Help with gearchange on a new SCR2

merlin321

Hi,
Last weekend I took delivery of a Cyclescheme purchased Giant SCR2. Chuffed as Larry with it after the last 3 years of riding second hand Gryphon Carrera flattie, although it was ideal at the time (lost 4 stone and in the last six months got up to 120 miles a week commuting).
The only problem I have is when trying to change gear on the chainring-left side lever-it goes to the main gear OK but the LBS said I could micro adjust it with a little nudge but it either changes up or down a complete gear/ clatters like it's got a twig in it or doesn't seem to make any difference at all. The indicator above the lever does not seem to make any sense either.
Took it back to the LBS twice who said they had tweaked it a bit and to carry on practising.
Is there a scientific way of doing this or is it as the shop says?
Any advice gratefully received.
PS this is a first post so please excuse any muppetry.

k-dog

Is it a triple?

If so, I don't think there is a nudge position - I thought there were just 3 stops on the indexing.

The doubles have a third stop which allows you to use a larger spread of gears on the rear but I don't think the triples do.

ded

I've got a SCR2 triple and it definitely has a "nudge" for the middle ring. Mine seems to drop into the inner of the two positions when going from any other chainring to the middle one, but can be adjusted with a small movement on the changer so that you can use the higher gears (smaller sprockets) whilst still in the middle ring.

There doesn't seem to be a nudge for the inner or outer chainring but I've never found a need for those. However, the middle one is very useful since it gives a bigger range of accessible gears in the one ring, great for rolling terrain...

Someone will pop up now and rant about clean chain lines and chain wear :?

merlin321

Yes it is a triple, and when I'm riding on the middle on the middle ring I can nudge either way, but I hadn't noticed that you could use the other gears. The only thing it does when I change up or down a ring is make it sound like the chain is running in the right place, which sounds lovely.
When I use either the large or small ring I have got the full range of gears but the chain keeps clattering all the time and there seems to be no nudge option - it just goes up or down a ring.
I'm over the moon with the bike, but the noise of the chain on the inner or outer ring is driving me mad.
Thanks for help so far.

ded

merlin321, sorry, but I'm not quite sure from your description what the problem is... It's not just that your combination of front/rear gears is a bit too radical/diagonal? Apologies if you already know all this, but have you looked at:

http://bicycletutor.com/gear-shifting/

On my SCR I only get a nasty noise if I do something daft like but the chain on the biggest chainring at the front and the biggest sprocket at the back (which gives a diagonal chain line and wears the chain out!). If you're not doing that and it still makes a noise I'd harass the bike shop again!

merlin321

ded, thanks for pointing out the site, great help. I had not realised having never had this many gears to use, that you were limited by which chain gear you were using. When you watch the video it seems so obvious, but it never occurred to me.
Change of technique coming up for tomorrows 10 mile each way commute to and from work I feel.
Thanks again for your help.