5 Hacks For Perfect Shifting On Your Road Bike

Index rear mech and adjust your front derailleur with our gear shifting hacks! Comment 👇 with your ideas.

Cure your shifting headaches with the help of this video. As cyclists, we've all had those moments where we're not sure what's up with our gears. Simon shares a few ways to find and solve those issues.

Learn how to get your rear derailleur perfectly indexed, index your front mech accurately, find out what a 'D.A.G.' tool is, tension your gear cables and dial in your limit screws.

Perfectly indexed gears are, without a doubt, the way forward, and if you agree, SHARE this video!

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[adamsloan]

Great tips! One tip i would add... After a ride DON'T store the bike with the chain on the big ring. When the chain is on the big ring the rear derailer is stretched out. The springs in the rear derailer will out wear prematurely if stored this way over a period of months/years, which leads to sloppy shifts. The shifting will be far more crisp if after a ride the chain is put on the lower gears (12, 13) in the rear and the small chain ring in the front. As a result, the rear derailer will be its most compact and not stretching/wearing out the return springs in the rear derailer.

[MannuelCorona]

I work at a bike shop and have been working on bikes for over 10 years now and these videos still help. Awesome #appreciated

[Dave-sywl]

I just setup new inner cables on my bike using these hacks. Absolutely brilliant technique. Shifting was pretty much spot on on both mechs, a quick turn of each barrel adjuster and it's perfection. One of the best videos you've made.

[ilsando]

I've watched every video of indexing gears I could find and nothing is as good as the method at 2.23. It's brilliant. Thanks

[arminhess]

You can always learn something new! Didn't know the 2nd cog method and the limit screw front deraillieur method after 16 years of biking and service. Well done, Sy!! Thanks!!

[SuperDaniels]

soooo gratefull for this video: I was on a ride today and my gears were acting funny, turned out to be a worn lower pulley. Bought some new ones on the way home, replaced them and fixed the shifting issues thanks to your video's. Now i can ride tommorow morning 👍👍👍 Thanks GCN!!!

[mohammedqabeer]

Mustve Watched and tried the techniques off atleast 5 other videos...none of them seemed to fix my noisy gear issues....watched this one, followed the instructions and my issue is resolved! Thank you

[MrSamulele]

Dude, the Shimano back just saved me from an indexing nightmare. Love you Simon!

[FaustRSI]

At last! The video about correct cable tension! There are DOZENS of vids talking about adjusting shifting, but almost none of them are giving enough attention to cable tension! I will definitely try your advice!

[DaveHaygarth]

A nice one to remember here (a mate told me ages ago) for remembering which limit screw is which if you get High/Low mixed up (face it - the low gear on a cassette is actually high up!):
H = Hard gear
L = Lazy gear

[alternive]

hack #6 - never assume a new replacement mech hanger is perfectly aligned either :)

[gcn]

Share your hacks for perfect gear shifting 👇

[ARMWRESTLINGCYCLINGFRANCE]

this is one of the best how-to videos in a good while. I replaced my entire drive time not too long ago and followed Dan's video perfectly. I still have some minor adjustments to do and this video may very well solve the issues I am having. thank you good sir!

[mechatak]

The indexing hack aka Shimano's hack that starts at 2:22 is amazing. This is the best advice I have ever seen for indexing rear deraillaur. It has always worked for me. 2 minutes tops. I don’t even bother with barrel shifters and guesswork gear indexing which might take upto 10-20 minutes to get right. Just use this method. Top marks to GCN.

[MickeyMackieMoo]

helpful, thank you very very much, I've been having real issues with my indexing... with these hacks (pro tips, I beg your pardon) I've nailed it... GET IN!!

[tobortine]

Perfect timing. I've just changed my gear cables and need to index both derailleurs.

[HeatherSpoonheim]

Just got back into cycling over the past couple weeks after decades off the saddle. Now all I do is work, sleep, ride, eat, tune and tinker with my bike and watch GCN!

[carlgradolph]

Thanks a lot, GCN! I've been riding bicycles for many years and never bothered to learn this stuff. Then again, when I started riding, there was no Internet, hence no YouTube. SO glad to have survived into the 21st century.

[pbanders]

One of the only (perhaps the only) video on derailleur setup of the limit screws that actually follows what Shimano says to do for how to adjust the high limit stop.

[CrIMiNl]

Hey GCN, follow you guys on almost everything. This video has helped me out tons. had major problems trying to correct my shifting and after this my shifting has been amazing. Just wanted to say thanks and keep it up.