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O W N E R ’ S M A N U A L
controlled by the right shifter, the front by the left.
Never move the shifter while pedaling backwards
and never pedal backwards right after moving the
shifter. The chain may jam, damage the bicycle and
cause you to lose control and fall off the bicycle.
Never shift a derailleur onto the largest or the
smallest sprocket if the derailleur is not shifting
smoothly. The derailleur may be out of adjustment
and the chain could jam, causing you to lose control
and fall.
To avoid excessive wear and damage of the chain,
sprockets and chain wheels, we advise against the
following combinations:
– Largest chainring (front) – largest sprocket (rear)
– Smallest chainring (front) – smallest sprocket (rear)
If your bicycle has an internal gear hub drivetrain,
the gear changing mechanism will consist of a 3,
7 or possibly 8 speed internal gear hub, one or
sometimes two shifters, one or two control cables,
one front sprocket called chainring or chainwheel,
and a chain.
Shifting with an internal gear hub drivetrain is simply
a matter of moving the shifter to the indicated
position for the desired gear. After you have moved
the shifter to the gear position of your choice, ease
the pressure on the pedals for one or two seconds,
to allow the hub to complete the shift.
Regularly check that your chain is clean and well-
lubricated. Have a specialized bicycle dealer check
the chain for wear.
Transmission Fit
The numerically lowest gear (1) is suitable for going
uphill. The numerically largest gear (3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
or 12) is suitable for greater speed.
It is not necessary to shift gears in sequence.
Downshifting at the
rear derailleur.
Downshifting at the
front derailleur.
Upshifting at the rear derailleur.
Upshifting at the front derailleur.
In case of a derailleur drivetrain, transmission will
include a rear cassette or freewheel sprocket, a rear
derailleur, a front derailleur (most of the times), one
or two shifters, one, two or three front sprockets
(a.k.a. chainrings or chainwheels) and a chain.
Shifters may be thumb levers, twist grips, finger
operated triggers, combination shift/brake controls
and push-buttons. If their operation does not come
naturally to you, please ask a specialized bicycle
dealer to explain the type of shifting controls that
are on your bike, and to show you how they work.
Shifting jargon may be confusing sometimes. A
downshift is a shift to a “lower” or “slower” gear, one
which is easier to pedal.
An upshift is a shift to a “higher” or “faster”, harder
to pedal gear.
The confusing part is most often that what’s
happening at the front derailleur is the opposite
of what’s happening at the rear derailleur. Most of
the times downshifting the chain moves to a bigger
sprocket at the rear and/or a smaller sprocket at the
front.
The opposite happens when upshifting.
Whether down-or-up-shifting, the bicycle derailleur
system requires the chain to move forward and be
under some tension. Derailleurs shift only if and
when you pedal forward. The rear derailleur is
REAR
FRONT
ideal owners manual english_5_2014.indd 90
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