Another curiosity question

While riding on Cape Cod this weekend, my co-star came up with an
interesting (to me) question: Why do the front and rear shifters work
opposite to each other? Further explanation. We both have Ultegra
integrated shifters. On the right (front), clicking the larger shifter
moves the chain to a larger ring closer to the frame. On the left
(rear), clicking the larger lever moves the chain to a larger ring that
is further from the frame.

Why don't both larger levers move the chain the same direction?

Thanks,

Tom Weaver

Tom Weaver wrote:
While riding on Cape Cod this weekend, my co-star came up with an
interesting (to me) question: Why do the front and rear shifters work
opposite to each other? Further explanation. We both have Ultegra
integrated shifters. On the right (front), clicking the larger shifter
moves the chain to a larger ring closer to the frame. On the left
(rear), clicking the larger lever moves the chain to a larger ring that
is further from the frame.

Why don't both larger levers move the chain the same direction?

Left is rear and right is front? That's odd. Even odder is that your
rear sprockets are larger further from the frame.

On traditional shifters like downtubes and bar ends, the left lever
controls the front derailer, and moving it 'up' move to a larger
ring/higher gear. Whereas with the right shifter, moving it up also
moves to a larger sprocket, but that makes for a lower gear.

We all need to convert to Rolholf 14s.

On Sun, 05 Jun 2005 21:40:18 -0400, Tom Weaver
wrote:

While riding on Cape Cod this weekend, my co-star came up with an
interesting (to me) question: Why do the front and rear shifters work
opposite to each other? Further explanation. We both have Ultegra
integrated shifters. On the right (front), clicking the larger shifter
moves the chain to a larger ring closer to the frame. On the left
(rear), clicking the larger lever moves the chain to a larger ring that
is further from the frame.

Why don't both larger levers move the chain the same direction?

Thanks,

Tom Weaver


I just got Brifters last month on a bike. I had always had Barcon
shifters before. I had a bit little confusion during shifting with
the new equipment. Just remember that the big lever shifts to big
gears and the smaller shifter shifts to the smaller gears.

Well it works for me anyway.

On Sun, 05 Jun 2005 21:40:18 -0400, Tom Weaver
wrote:

While riding on Cape Cod this weekend, my co-star came up with an
interesting (to me) question: Why do the front and rear shifters work
opposite to each other? Further explanation. We both have Ultegra
integrated shifters. On the right (front), clicking the larger shifter
moves the chain to a larger ring closer to the frame.

Huh? How's that again? The *larger* ring is *closer* to the frame?


--
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Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

"Tom Weaver" (clip) Why do the front and rear shifters work opposite to
each other? (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
A couple of others have mentioned possible confusion regarding which rings
and cogs are closest to the frame, so I will leave that alone. I would like
to answer the question I have clipped from your post. Front and rear
shifters work opposite, in the sense that the motion on the rear shifter
that gears you down does the opposite on the front shifter. This is because
going to a larger sprocket, front or rear requires more force than dropping
to a smaller one. For this reason, shifting "larger" is always done with
cable tension, and going the other way is done by creating cable slack,
allowing a spring to do the work. Following this rule, you downshift in the
rear with tension, and upshift in the front with tension. It's the SAME in
terms of the mechanism, and OPPOSITE in therms of effect.

"Brian Huntley" wrote:


Tom Weaver wrote:
While riding on Cape Cod this weekend, my co-star came up with an
interesting (to me) question: Why do the front and rear shifters work
opposite to each other? Further explanation. We both have Ultegra
integrated shifters. On the right (front), clicking the larger shifter
moves the chain to a larger ring closer to the frame. On the left
(rear), clicking the larger lever moves the chain to a larger ring that
is further from the frame.

Why don't both larger levers move the chain the same direction?

Left is rear and right is front? That's odd. Even odder is that your
rear sprockets are larger further from the frame.

odd but not impossible:
http://venus.wsb-nlu.edu.pl/~lpason/uni/kaseta.jpg


--
marcin
www.enduro.95mb.com

Marcin J. wrote:

odd but not impossible:
http://venus.wsb-nlu.edu.pl/~lpason/uni/kaseta.jpg


Or even:

URL:http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co...y/002front.jpg

On which, incidentally, the front shifter is controlled by the right hand...

--
Dave Larrington - http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/
Badger Badger Badger Badger Badger Badger Badger Badger Badger Badger
Badger Badger Badger Badger Badger Badger Badger Badger Badger Badger

On Sun, 05 Jun 2005 21:40:18 -0400, Tom Weaver
wrote:

While riding on Cape Cod this weekend, my co-star came up with an
interesting (to me) question: Why do the front and rear shifters work
opposite to each other? Further explanation. We both have Ultegra
integrated shifters. On the right (front), clicking the larger shifter
moves the chain to a larger ring closer to the frame. On the left
(rear), clicking the larger lever moves the chain to a larger ring that
is further from the frame.

Why don't both larger levers move the chain the same direction?

How about it takes more leverage to pull against the springs and
cables of the derailleurs than it does to release the springs? The
larger lever gives you better leverage.

Tom Weaver wrote:
While riding on Cape Cod this weekend, my co-star came up with an
interesting (to me) question: Why do the front and rear shifters work
opposite to each other? Further explanation. We both have Ultegra
integrated shifters. On the right (front), clicking the larger shifter
moves the chain to a larger ring closer to the frame. On the left
(rear), clicking the larger lever moves the chain to a larger ring that
is further from the frame.

Why don't both larger levers move the chain the same direction?

Thanks,

Tom Weaver

They don't the big lever of each moves the chain to a bigger cog or
chainring.

As for same direction, the 'low normal' or 'backfire plus' MTB rear
ders from shimano do this. Hope this silly idea doesn't come to road
stuff.

'Twas not always thus...at least, from an interface perspective. The
10-speed I had back in the bad old days had a Suntour (I think) FD that
was reverse-action, so that both levers were set up to move in the same
direction for "harder" gears.

Shimano now makes reverse-action rear derailers ("Rapid Rise") that
allow for the same sort of thing--I believe that these work against
very stiff springs...