How To Shift Shimano Rapidfire Plus!
Shifting (also called changing gears) is the secret to riding comfortably and efficiently whether you're climbing and descending, sailing along fireroads with glorious tailwinds, pedaling for pleasure or going for glory. And today bicycles are easier, more efficient and more fun to shift than ever thanks to modern shifting systems that let you change gears almost as fast as the thought crosses your mind. And you never even need to move your hands from the handlebars!
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Shifting the right lever (see the 6 illustrations below) controls the rear derailleur and moves the chain onto the different cogs in the rear. Notice that there are 2 shift levers, the main lever and the lever behind it, the inset lever. You move these levers separately, pushing the main lever with your thumb and pushing or pulling the inset lever with your thumb or index finger as follows: |
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When you're just riding along, your hand rests on the handlebar grip with the shift levers within easy reach, right at your fingertips. | ||
When you feel like it's too hard to pedal and want to shift into an easier gear, you push down on the main lever with your thumb. It clicks with each push and this moves the rear derailleur, which in turn shifts the chain onto the next larger rear cog making it easier to pedal. You can click the lever again to shift into an easier gear, and so on. | ||
When you feel like it's too easy to pedal and you'd like a harder gear, you pull the inset lever with your index finger or, if you prefer, push on it with your thumb. It clicks with each pull or push and this moves the rear derailleur, which in turn shifts the chain onto the next smaller rear cog making it harder to pedal. Repeat as needed. | ||
Shifting the left lever (see the 6 illustrations below) controls the front derailleur and moves the chain onto the different chainrings. Notice that there are 2 shift levers, the main lever and the lever behind it, the inset lever. You move these levers separately, pushing the main lever with your thumb, and pushing or pulling the inset lever with your index finger as follows: |
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The left lever operates like the right lever, with 2 levers, a main one and an inset one. Because the chainrings vary so much in size, the main lever must be pushed a little further with your thumb to complete a shift. Both levers are within easy reach at all times. | ||
When you need to make it a lot easier to pedal (as you will when you come to uphills), pushing the inset lever with your thumb, or if you prefer, pulling it with your index finger, shifts the front derailleur inward moving the chain onto a smaller chainring with each click of the lever, which makes it a lot easier to pedal the bike. | ||
When you need to make it a lot harder to pedal (as you will when you crest a hill and start going a lot faster down the other side), you push down on the main lever with your thumb, which moves the front derailleur outward shifting the chain onto a larger chainring making the bike a good bit harder to pedal. | ||
That's all there is to it! Now, with a little practice you'll be shifting up a storm and having more fun than ever. Remember, if you have any questions about shifting or anything else cycling, just drop by. We're always happy to help! And, please keep in mind, that if your derailleurs are out of adjustment and your bicycle isn't shifting properly any more we're happy to help you with the problem and get your bike shifting like a champ again. Just let us know. Thanks! |