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Proper Shifting with WickWerks Chainrings
Shifting with WickWerks chainrings is, for some, just a little different . . . . WickWerks chainrings will shift fast, so you need to shift fast too. We call it Shifting with Intent. Other manufacturers have taught us to baby the front shift. Those days are now gone. If you baby the shift with these rings, it can make disconcerting noises and sometimes over-shift. With WickWerks rings we recommend a little aggression — Shift Like You Mean It !!While pedaling, shift in one smooth motion. Move the shift lever quickly to full stroke — don’t ease into the shift. Hold the lever for a moment (while the shift completes) and let the rings do the rest. When derailleur adjustments are dialed in, and shift technique is correct, shifts on WickWerks chainrings are fast and smooth.
See the section on Derailleur Adjustment to learn more about setting up the front derailleur to take full advantage of the WickWerks chainrings.
Power Shifting ??
Some have said you can shift WickWerks chainrings under full power . . . . While this is true, the rings will do it . . . . there are some potentially serious consequences that can occur:
- First, the rings may do it, but often the chain won’t. Most chains are NOT made to handle the stresses of shifting under power so the chain may break. For this reason, we DO NOTrecommend shifting under significant power.
- Second, depending on the location of the ring teeth with respect to the shift, pulling the chain hard into a twist — either on or off a tooth — can cause the chain link to bind on the tooth. (This condition is a forced “Chain Suck”.) See additional notes on here.
- Third, even if you get away with it (avoiding the 2 potential issues indicated above), it can — and usually will — do damage to the components. Chains are not immune to damage, and neither are chainrings, and once damaged, they will likely cause other drivetrain issues. Better to shift smooth and fast than to damage parts.
Though the above results are not sure, if they occur, it can make a bad day. You really don’t need damage to you or the equipment. Don’t do it. Note: As for our competitors, the above is not such an issue because most rings won’t shift at high throttle.
Proper Shift Technique is to back-off power momentarily, keep spinning, and make the shift. This will make components last longer and perform better over time. Note that these are the “World’s Fastest Shifting Chainrings“, so even if you back-off power for a moment, that moment will be short, because most our rings will engage a good shift in about 1/3 of a crank rotation. (Our competitors can’t say that!)
So, Power Shifting? Naw, shift quick rather that shifting under power. ** That being said, these rings will shift consistently under more power than the competition.
Another item related to shifting technique is that of gear selection. For most bicycles, there is a lot of overlap in ratios available from the chain rings in the front — meaning you can get nearly the same overall ratio by selection of various cogs on the cassette with respect to the chain ring in the front. In general it is best for efficiency and wear to select the chain ring in the front that keeps the chain line as straight as practical given the speed and cadence conditions. For more detailed information about this topic, see the page on Cross Chaining.
If you have shifting trouble, see the Troubleshooting Tips.
Topics
Performance Tips
What is chain suck?
Troubleshooting Tips
What is cross chaining?
Recommended Equipment
Avoiding Drivetrain Trouble
Adjusting the Front Derailleur
Mounting your WickWerks Chainrings
Proper Shifting with WickWerks Chainrings
Mounting WickWerks Chainrings on a SRAM Force 22
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Proper Shifting with WickWerks Chainrings