I've switced from 21 (?) to 9 gears which I like, but I find that I am quite jarred when moving from the hardest gear to the light one (sorry for my improper terminology) as I prepare to go up hills. Any tricks to that? Seemed to me that the shift on the other bike was smoother since the middle ring softened the jolt. Eg. 3, 2, 1....
Don't mind so much going into the higher gear. It's that sudden whip-around that really disorients me. But maybe I'm just not used to it yet.