The 2nd post was spot-on, learn to shift by ear like the pros do. Look at the tach once to get an idea for how it sounds at the redline and try to match that pitch when you shift.
The 2nd post was spot-on, learn to shift by ear like the pros do. Look at the tach once to get an idea for how it sounds at the redline and try to match that pitch when you shift.
exactly i never use it as sometimes your "stuck" in a gear inbetween corners so you can scream it a little higher through the redline and not lose time between shifting. focus on the road not the funny bright lights hehe
Just a part of learning to drive. You'll get an ear for it. You can put me in any car and I'll be able to shift it by ear, its not the specific pitch so much as the progression of the pitch itself.
And bear in mind that's just a rough guess, as you drive a car more and more you'll work out the shift points. For instance, the DB9s shift points after 2nd gear are all just before redline. If the Focus is true to reality they should be well below redline.
As none of the cars ive owned IRL have had a rev counter you learn to do it by ear, but sometimes its best to shift earlier ie to match the torque curve, GT5 needs a live data logging function like FM3, helps with shift points when you can accuratly tell where your peak power and torque is made
Sound is the best way, but sometimes you can also tell because when you start approaching redline the power tapers off and the rate at which the pitch increases slows. That helps to figure it out for a car that's new to you without having to watch the tach.
I generally shift by ear from roof cam and it's usually fine but I found in some races the AI cars, even if they are the same car were much louder than mine and I couldn't hear my engine over theirs. The Lamborghini Gallardo trophy race is one that springs to mind.
I normally find when the valves are bouncing, the pistons screaming and the crankshaft groaning, its time to change up a gear. It hasn't failed me yet.
I generally shift by ear from roof cam and it's usually fine but I found in some races the AI cars, even if they are the same car were much louder than mine and I couldn't hear my engine over theirs. The Lamborghini Gallardo trophy race is one that springs to mind.
I've noticed this to. The S3 in the European championship is especially loud. I've found myself bouncing off the limiter a few times after the first chicane at Monza.
Buy a Honda S2000, can't race that without the shift light flashing. Literally, you do not leave the redline. My point is, I'm with the majority of posts, train your ear, it's not as hard as you might think 👍
Agreed. In premiums, I race with the speedo off, and take a look in the cockpit at the redline on the gauges for the first run through the gears. After that, it's all ears. It allows me to keep my eyes on the track at all times.
Alot of good race drivers will do this, but alot use shift lights too. I guess it can come down to preference. Shift lights are easily adjustable too. The advantage to shift lights is you don't have to go by sound, and you can put all your focus on the task at hand in front of you.
My 1990 Chevy Cavalier didn't have a tach. It had shift indicators, but those stopped working well before I bought the car. I just shifted when it sounded like the RPMs were high enough. Man that car was a POS.
Base model Toyotas as well if I'm not mistaken. A buddy of mine had a bottom of the bucket base model Corolla without a tach. I drove it once, my buddy would crap a brick every time I shifted. Oddly, I haven't gotten to drive that car since.
You have to play it by ear, even when there is a tach, you'd just be wasting time by having to look down, then making the decision to shift. It should all be natural and you shouldn't have to think about it. Though it is a shame that the light is so small in the game, it's almost useless, would help a lot when driving an unfamiliar car.
