gears?

sal613

i am compltly new to learnign to ride a bike #(sorry if wrong forum) and i am learing how to ride myself at 15 but one thing i am confused about i just need a little advice about the gears. on the left side theres the number 1 with little dashes then further up is the number 3 and more dashes and on the right is the number 6 at bottem and 5,4,3,2, and 1 at the top. now i know there gears and it is automaticly set at the left one at 1 and the right one at 6. but i am confused? is one side on a higher gear then the other? is that making it harder for me? or am i reading it all wrong??

kegs

Hi.

The side with the numbers 1 to 3 controls where the chain is on the chainset (the bit with the cranks and pedals on)

You have 3 chain rings, the biggest one has the hardest gears to pedal, and the smallest has the easiest gears. Until you get your head round them you are probably best leaving this side in the middle ring (2 on the shifter). That should be fine for most things for the moment.

The other side (numbers 1-6) controls the gears on the back wheel. On these the smallest sprocket is the hardest to pedal, and the largest is the easiest.

You generally use the rear gears to for small changes in gear, and the front gears for bigger changes, for example you'd usually put the front gears into the smallest ring (called the granny ring) when you are riding up a steep hill, and the largest chain ring for pedalling fast downhill or on the flat.

Does that clear things up a bit for you?

Daz555

Left 1 + Right 1 is the EASIEST of all your gear settings.
Left 3 + Right 6 is the HARDEST of all your gear settings.

In between is a range of gears, some which overlap - this can be a bit confusing.

Remember that LEFT controls thre front gears and RIGHT controls the rear gears. Small gears are easiest on the front whilst large gears are easiest on the rear.

When you next get on the bike try this:

1. Select Left 1 + Right 1. This will put the chain on the smallest front gear and tha largest rear gear giving you the easiest gear.

2. Now slowly move through Right 2,3,4,5,6 pedalling as you go and feeling the change in 'feel' of the gear as you pedal along. Try to maintain the same ground speed. As you move up through the gears you will feel the higher gears and it will feel harder to pedal. However at the same time you will notice that your legs are going round more slowly and yet you are still travelling at the same speed.

3. Now move the Left selector to 2, the Right back to 1, and repeat the process.

4. Now move the Left selector to 3, the right back to 1, and repeat the process.

Explaining how the gears overlap is more tricky. A 21 speed setup may actually have as little as 10 'real' gear ratios due to overlapping.

Here is a nice wiki on gears: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_gearing

duckson

I generally leave the front on the middle chainring (left selector, no 2), gives enough spread of gearing then from easiest for uphills to harder for downhills.