I have been given a bike with Shimano gears.Left hand 123,Righthand 1234567.Can you give me a normal setting to start riding using them and getting used to them.

what group set do you have?
Have you looked on the Shimano website? They have a lot of useful information on there, including basic gear setuo details which will generally apply to all groupsets.

Right peddle has a right hand thread, normal, and left peddle has a left hand thread. On the left peddle you need to turn it clock wise to loosen it, counter clockwise to tighten

First gear on both sides would result in the easiest gear possible.
Lets think of it like this....

Left hand in the "1" gear, you now have gears 1-7 to use on the right hand side. The right hand controls the rear gears and brake.
Once you reach gear number 7 and want to find #8, move the left hand to gear number 2. Now set the right hand back to #1. This is your 8th gear.
You essentially have 3 sets of 7 gears, with each set being harder then the previous.
Clear?

Sounds like u have bent the gear lever or its linkages, at the worst the gear shift shaft may be bent

Try flushing out the shifter(s) with WD-40, use plenty. The next step will be replacing the shift cables and cable housings.

• Take the bicycle in an area free of cars and obstacles, such as an open parking lot. Concentration is required when learning to use Ultegra shifters or any other type of bicycle shifter.
  
• 2 Mount the bicycle and rest both hands on the proper Ultegra hand control. The left-hand control operates the front derailleur. The right-hand control operates the rear derailleur.
  
• 3 Start pedaling, smoothly and evenly. While pedaling is crucial to propelling the bicycle forward, it is also necessary when shifting the derailleur. Pedaling forces the chain to rotate. The chain must rotate before it can transfer to another gear.
  
• 4 Push the outside right Shimano Ultegra lever in toward the bicycle. The rear derailleur will shift the chain to a smaller rear gear.
  
• 5 Push the inside right Shimano Ultegra lever in toward the bicycle. The rear derailleur will shift the chain to a larger rear gear.
  

Rear Ultegra Derailleur Control

• 1 Push the outside left Shimano Ultegra lever in toward the bicycle. The front derailleur will shift the chain to larger front gear.
  
• 2 Push the inside left Shimano Ultegra lever in toward the bicycle. The front derailleur will shift the chain to a smaller front gear.
  
• 3 Use the front and rear Ultregra hand controls interchangeably. For small changes in gearing, using the rear control. For larger changes, choose the front control. A smaller gear causes the bicycle to travel a shorter distance per pedal stroke but also requires less energy to use. A larger gear requires greater effort but in turn causes the bicycle to travel farther per pedal stroke.
  

It's "Shimano". SRAM and Shimano are the main players in the bicycle component industry. Each has boutique parts and throw-away parts. Guess which end your your bike is on.

Visit their websites to look around at the offerings. Just the parts on a high end bike (no frame or wheels) can set you back $2000.

The problem needs some better definition and a trip back to the seller for evaluation. OR bite the bullet and get a better Bike Shop bike that will come with a relationship to the guys at the bike shop, who are always ready and willing to advise you.

Where did you buy the bike? Any dealer who sells a bike is more than happy to instruct you on the use and maintenance of it. I will give you a brief, lesson-left hand controls the front brake and gears, right hand controls the rear (R=rear, easy way to remember). Front derailleur is the ranges 1 (closest to the bike are always easiest) and the farther away from the frame get harder but make the bike go faster. The rear derailleur has more than likely 7 cogs again same rule as above. So always pedal forward and do not go small gear in front to small gear in rear, & large gear in front to large gear in rear because your chain will stretch from too much stress and it doesn't do you any good.
Do not pedal backwards because unless your chain is directly on the correct gear you will chip teeth on your gears.
But, do go for lessons on your bike, to learn maintenance tips and how remove your wheels, etc.
Remember bikes are not toys, they are machines and need to maintained to get the full enjoyment out of them.

Hi Art! First of all, congratulations on your 1967 Triumph... that's a beauty!!!

Basic things to know before riding a bike is it's parts.

Clutch is the lever you press on the left side of the handle bar.

Front disc brake is the lever on the right side of the handle bar.

Shifter is the one you're stepping on when shifting gears and is located on the left side of the engine if you're on it.

Now, you must first know if the gear is on Neutral by pushing the bike before starting the bike. If it's hard to push then the shifter is not in neutral. Press the shifter by your left foot until you are able to push the bike with ease.

Hop on the bike and start the engine. Most bikes have ignition starters but if your bike doesn't have one, then you have to turn keys to on position and use the kick starter. Rev the engine by pressing the throttle grip on the right side of the handle bar.

Engine is running and in idle position. Press the Clutch lever (left hand) and press the shifter once (left foot) DO NOT RELEASE THE CLUTCH YET!!!

Slowly press the throttle with your right hand until you hear or feel the engine purr...

Slowly release the clutch (left hand) until you fell the bike move forward.

If I am not mistaken, shifting the gears of the triumph is 1-down and 4 up...

Every time you shift gears, you need to press the clutch to release the gears.

Hope you'll have fun!!!

Ride safe my friend!!!

Don't forget your riding gears!!!

^_^

Yeah you will run into that at some bike shops. When they see older components like that, they often refuse to adjust them for fear of breakage and liability. Try a different bike shop if you can, or if you are confident in your mechanical abilities, try it yourself, instructions here:
http://www.ehow.com/how_6086607_adjust-shimano-rear-derailleur.html

Good luck.

Forget the screws as those are more for fine tuning once you are close to having it set correctly. Where the shift cable connects to the shifter on the bars you will typically find an adjustment knob (note that you may have the same type of adjustment knob where the cable meets the gear shift mechanism also) which the cable rides in. You will make much larger jumps in adjustment when using this method as opposed to using the screws located on the gear changing mechanism. Best of luck to you on the fix!!

Please be sure to rate this solution.

Regards,

Joe