Shimano sora gears, operating the front gears

osnola ibax · 27-08-2009 10:14AM #1

Hi guys,

I'm a complete noon to cycling so I apologize in advance for the dumb questions.

I recently purchased a giant tcx 2 and it comes with shimano sora gears. They are operated by pushing the break levers inward to go down a gear and then press the button to go up through the gears. The back one work flawlessly but the front ones (left break lever), is a bit hit and miss. I have to push in the beak lever a couple of times for it to move to the larger cog and then press the button maybe three times to get back to the smaller cog. Is this how it normally operates?

Sometimes pressing the button seems to do nothing. Do I have to be in a certain gear at the back to change the front gears or can I change at any time?

Does anyone have any experience with this type of gear system that could throw me some advice.

Thanks very much. OI

nak · 27-08-2009 10:45AM

Sounds like the gears need adjusting, take it to bike shop if not sure yourself. Simple enough to fix.

You can change chainring regardless of what sprocket it's on at the back. Try and avoid riding in big ring at front and largest sprocket at same time, or small ring and smallest sprocket.

blorg · 27-08-2009 11:00AM

Bring it to a bike shop, but if you want to try to diagnose itself, it can be a number of things, could be in the lever, in the cable or the front derailleur.

Check if the cable is moving when you shift the lever (e.g. with the bike stopped and you beside it.) If it is, check if the front derailleur is also moving. If all are moving, then it probably just needs adjustment.

http://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=75
http://bicycletutor.com/adjust-front-derailer/

Flankerb · 27-08-2009 01:45PM

Hi,
I have the same set up myself. Do you have gear indicator window?
I think these are adapted from triples to use on doubles. ie They are set up for 3 cogs on the front instead of 2. So what should happen on a double is to go from outer cog to inside cog press button once. But because the shifter is a triple shifter you have to press the button twice to get from the outside to inside cog. Same going up. On the indicator outside cog is on far right dead space is in the middle and inside cog is on the left. Also with new bike the cable might have streched a bit so get the gears adjusted at your first service.
regards
Karl

osnola ibax · 27-08-2009 09:06PM

Flankerb wrote: »

Hi,
I have the same set up myself. Do you have gear indicator window?
I think these are adapted from triples to use on doubles. ie They are set up for 3 cogs on the front instead of 2. So what should happen on a double is to go from outer cog to inside cog press button once. But because the shifter is a triple shifter you have to press the button twice to get from the outside to inside cog. Same going up. On the indicator outside cog is on far right dead space is in the middle and inside cog is on the left. Also with new bike the cable might have streched a bit so get the gears adjusted at your first service.
regards
Karl

thanks so much, this is exactly what's happening, except that on the indicator far right is the inside little cog and far left is the outside big cog. You're description sounds perfect though. On first press the indicator shifts to dead space centre and second press brings it to the outside. I then have to give it another bit of a press sometimes which means it may need some adjusting. It just doesn't work as flawlessly as the back gears which is a shame.

Thanks to eveyone for the really useful advice.

humbert · 27-08-2009 09:35PM

I have a sora shifter/front deraileur too. Don't like it one little bit even though I've got it working reliably now. It'll be the first upgrade I think.

blorg · 27-08-2009 10:57PM

@osnola ivax (and Flankerb)- I haven't used Sora in some time but what you talk about there sounds like it might be the "trim" function on Shimano gears (certainly it is there from 105 up). If so it is by design and lets you alter the position of the front derailleur on the big ring depending on where you are in the rear, to avoid chain rub.

Basically you have three positions with two options on the bigger ring.

martyc5674 · 28-08-2009 10:28AM

Blorg is right,
I have the same shifter and i think once setup its great...what it does is reduce chain noise.
Marty.

osnola ibax · 28-08-2009 11:07AM

:cool:

martyc5674 wrote: »

Blorg is right,
I have the same shifter and i think once setup its great...what it does is reduce chain noise.
Marty.

guys, thats great, I must try that to see if that is actually whats happening. I'm loving the bike though. Been using it coming to and from work over the last couple of days and did 8 miles on it the other day. First time i have cycled since I was about 12 I'd say. I was walking a bit like John Wayne after the first day but not as sensitive today :cool:

martyc5674 · 28-08-2009 12:52PM

Cool,
The way mine is setup any way is that there are effectively two positions for the derailer on the top ring, a small shove on the shifter seems to move it towrds the smaller ring just a little which will get did of chain noise if your on the big ring and one of the bigger rear cogs, another shove on it gets it ont othe bottom ring.
Had me confused for a while but once i knew how it worked it actually works great.
Cheers,
Marty.

Shimano sora gears, operating the front gears

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