Help!? Gear Levers the wrong way round? upside down?

thestormtrooper

Hi,

Got a bit of a strange question... My bike gear levers were broken so I put my bike in for a new set at the end of last summer and then was out the country for 8 months. I've now realised that my new gear levers work in the opposite direction to my old set? and the opposite to any bike I've used before? is this normal? is it ok? does it matter?

Basically...

the large thumb shifter under the handle bar takes the chain down the chain ring (used to take it up)

and the small shifter for my finger infront of handle bar takes it up the chain ring (used to take it down)

I've attached a couple of pictures to try and make the explanation a bit easier!? help!





Any help is greatly appreciated!

Thanks

Chunkers1980

Are you sure they only changed the shifters and not the mech too?

freezing77

Did you also have the rear derailleur changed?
Maybe ithat was changed to a rapid rise type.

nicklouse

As above. What else was changed.

You say chain ring but show the shifter for the cassette not the chain rings.

And when you say down do you mean to a lower or higher gear?

Low gears on the rear are big cogs. High gears are small cogs.

On the front it is the reverse.

thestormtrooper

Hi,

Sorry, I'm not too clued up on all the terminology. They changed the actual thumb shifters with a whole new thumb shifter part? The bit you can see in the picture that shows where you are in the gears from 1-9 and says Alivio on it? That bit is all new on both sides of the handle bars and also new cables. These are then linked to my original Shimano Deore LX derailler that was already on the bike etc?

When I press the big thumb shifter the chain will go down the cog to a high gear (towards smallest cog) and the finger shifter if you like... it will go up the gears to the low gear (biggest cog).

It used to work the other way around? I was just wondering if there is a right and wrong way? I'll maybe get used to this way? just seems a little alien at the moment and using your thumb for the harder shift seemed more logical?

If any of that makes any sense!?!? The replies are very much appreciated!

The Rookie

It can't work the other way round...... the thumb shifter pulls cable, the trigger releases it, to work the way you say the rear mech is what is know as rapid rise (or top normal).

The ONLY way it could have worked the other way round before is if the rear mech (derailleur) has been changed from conventional to the RR at the same time.

The rear mech dictates the operation, the shifter just makes it happen!

97th choice

Were your previous shifters sram by any chance?

ilovedirt

Only thing i can think of is that they've mixed the front and rear shifters up?

The Rookie

Really, so the OP won't notice 3 clicks at the rear and 9 on the front? Bawuhaha....

cooldad

Not to mention you'd need fingers floating in space in front of you.

ilovedirt

Good point... well then it doesn't really seem to make any sense...

thestormtrooper

Basically the simplest way I can put it is... The shifter that I'd use with my thumb to change gear with, used to make the chain go up the cog and now it makes it go down the cog. The one I would use with my finger with, used to make the chain go down the cog but now makes it go up.

If that makes any sense? I just thought that it always worked the original way round?

JBA

There seems to be some confusion here over chain rings and 'cogs' and up the gears and down the gears.

Here's an easy way to confirm things:

Set the bike to the lowest gear - smallest chain ring at the front and largest sprocket (cog) at the rear. The red indicator in the gear shift windows should be on the '1'.
Now push the right hand 'thumb lever'. Nothing should happen as you'll be pushing against the stop on the rear derailleur. If the chain moves up the gears (i.e. on to the next largest sprocket) then something is wrong.

cooldad

Only reason for that is a rapid rise rear mech. So either it's been changed or your memory is faulty.

thestormtrooper

Thanks JBA and all others...

It seems I've fixed the problem and the conclusion is quite simply, I was being a complete and total f***ing idiot.

Thanks to all who responded. I now know the difference between a chain ring and a cog also!

cooldad

And just use bigger or smaller, cog (back) or chainring (front).
And ignore JBA as he is waffling.

Chunkers1980

What was the problem you fixed?

dodgy

cooldad wrote:

And ignore JBA as he is waffling.

I think if JBA's post was second in this thread it would have cleared things up for the OP much quicker. His description made sense to me anyway.