The Gears - How They Work And How To Use Them - Canyon ROAD BIKE Manual

76 GEARS HOW THEY WORK AND HOW TO USE THEM
THE GEARS - HOW THEY WORK AND HOW TO USE
THEM
With road bikes the shift levers are integrated in the
brake lever. On a Campagnolo equipped bike moving
the small shift lever located behind the brake lever
inward by means of your index or middle finger shifts
the chain towards the larger sprockets. Pressing with
your thumb on the shifter located on the inward fac-
ing side of the brake lever mount, moves the chain
towards the next smaller sprocket.
With Shimano levers swivelling the entire brake lever
inward shifts the chain towards the larger sprockets.
Pressing only the small lever inward makes the chain
move towards the smaller sprockets.
With SRAM Force doubletap levers there is only one
shifting lever positioned behind the brake lever. A
short tap to the inward moves the chain to a smaller
sprocket. Sweeping the shifting lever more in means
the derailleur shifts the chain to larger sprockets.
One tap can shift up to three gears.
With Shimano, SRAM and Campagnolo bar end shift-
ers for triathlon and time trial use the shifting lever is
pressed downward to move the chain to the smaller
sprockets to achieve a higher gear and to the small-
er chainrings to achieve a lower gear. By pulling the
shifting lever upward you can switch to the larger
sprockets and larger chainrings.
In the case of flat bars the control levers of the shift-
ers are positioned under the handlebars. The big le-
ver on the right is thumb-operated. The chain moves
on larger sprockets, i.e. to lower gears. The smaller
lever is either index finger or thumb-operated and
shifts into the other direction. On the left side the big
thumb-operated lever shifts to the large chainring,
i.e. to a higher gear ratio.
Campagnolo shift/brake lever
Shimano shift/brake lever
SRAM shift/brake lever
Bar end shift lever
Shifter flat bar
HOW THEY WORK AND HOW TO USE THEM
The shifting of a gear lever is communicated to the
rear derailleur via bowden cable. Then the rear derail-
leur swivels, causing the chain to climb onto the next
sprocket. It is therefore important when changing
gears to continue pedalling smoothly without force
as long as the chain is moving between sprockets or
chainrings!
There are, however, special guides in the chainrings
which allow for changing gears under force.
Changing gears under load shortens, however, the
service life of your chain considerably. Therefore,
avoid changing gears while pedalling with force, in
particular when changing gears with the front derail-
leur.
Canyon road bikes are usually equipped with 20 or
30-speed derailleur gears and two to three chain-
rings at the front and ten sprockets at the rear wheel
hub. Some gears with particular chain run should be
avoided. Gears with an extremely oblique run of the
chain enhance a higher inner friction, which reduces
the power transmission efficiency and hastens wear
of the chain.
An unfavourable run of the chain is when the smallest
chainring (front derailleur) is used with one of the
two or three outermost (smallest) sprockets (rear
derailleur) or when the largest chainring is used with
one of the inmost (largest) sprockets.
Keep on pedalling without force while you
i
shift. This will lead to a smooth and quiet
gear change and reduce the wear.
If your road racing bicycle is fitted with an
i
electronic shifting system Di2 from
Shimano, also read chapter "Shimano Di2".
GEARS
Unfavourable run of the chain – chain on the smallest chainring and
the outmost sprocket
Unfavourable run of the chain – chain on the biggest chainring and
the inmost sprocket
Practise changing gears in a place free of
traffic until you are familiar with the func-
tioning of the different levers or twist grips. If
you do so in road traffic, your attention might be
drawn off from possible risks.
Avoid gears which involve an extremely
i
oblique run of the chain.
Do not shift under load, as this will shorten
the durability of the chain considerably.
Furthermore, this can lead to a chain-suck, i.e.
the chain can get jammed between chainstay and
chainrings. Avoid shifting gears while pedalling
with force, in particular when shifting with the
front derailleur.
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