mike9903

Everytime that I change to the big ring I have to do this stupid "half-shift", I would have no problem with this but it is so touchy that everytime I ATTEMPT to do this half shift, I down shift on accident. It is really frustrating to be ready to groove in the big ring and this happens. I have a 105 dr and a tiagra fr, as well as, tiagra shifters, does 105 or Ultegra have this problem? Is there anything that I can do to make it not as touchy now?

Sprocket Man

I have ridden 105, Ultegra and Dura Ace and this never happens to me. I'm wondering - you're trying to upshift your FD but you accidentally downshift the FD? That sounds puzzling. Are you sure this isn't an error in shifting on your part?

fmw

It sounds like the RD is out of adjustment. The low limit screw is too tight and the tension is just a hair loose. Jus a guess without seeing it for myself. I've never heard of half shift.

Trevor98

Its called trim and is used to stop your chain from rubbing when you cross chain a little. All levels of shimano bifters have this feature. I think campy has it as well (not sure on that). The only thing you can do is get used to using it.

55/Rad

This is not a problem, it is a function called trim. Basically, when properly adjusted and operated correctly, this function will allow you to make minute adjustments with your front derailler in order to avoid the chain rubbing the cage.

A double shifter has 3 positions and 2 clicks - a triple has 4 positions and 3 clicks.

55/Rad

mike9903

Is this something that I can adjust?

AnthonyG

I'm guessing that you understand what these half shifts are about but when you try to do a half shift down from the big ring to align with the larger sprockets/lower gears it drops to the middle ring instead. Yes/No?

Maybe the front derailer just isn't set up properly to make trimming adjustments as front derailer adjustment can be quite finicky. Sometimes I find that I was in the lower trim position all along so what I sometimes do is to trim UP first just to make sure I was in the upper position before trying to trim down.

Regards, Anthony

55/Rad

You can if you are willing to try.

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/derailer-adjustment.html

55/Rad

55/Rad

I should preface that last post by saying your system may not need adjustment at all - maybe it's you. I'd take the bike to the shop and have them check it out on a stand and show you how it's supposed to work. If it needs adjustment, they can do it right there and if not, you'll get a demo of how to work it correctly.

55/Rad

mike9903

After looking over that site and reading through I have decided to just take it to the shop and let them look at it as well as show me how to fix/operate this.

DrWJODonnell

I took my bike in to an old timer local shop guy and he informed me that I will need a new shifter lever because I had more clicks than chainrings! I laughed and never took my bike to be tuned there again!

baj32161

Well I guess there's no need for me to chime in Mike (I was going to say trim too)....hang in there dude, your shop will make it right.

Cheers,

Brian

BlastRadius

I've noticed that trimming from the big ring down takes some finesse with the little lever. It's easier to finesse it by pressing the little lever at the very end instead of on the fat part of the lever.

cydewaze

The trim thing really screwed with my wife at first. Took her a few months to get it sorted.

corny

Regarding half shifts, is it normal to have to click twice on the left brifter to change up to the large ring on the FD? If not, which adjustment needs to be made?

Cheers!

James

Equinox

I've been trying to figure this out myself. Often, not always, I have to shift twice to get from the small chainring to the big chainring. It has been adjusted, but it still does it sometimes. They told me that the "trim" feature was the cause. But it is unpredictable. Sometimes it clicks right in, sometimes I have to shift twice. It's frustrating because sometimes when I need a nice, fast, clean shift, I have to double up.If someone tells me this is normal (which I'm beginning to think it is) I'll just live with it.

As You Like It

I think, if it were my bike, I'd change the FD shifter to friction (bar-end, perhaps), so you'd have a simpler time of chosing either "here or there" and instead of futzing around wth "trim" you could make those minute adjustments manually. It would also end the problem of accidentally shifting whilst braking.

This is something I'm looking into, myself, as I hate the brifters (I have little kid hands). I have massive problems with accidental shifting while braking, and sometimes can't tilt the shifter lever over enough to shift properly.

Brifters may well be wonderful for many people, but for some of us, they are a bad match.

mahv

It's normal on the DA 7800 and Ultegra 10.

cydewaze

Ok, I sometimes have to click twice to drop to the small ring (one click is the trim and the second click drops it to the small ring) but I can usually achieve both clicks in the same lever stroke. However, I never have to sweep the large lever more than once to change up to the big ring. If someone does, it seems like the cable tension is not tight enough, no?

msheron

Trim feature it sounds like to keep the FD from rubbing the chain. Wonderful feature to keep your chain noise eliminated!

corny

I norm have to click three times to change down, twice to go up - on Ultegra 10. Maybe it needs some adjustment then.

acape

For a long time in the beginning this happened to me. I would be in the big ring and try to trim down one click and I'd drop it into the small ring. It takes a while to get a feel for the touch...you'll get used to giving it just the right amount of pressure.

That said, do make sure that you're actually shifted all the way up and not already in the trim position. You can tell by how much "give" the downshift lever has when you press it over (but don't shift). If you're all the way up and press the lever over lightly, it will travel a short distance before the point of resistance (just where the shift is about to happen if you press farther). If you're in the trim position and press it over lightly, it will travel a bit farther before you hit the resistance.

magyar

I've found that if I let the left brifter follow the arc of my fingers, rather than trying to push straight inward, it only takes one click. It's only when I push straight in that I end up needing a second click to get into the big ring.

merlinextraligh

Try putting a shim on the top of the brake lever (about a 1/4" thick) so the lever doesn't go all the way back when you release it. It will bring the levers a little closer to the bar and make it easier to work with small hands. We did this for my 12 year old daughter and it helped. You loose a little cable pull for braking, but it's not an issue if the brakes are adjusted well.

derath

This is the exact problem I have. I have a triple front Chainring. The half shifts work perfectly in the middle ring to help with chain rub. But whenever I attempt to half shift on the large ring it just hops down to the middle ring instead. But my bike is brand new and will need adjustments for cable stretch anyhow. So I am leaving it alone and will have them take care of that when I take it in for adjustment.

-D