How do I change gear?

Kity Ragbrutty

I have just bought a Specialized tricross sport but have not the first idea of how to change gear.
I can't find out what gear shifter it has - type - as the manual does not agree with what's on the bike.

It has 2 tiny levers, one on each bar that move to change gear, yet they don't.
(These levers are not sat behind the brake lever.) I changed down at the front but that's it. Can't change at all anymore back or front.

Totally frustrated with this. I need to find pictures but have searched google and can't find so can't help explain.
Please can someone tell me how to change gear. (can't get back to bike shop til Friday and I need to go to work)

The manual says Shimano Tiagra STI

ok - been googling and think they are Shimano Sora STI shifters

crankycrank

OK, I have not had my coffee yet so hopefully I can give a coherent description and I don't know the extent of your bike knowledge so I'll start with the basics. The left brake shifter controls the front mech and to shift to the larger chainring you just push the brake lever sideways to the right. To shift back to the small ring push down on the small lever mounted on the inside of the brake hood. Same thing for the right lever/rear mech except that pivoting the brake lever to the left will move the chain to the next larger rear cog and pushing down on the small lever moves to the next smaller cog. You are correct about the manual you have. The Tiagra and Sora are not the same in appearance or function. Shift awaaay!!!

LongIslandTom

Is this your bike? http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBC ... spid=52720

Just in case you are talking about those two levers bolted to the horizontal part of your Specialized Tricross's handlebars, those are not shifters. They are additional brake levers.

As far as how to use Tiagra STI levers to shift gears, a picture is worth a thousand words: http://worldofbikes.com/articles/how-to ... -pg109.htm

symo

Not a dumb question, had the same problem with my Kiron when it arrived. I guarantee without the benefit of seeing someone change gear this is a strange world you have to enter.

Enjoy the bike.

keef66

If they are Sora you'll have a little thumb lever on the inside of the brake hood

You shift up (ie onto a bigger cog) by pushing the brake lever sideways till it clicks (sideways towards the opposite lever)

You shift down (ie onto a smaller cog) by pushing the thumb lever.

Same principle applies to shifting front and back

Except that at the front the bigger the cog (=chain-ring) the harder it is to pedal / but you go faster
Conversely at the back the bigger the cog (=sprocket) the easier it is to pedal / but you go slower.

You can only change gear while pedalling forwards

keef66

And if they are Tiagra you'll have a secondary lever just behind the main brake lever that does the same job as the Sora thumb lever

Kity Ragbrutty

keel66 - tried to reply to you before.
No they are not tiagra and no there is no lever behind the brake lever. I did try and say this in my original post.

It is as you said in your first post, the brake lever sideways. This was the bit that bypassed me but I did find out then went for a test ride. It works well except for having to hold on above the bars when you want to change gear rather than using the drop handle bars and keeping your hands there, still I'll get used to it.

crankycrank - exactly as you say. TY. I hope you have had your coffee by now - sorry to have kept you away from it.

ForumNewbie

Hi Kity, the easiest way to change gears on a drop bar bike is with your hands on the hoods, so your hands are over the brakes and gear shifters (I don't mean the extra set of flat-bar type brakes at the top of the bars on a Tricross). On the hoods is the most comfortable riding position and most cyclists will rest their hands there anyway most of the time on a ride, rather than down on the drops.

I have looked at the Specialist Tricross Sport on the internet and it does seem to have the same type of shifters as on most road bikes, with small levers under the main brake levers. So while you move the right brake lever inwards to move down to lower gears at the back, you move the small lever underneath it, inwards as well, to shift up to highers gears at the back. The left shifters control moving up and down the front chain ring in a similar way, but with the brake lever shifting to higher gears (bigger chain rings) and the lever underneath shifting down to the lower gears (smaller chain rings). I would stick on the middle front chain ring initially until you get used to shifting up and down the back gears.

Although it sounds complicated, it will become second nature in no time. I hope that helps.

Kity Ragbrutty

Sorry ForumNewbie - I have already solved the problem as you can see.
The type of shifters you mention are not the type on the bike which is why I had a problem.
I don't like riding with my hands on top of the bars as it agrievates my arthritis in my wrists. it's totally the wrong position for me. Please read the reply from crankycrank. TY.