Need Help With My Bike?

mtb_novice
mtb_novice Posts: 24
edited May 2009 in MTB beginners
I have just brought a Giant Boulder Disc. As this is the first Mtb I have brought and I am new to it all, I am stuck with the gears?

Last time I rode a bike the gears were on top of the handle bars and went one way, or the other???

My bike has Sram x4 ? I am looking to actually find out how to use them properly, for road riding and some forest riding too.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks
Sam
If you see it, ride it, if you don't, you have already fallen off!

Marin Bobcat '10
Marzocchi Bomber Forks

Comments

  • missmarple
    missmarple Posts: 1,980
    The SRAM range uses what is known as "trigger shifters" whereby pushing a lever under the handlebars with your thumb changes the gear, there will be 2 levers - dependent on whether you want to change the front or rear derailleur you either push the large lever to go up a gear and press the smaller "trigger" lever to snap it down to a lower gear.

    It should be self explanatory really, the trigger's themselves should show you what gear they are on - highlighting a number in red.
  • deary1000
    deary1000 Posts: 14
    Sorry to drag this topic up but I've just got a rock hopper expert 09. And I'm slightly confused, should the larger thumb trigger always be used to go up gears and the smaller index finger be used to go down gears?

    so basically when sat the bike the left hand triggers control the 3 the large gears at the front with the large thumb trigger being used to go up the gears and the small index trigger to go down again.

    And...

    on the right hand side triggers used to control the 9 smaller gears at the back. the large thumb trigger is used to go down gears and the smaller index is to go up?

    I hope this all makes sense. I probably sound really stupid but i think I'm starting to confuse myself!
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    Press the buttons and see what happens :D
    Faster than a tent.......
  • IronGiant
    IronGiant Posts: 9
    the top one is for air con and the bottom is for changing the radio?
  • hairy_boy
    hairy_boy Posts: 345
    mtb_novice

    To start with put the rear gears into a middle'ish gear (5 out of 9 for example) and then just use the front gears (1-3) when riding. This should work for most gradients to get you going.

    Once happy with changing the front gears you can then start changing the rear gears a little for subtle differences in pedalling speeds.

    There are no markers on my Shimano Deore triggers and it took me a little time before I changed without consciously thinking about how I was doing it. Now I do it without thinking (bit like driving a car).
  • captainfly
    captainfly Posts: 1,001
    The bottom trigger on each trigger changes to a bigger cog.by adding tenstion to the gear cable and the top lever changes the gear to a smaller cog by releasing tension, well it does on my X5s :wink:
    -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
    Mongoose Teocali
    Giant STP0

    Why are MTB economics; spend twice as much as you intended, but only half as much as you wish you could afford? :roll:
  • deary1000
    deary1000 Posts: 14
    captainfly wrote:
    The bottom trigger on each trigger changes to a bigger cog.by adding tenstion to the gear cable and the top lever changes the gear to a smaller cog by releasing tension, well it does on my X5s :wink:

    awesome. thats basically what i was trying to say mine does. Just wanted to check, this is my first new bike in like over 10 years so I think I'm just being paranoid!

    thanks :D
  • gavin66
    gavin66 Posts: 117
    deary1000 wrote:
    Sorry to drag this topic up but I've just got a rock hopper expert 09. And I'm slightly confused, should the larger thumb trigger always be used to go up gears and the smaller index finger be used to go down gears?

    so basically when sat the bike the left hand triggers control the 3 the large gears at the front with the large thumb trigger being used to go up the gears and the small index trigger to go down again.

    And...

    on the right hand side triggers used to control the 9 smaller gears at the back. the large thumb trigger is used to go down gears and the smaller index is to go up?

    I hope this all makes sense. I probably sound really stupid but i think I'm starting to confuse myself!
    Don't take this wrong way but this seems a classic case of 'cart before the horse'..you have a bike with expert as part of its name but you dont know how the gears work???
  • deary1000
    deary1000 Posts: 14
    Well as you'll see from my above post this is my first new bike in over 10 years. Technologies change, things move on, people (me) get out of touch. I just wanted a bit of confirmation which I did then receive in reply to my original question.

    Might I also add I know how gears work it was the particular shifters I was querying.
  • captainfly
    captainfly Posts: 1,001
    I find it pretty academic, even though I know how the shifters work telling my thumbs whilst riding is a much harder concept :lol:
    -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
    Mongoose Teocali
    Giant STP0

    Why are MTB economics; spend twice as much as you intended, but only half as much as you wish you could afford? :roll:

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