket on front sometime, probably over the last small rise somewhere.
#67
Senior Member
I like having them it's information, as quicktrigger said just like the information from your bike computer. Helps me set up and get ready for certain hills also.
#68
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 111
Bikes: Liv Avail Advanced Pro
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 17 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
I pay attention to which gear I'm in and rely on indicators. I have a a system and "feeling" my way isn't good enough. I have Altus shifters on my 9-speed. It originally comes with a "9" and a "1" with a lot of space in between. I made marks for "3", "5" and "7". Like it much better. A vote for shifters with gear indicators.
As far as indicators - I have a Sirrus Sport Disc. It has the indicators like someone else described with just top and bottom numbers. I really can't tell what gear I am in, but it does provide a hint as I am approaching the top or bottom cog so I know if I ought to consider changing rings. Otherwise, I really do shift by feel and not by gear number. However, I do love the Orange indicator on my black matt bike. lol
#69
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Middelbury, Vermont
Posts: 1,105
Bikes: Giant Escape 1
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 136 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times
in
2 Posts
I hope this helps. The bottom line to me is to designate which rear gears to assign to the front gears and know that which are the "cross-over" gears. This systems keeps me in the best gear possible. I hope this helps.
#71
Junior Member
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 24
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Ok.....after reading a lot of opinions.....here is mine.....like it or not...
Gear Indicators are like "Training wheels". You need them until you learn how to ride. PERIOD!!!
Gear Indicators are like "Training wheels". You need them until you learn how to ride. PERIOD!!!
#73
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Martinsburg WV Area
Posts: 1,704
Bikes: State 4130 Custom, Giant Trance 29
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 422 Post(s)
Liked 182 Times
in
123 Posts
Nascar is racing.........like road racing bikes, neither have gear shift indicators. They go by feel of course, you have to get know your machinery personally.
Normal cars, SUV's Trucks and vehicles in general for the population much like our hybrids as compared to cars, do have shift indicators on both the knobs and on the dash telling us what gears we are in.
The general population of us, likes to see and feel things. Where as the professional cyclists and drivers do very well by feel.
#74
Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Omaha, NE
Posts: 22
Bikes: Cannondale Quick Speed 1 | Trek 1500 SLR
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Stick drivers get big hints from the tachometer, the sound of the engine, and the feedback they get from a flick of the throttle, not to mention their hand position on the shift knob. It's waaaaay easier to tell what gear a car is in.
#75
Senior Member