How to shift gears on my Cannondale

[amy43160]

Hi my name is Amy and i just purchased my first real road bike, I have always road hybrids in the past. I was so excited to get this new bike and got it home , jumped on it and figured out real fast i have no idea how to shift or what gear I am in

The shifters are the brakes also, so if you slide the brakes over it shifts but there are also little gray levers by my thumb that shift also. How do they work and what are they used for.

Sorry if this seems like a stupid question but i am seriously having issues shifting this bike and i really want to use this bike to its full capability.
Thanks
amy

[xerxes]

Do you know what make and model of shifters you have?

As to what gear your in, there's only one you need to worry about, the right one.

Joking aside, I'm guessing that your hybrid bike had little indicators on the shifters to let you know which position you were in on the front and rear mechs. Road bikes don't have these, and to be honest, I think they are completely pointless on other types of bike, I never look at them.

You generally know, or a quick glance down will tell you which chainring your using up front, and then use whichever sprocket at the rear that feels right, the number is irrelevant. The exception being that you don't really want to use the outermost chainring with the innermost cassette sprocket and vice versa.

[RBurrelli]

(07-27-2010, 09:39 AM)amy43160 Wrote:  Hi my name is Amy and i just purchased my first real road bike, I have always road hybrids in the past. I was so excited to get this new bike and got it home , jumped on it and figured out real fast i have no idea how to shift or what gear I am in
The shifters are the brakes also, so if you slide the brakes over it shifts but there are also little gray levers by my thumb that shift also. How do they work and what are they used for.
Sorry if this seems like a stupid question but i am seriously having issues shifting this bike and i really want to use this bike to its full capability.
Thanks
amy

The larger lever on the shifter acts as the brake if pulled, as I am sure you knew. When clicked it will move the chain to a larger cog or chainring. The smaller lever is used to move from a larger cog or chainring to a smaller one. Takes some getting used to. Don't worry you will get it.

[amy43160]

(07-27-2010, 12:11 PM)RBurrelli Wrote:  

(07-27-2010, 09:39 AM)amy43160 Wrote:  Hi my name is Amy and i just purchased my first real road bike, I have always road hybrids in the past. I was so excited to get this new bike and got it home , jumped on it and figured out real fast i have no idea how to shift or what gear I am in
The shifters are the brakes also, so if you slide the brakes over it shifts but there are also little gray levers by my thumb that shift also. How do they work and what are they used for.
Sorry if this seems like a stupid question but i am seriously having issues shifting this bike and i really want to use this bike to its full capability.
Thanks
amy

The larger lever on the shifter acts as the brake if pulled, as I am sure you knew. When clicked it will move the chain to a larger cog or chainring. The smaller lever is used to move from a larger cog or chainring to a smaller one. Takes some getting used to. Don't worry you will get it.

Thanks, i sure hope so, its not clicking with me right now but i stuck my bike in the easy trainer so i can fiddle around with it and the shifting. My other question would be how much damage am i going to do if i shift wrong, i would hate to damage the bike

[RBurrelli]

Quote:Thanks, i sure hope so, its not clicking with me right now but i stuck my bike in the easy trainer so i can fiddle around with it and the shifting. My other question would be how much damage am i going to do if i shift wrong, i would hate to damage the bike

I don't think you can really do any damage if you are on a trainer. Read this link and it will explain how STI shifters work. I am assuming that you have Shimano shifters.

http://hollandsbicycles.com/articles/how-to-shift-shimano-sti-levers-pg508.htm

[Surly LHT]

You want hurt your bicycle at all. You done good to use the trainer to help you learn how to shift your gears. If for some reason you still are having problem you could take it to your bike shop and they will help you out that's why they are there for you. Even if you did not buy it at a bicycle shop most will be willing to help you out on it. And welcome to the world of today's bicycles. Fun machines they are. But at time's they can give to heck too. Just take it one day at a time.