Down tube shifting technique...
 

Came up in a different thread, but I didn't want to hijack it. Guy calls himself icepick after all:D.
I never thought about this before today.

Do you use the same hand to shift front and rear derailleurs or different hands.
A lot of the time I use my left hand for the front, and my right for the rear.

Seems inefficient now that I think about it.
Cheers, Eric

Okay, I've been riding with DT shifters my whole adult life and I can't answer that question. I will, however, think about it until I go for a ride. Of course, then I'll be conscious of it and will undoubtedly hurt myself trying to shift naturally.:p

got two bikes with bar end shifters.
so when i'm riding the DT shifter or the brifter bikes, i first reach for the end of the handle bar.

then use one hand if it's the DT shifter bike.
Sometimes I use the left had if I'm only shifting / trimming the FD.

quite the first world problem, i must say.

That's how I do it, since I rarely need or want to shift both derailleurs at once. And it gives both hands a chance to come off the bars and restore circulation.

I use right hand for right side shifter and left for left side. Seems pretty awkward to do it any other way.

Left hand for front, right hand for rear

"'74 Ron Cooper, Crashed and repaired in '76 '74 Witcomb track bike (bought in '75) '75 Carlsbad Masi, bought in '76 New bikes: 84-85 Gios torino" Professional" '76 Olmo Competition C Titiano"

No offense, but with a bike list like that… I would've thought …...

[MENTION=29368]rootboy[/MENTION] owning and riding are.....

I use the right for the rear unless it is a combination or if I feel like I need to trim the front. Use the left to shift the front unless it is a combination and to trim. But sometimes I change my mind while using the left and to a combination with the left. I am very efficient!

The objective is to shift to the right gear ratio, not figure out which hand to use. This approach used for both friction and index on DT shifters. On the barcons, I never cross arms.

L=l
r=r

For rolling hills, I use my right hand to shift both derailleurs if I'm downshifting from the big ring and dropping to a larger rear cog.

With the occasional cussing and coaxing...

http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment...2&d=1433868045
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=470762

I generally use the closer hand, but on my oddball setup 52/34 * 12/22, I often times use one hand to dump both levers at the same time - very little gearing overlap.

I use left for left and right for right for both my friction and index DT shifters

Pretty straightforward for me

Whichever hand is [was] convenient is [was] the one the one that did the shifting, whichever shifting was needed at the time. Both with one hand, reaching through with one hand to shift the other side, whichever...

I'm right handed, and usually rear shifts are the more frequent. But not for rolling terrain, then it's both simultaneously for the most part.

But I no longer own any downtube shifting bikes. : (

I use right hand for both. Just got use to doing it that way.

[MENTION=350383]crank_addict[/MENTION] - I've never seen a setup like that. Was it designed like that or did you create & "coax" it to be like that? Could you tell more about it, as in parts (if you made it)? What's on the back?

So I had an idea that with half-step or step-and-a-half gearing, you were supposed to move them together with the same hand, at the same time? It only would work in one direction from each gear, I guess.

Yep.

I shift both with my right hand.


...im lefty. Not sure if its because I like my dominant hand to stay on the bars and steer?
The front is easy to both shift and trim with my index and thumb, even though its on the left side of the tube.

Left hand front, right hand rear. Never even thought about it before, it's natural and instinctive for me.

I use my right hand and often adjust the front trim at the same time of rear shifting.

I really like indexed downtubes.

The twin lever shifter is 100% original. Late 1950's and an evolution from a similar type but used in different actuation. This one is more conventional friction type. The large lever for operating a closed caged, plunger type front Huret derailleur. The particular front derailleur I have is picky. Has some brass components and well worn.

The small lever is for the rear derailleur, a Cyclo Gear Comp. - Benelux Sport P2 / Super 60. The derailleur is quite an oddball but a quality piece. All steel, short cage, parallel action with ball bearing pulleys.

I'm learning there's no 'hurry' nor 'hooray' in using Huret.... :)

I use my right hand for both DT shifters.

Yeah, what... That I would have thought about this before ? Or just not cared?

No offense taken.

If you are referring to the forum name, I did not stop racing by choice, but left my bikes at my parents house from 1976 unti recently. I don't bore everyone I meet with the story. The short version is in ”about me ” in my profile,