Lack of optical gear indicator display - Rockrider 8.1

Good Old Bakes

One thing that I didn't notice when I bought my RR but it's something that I'm particularly struggling with, is the omission of those little red line indicator displays that tell you what gear you're in. Now I know that the more seasoned MTB'er will tell me to man up and that I'll soon get used to it but I'm a bit wary of shifting into those opposing front cog/rear cog combinations that you're always told to avoid for fear of damaging the chain.

The shifters are Shimano Deore M590 and from what I can gather from Googling, they should come with indicator displays. How do other RR 8.1 riders on here manage? Is it something that I'll learn to live with? Is it worth me speaking to Decathlon to see if they will fit some? Cheers in advance.

YeehaaMcgee

A lot of people remove the indicators anyway, so they can get a better fit between the gear and brake levers on the handlebar.
Try thinking of it like this... you'll only really be in the granny ring (smallest front chainring) on the very steepest of climbs, so as soon as the climb is over, get back into the middle ring.
And, you'll only really be in the big chainring on the fastest of descents, so as soon as you're on the flat again, get back into the middle chainring.
Basically, the middle is the one you spend most of your time, and you only shift into the outer or inner chainring for extremes.
That way, you'll never find yourself using small/small or big/big.

chez_m356

Good Old Bakes wrote:

The shifters are Shimano Deore M590 and from what I can gather from Googling, they should come with indicator displays.

no, the shifters are sram x7, the crank is deore, and as far as i know, shimano shifters are not compatible with sram gearing

miss notax

I removed my indicators to get a better brake / gear lever fit and I can honestly say that I haven't missed them at all - if anything it's better now as i'm not tempted to look, so my eyes stay on the trail where they should be!

I was also a bit concerned about getting the gearing wrong, but you really can tell if you're putting too much strain on it and then quickly change (I only did this a couple of times at the beginning). I haven't had any problems at all.

blister pus

The reality is gear indicators are the least useful thing on a mountain bike and looking at your gear indicator whilst riding is the equivalent of reading a book. Quicker you start operating on feel and like Yeehaw said the quicker you get used to it and have your eyes forward reading what's coming at you.

Your drivetrain can handle a little chain crossing, it's not particularly good and is a bad habit if you persistently do it, but you soon get out of it.........(he said, he who still does it).

Front SRAM shifter will work with Shimano front mech and vice versa, but forget rear for the most part.

YeehaaMcgee

blister pus wrote:

The reality is gear indicators are the least useful thing on a mountain bike

Oooh, I dunno. I definitely know of a few cases where the rider is the most useless part

Good Old Bakes

Good stuff. Thanks for the tips. So, man up and carry on regardless it is then.

benpinnick

Yep, and remember, listen to your bike. In the big/big and small/small combos (should you end up there) your chain will grind on the front mech. This should be your indication to change gear!

Majski

Yeah basically if it's noisy then the chain is rubbing and change. I only run 2 rings up front on the trail bike and as mentioned it's granny ring for climbs and other ring for everything else. I've never used the big ring on a mtb so I prefer running 2 with a bash.

apreading

By the same token you could argue that you dont need a signal strength or battery indicator on your mobile phone - it will tell you when you try to make a call if there is no signal and if it is dead then the battery is flat.

I dont see why you wouldnt have them. I dont argue you can live without them, but life is just better with them.

There is nothing worse than going for a lower gear when struggling up a hill and finding there are no more left!

YeehaaMcgee

apreading wrote:

By the same token you could argue that you dont need a signal strength or battery indicator on your mobile phone - it will tell you when you try to make a call if there is no signal and if it is dead then the battery is flat.

Erm, not quite. That would be saying there's no point for having an indicator for your phone's signal and battery on your wrist, or on a heads-up display on your contact lenses, or glasses or something, because you can always just look at you phone and find out.
Much the same as how, if you really need to be told, you can look at the chain and see where you are.

There's no actual use for knowing which gear you're in, as long as you're pedalling ok. Do you always look at the gearstick in a car when deciding which gear you need? Or do you just "know"?

mintedox

My newest bike came without the little windows on the shifters, you will get used to it before you even realise. Personally i'd compare it to not having numbers on a car gearstick.

mintedox

I should have read the last post. Doh

Chunkers1980

I'm so rich, mine didn't come with any. ;-(

chez_m356

Chunkers1980 wrote:

I'm so rich, mine didn't come with any. ;-(

oh, have you got a RR 8.1 too ?

blister pus

YeehaaMcgee wrote:

There's no actual use for knowing which gear you're in, as long as you're pedalling ok. Do you always look at the gearstick in a car when deciding which gear you need? Or do you just "know"?

Bingo. You'd be amazed at the amount of folk that bypasses.

Which is why if you predominantly stick to your middle ring you really can't go far wrong for the bulk of stuff.