| In 25 years of passion in the worship of the bicycle | | | | large sprocket in the rear will make you go slow but |
| and its benefits to mankind and the world, one | | | | give you more leverage for going up hills. So the gear |
| common theme seems to be the fear of gears and | | | | ratio for going slow, but going up a really steep hill will |
| shifting on your bicycle. I first thought about naming this | | | | be small chainring and large sprocket. Beginners may |
| "Understanding Bicycle Gears and Shifting", but if you | | | | like the idea of putting the chain on the middle chainring |
| are reading this you probably want some basic | | | | and just forget that you have a left shift lever. The |
| information. In 25 years of selling, fixing and racing | | | | middle will be just fine until you get to the steepest hill in |
| bicycles, gears are a blessing and a pain in the behind. | | | | town or the opposite, the wind is behind you and you |
| They allow you to go faster and farther with less | | | | want to go a decline at 30 mph. |
| effort and up steeper hills than if you just had a single | | | | So ride along in the middle chainring, pick any gear in |
| speed. But there is some complexity for its added | | | | the rear and start pedaling, a good cadence ( the |
| benefits. | | | | number of times your pedal goes around in a minute) is |
| You need to make the shifts while you are moving | | | | at least 60 rpms, This means when you are riding your |
| forward and pedaling. Pedaling should be a medium or | | | | right knee should come up at least once every second. |
| soft pedaling effort when making shifts, this helps the | | | | If you are slower that that, you need to "upshift" or get |
| chain up and down the shift ramps on the chainrings | | | | into a larger rear sprocket. If you are pedaling a lot |
| and sprockets. | | | | faster than 60 rpms, and if you feel not in control, or a |
| Sprockets are in the rear, and chainrings are | | | | bouncing on the saddle, you need to downshift, or get |
| connected to the cranks and are in the front. The rear | | | | into smaller sprocket. |
| shifter (rear derailleur) is controlled by the right shift | | | | Just decide which way you need to go in your future |
| controller on the handlebars. The front shifter (front | | | | shift, keep pedaling, and make the shift. If it seems |
| derailleur) is controlled by the left shift controller on the | | | | worse just shift the other direction. Try not to look |
| handlebars. Remember right =rear. Don't be afraid to | | | | down at the chain for more than a second, as this is |
| shift, as long as you are pedaling you will be OK, shift | | | | when a nasty accident tends to happen. Eyes on the |
| to your heart's delight. | | | | road, until you get good, just shift until it feels good. If |
| Most bikes have 3 chainrings in the front and 5 to 10 | | | | you hear or feel scraping or grinding, you may need to |
| sprockets in the rear. The number of gears on your | | | | pick another gear. |
| bike is figured by multiplying the number of chainrings | | | | There are 2 combinations of gears you need to try to |
| by the number of sprockets. Just because you have a | | | | avoid. They are called "crossover" gears. They are the |
| "21 speed" doesn't mean you have 21 different gears, | | | | combination of Big Chainring and big sprocket or small |
| but rather you may only have 12 or 13 as many gears | | | | chainring and small sprocket. This causes extra wear |
| are near duplications. | | | | and tear on the gearing system. Not life or death, but a |
| The biggest chainring on your cranks will make you go | | | | good habit, and will make you look less like a rookie. |
| fast. The smallest sprocket in the rear will make you | | | | Still making noise? Go to a repair shop for their expert |
| go fast. So the gear ratio for the most amount of | | | | opinion, it should be for free, we want you to be safe |
| speed will be big in the front and small in the rear. This | | | | and happy. |
| will be hard to pedal. | | | | Go ride,get some exercise and fresh air, shift often, |
| The smallest chainring in the front will make you go | | | | enjoy technology, wear a helmet. |
| slow but give more leverage for going up hills. The | | | | |