chipset Posted March 15, 2012 Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 So, I was riding last night and noticed a problem. Any time I go to shift from one gear to another, I have to adjust and end up putting weight on the handlebars. Any advice on what I should change? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotfoot Posted March 15, 2012 Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 So, I was riding last night and noticed a problem. Any time I go to shift from one gear to another, I have to adjust and end up putting weight on the handlebars. Any advice on what I should change? What kind of adjustment do you have to make to shift? Is it upshifts or downshifts or both? can you easily reach the shift lever or do you have to move or twist your whole leg to get your foot over or under it? Sometimes an easy solution is just to raise or lower the shift lever, often it is set too high so you almost have to lean back and lift up your foot to reach it. Ideally you should only need to slide your foot forward a little to reach, and NOT have to dramatically flex or extend your ankle to get to it. If yourknee has to move forward or back or up or down you are having too reach too far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chipset Posted March 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 My entire foot has to reposition. When I ride, I ride on the ball of my feet. The shift level is set too far forward so I have to pull my foot off the rearset, move it forward, shift, then return it. The peg on the rearset sits underneath the ball of my foot or near the toes. My toes aren't long enough to shift it without repositioning the foor. In this case, I have to apply weight someplace while the weight is taken off one foot to shift. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jasonzilla Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 You should place the shift lever so you can just slide your foot forward and have it right there for an up shift. If you're moving your foot back onto the ball after a shift when you're going to up shift or even shift back down again, you're making unnecessary movements. If I'm on a 2nd to 6th straight, for example, I'm going to keep my foot on the shift lever. I won't move it back until I'm done downshifting into the next corner, as a matter of fact. Keeping my butt off the seat helps keep pressure off the bars when I'm moving my foot around. If my butt is going back on the seat, it's a really long straight and doesn't matter if I put a little pressure on the bars. I'm a one cheek around the track kind of guy. Auto Club Speedway is really the only track you'll see me put my whole butt on. That's just out of the 9 tracks I've ridden. It's not like I've been all over the country riding tracks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gogogusgus Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 Chipset In addition to Hotfoot's and Jasonzilla's constructive suggestions I'll offer this: Are any of these gear shifts occurring in any part of a corner? If not, how much handlebar input are you experiencing and how big are its effects? Ago Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mugget Posted April 2, 2012 Report Share Posted April 2, 2012 Hey chipset, I noticed you mention taking the weight off your foot and having to move that weight somewhere else. Is there any reason in particular that you are putting so much weight through your feet? I know it can be beneficial to put weight to the footpegs at certain times, but I can't think of any time I would want to do that while changing gears (although I could be wrong). I used to wonder about weight distribution between seat & footpegs as well, for a little bit I was having a hard time getting myself sorted. Until I asked someone about it, the response was basically "your bike has a seat, so sit on it". Maybe give that a try, it made things a whole bunch easier for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chipset Posted April 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2012 If I am making a turn, obviously you have your outer foot weighting the peg. I used to put a lot of weight on the inner peg making turns. That's changed lately. But I also try to be light in the saddle. I haven't noticed it lately, but I know I was being light in the saddle and having issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gogogusgus Posted April 4, 2012 Report Share Posted April 4, 2012 Chipset Can you help me understand the last two sentences about being light? To my read they seem almost contradictory. Ago Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gogogusgus Posted April 4, 2012 Report Share Posted April 4, 2012 'Zilla Is this only on straights? or How do you handle a situation where you need active suspension? Like rough spots, dips, bumps? Ago Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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