Bicycle Mechanics - Help a beginner, how do you shift gears with sti shimano sora

Hi I am just acquired a a bike with a sti shimano sora flight deck gear shifter/brake handles. It also has a sti single button hood. I just got on the bike a few hours ago and I was able to use the left and right levers to shift gears... clicking it a few times until it would not click anymore on either side. I think the gears shifted the bike to that of least resistance. Now I am trying to figure out how I can shift to a higher resistance...please help!

Christina

pressing the little lever will click it to a smaller cog. So you are in the smallest at the front, and smallest at the back? Pushing the brake lever inwards will move it to a larger cog. For gears with more resistance, you will need the front Chainring in the large cog, and be using the smaller cogs at the rear. If you bought it at a shop, take it back and make them teach you, but if you bought it elsewhere go and ask them nicely at your local store :D

Hope this helps
Brendon

pressing the little lever will click it to a smaller cog. So you are in the smallest at the front, and smallest at the back? Pushing the brake lever inwards will move it to a larger cog. For gears with more resistance, you will need the front Chainring in the large cog, and be using the smaller cogs at the rear. If you bought it at a shop, take it back and make them teach you, but if you bought it elsewhere go and ask them nicely at your local store :D

Hope this helps
Brendon

Ok just checked the bike and the little levers on the inside made the chain go the smallest cog in the front and the back, like you predicted. So I bought this bike from someone moving out of NYC and when they asked me if I knew how to work the gears I said I did not knowing it was a little complicated. Now could you please give me some simple directions on how to push the brake lever inwards to move the gear to the larger cog? I am going to ask some questions that may make me sound really ignorant...i apologize in advance, here I go....How do I press the brake lever inwards without the bike completly coming to a halt or is that what I want to be completely stopped. Do I push the brake lever inwards all the way? Both left and right break levers or just one at a time? Do I press the brake lever with any other lever..like the small inner lever? IF you can make the instructions on how to change the gear to more resistence as simple as possible I would most appreciate it! Thanks.

To apply the brakes you pull the big shiny levers back, to shift you push the left big shiny lever to the right and the right big shiny lever to the left.

http://bike.shimano.com/product_images/ST/si_images/ST-3300-3303.pdf

That's a link to the online version of the spec sheet that comes with new Sora levers. Take a look at the section titled "Operation of Front Derailleur Lever" and "Operation of Rear Derailleur Lever." The illustrations may help you understand how to shift.

To apply the brakes you pull the big shiny levers back, to shift you push the left big shiny lever to the right and the right big shiny lever to the left.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! I just tried it out and you are a genius!!

novice me