Gear changing - help please!

rawhide262

I've recently bought a hybrid bike after 25 years without riding.

The bike has 24 speed gears, and I'm struggling to get used to the concept. I'm not sure when I should be changing gears and I seem to lose a lot of momentum due to this fact - particularly up hills.

I'm pretty fit (I run half and full marathons) so it's not a fitness issue, the bike is new - Ridgeback Cyclone and works fine, so it's down to technique. Could anybody point me to a book/website that would help?

Many thanks.

John C.

I think the best way to start if you are unfamiliar with gears is to stick the bike in the middle ring at the front and leave it there for the time being. As you have plenty of gears get yourself into a steady peddling speed and then change gear to maintain this, if it means changing gear a lot then so be it, that is what they are there for, no point in slowing right down and then deciding to change down a gear or two. When you get used to working the back gears then if you are going down a long hill move the front gear to the largest chain ring but go back to the middle when you come onto the flat again and your speed slows down. The opposite will apply when you go up a hill, change down into the granny gear for the duration of the hill then back into the middle ring once you're on the flat and your speed is rising.
Avoid running the largest front with the largest at the back and the smallest with the smallest, it doesn't do your chain any good to be stretched sideways like that.
hope that has been some help

John

benny2891

http://sheldonbrown.com/gears.html

Cajun

It helps to understand Cadence in order to understand gear selections...no good answer without trials. For hills, do not try to 'muscle-up' the hill; your cadence (rpm of the pedal-cranks) should be a minimum of 75rpm....normal riding should be between 80-95....time in the saddle and personal performance improvement will achieve these goals....
FWIW: high cadence keeps you from ruining your knees.
http://www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/touring/gears.htm
http://www.cptips.com/tech.htm
http://www.cptips.com/
Don't get discouraged at your beginning abilities....
and remember: ALWAYS ride at your own pace....

donaldinho

benny2891 wrote:

http://sheldonbrown.com/gears.html

That Sheldon Brown guy is cool! 8)

Random Vince

spin your legs comfortably and then change gear to allow your legs to still be going comfortably

change down a bit before hills, ease off the pedals when you do.

if you're dropping down a ring on the front change up two on the back just after wards, keeps it a similar ratio


make it up as you go allong :P

Rich Hcp

I just ride at a cadance I'm comfortable with and try to keep that in all conditions.

The advice to change up two on the back when changing down on the front is good too.

On a good day you'll have higher cadance, on others not, don't force it and you'll be fine

Random Vince

just dont have both sets of gears trying to change at once

think of it like clutch in and then change gear when driving

change down on the front to make it easier, then change up on the back to balance it out.

i'm gonna stop talking before i confuse someone

rawhide262

Thanks for the advice. I take it the 'front ring' is 1,2,3 on the left handlebar, and 'back ring' is 1-8 on the other.

My last bike only had three gears (Raleigh Chopper in the early 1980s)!

Random Vince

this is assuming that your front gears have 1,2,3 rings (3 being the highest) and your back rings are 1-8

mine is 1 and 2-3 as the others dont exist / work i feel inept



or a slightly less depressed answer, yes.

hammerite

Random Vince wrote:

if you're dropping down a ring on the front change up two on the back just after wards, keeps it a similar ratio

I used that on my ride today, turned out to be a very useful so thanks!