Originally Posted by
tsappenfield
1. Do you switch hands when you are shifting front vs rear derailleurs?
2. Do you place your fingers on the down tube to stabilize your hand when shifting?
3. Do you use your thumb and index finger to push/pull the shift lever forward and backward?
4. How to you shift and brake at the same time?
5. What else do I need to know technique-wise?
Hey, it's great that you've started riding again! Pedal on!
Now about shifting, you didn't say if the shifters were mounted on the downtube or the stem. It might make a difference in how comfortable you feel shifting one way or another. Since you mentioned downtube, we can assume that.
I've used downtube shifters for decades, and my answers are (not that they necessarily apply to anyone else):
1. Usually Occasionally I'll reach through the frame for a lever with the opposite hand, but not typically. Occasionally I'll do a double shift with one hand, but not very often. When I do a double shift it usually works best to do the upshift first followed immediately by the downshift on the other lever.
2. No.
3. Not really. Depending on the angle of the lever I may grab it between thumb and clenched fingers. If the gearins such that it is quite far down and I want to pull it up I may just pull up with a pair of fingers alone.
4. Not usually. Too much to think about, especially since one has to be pedaling to shift. The only exception is if it is an unexpected stop and I know I'll want to be in a different gear, typically lower, when I start back up. This is a bigger deal on a tandem than on a solo bike.
5. The more you do it the smoother it gets!