gears for typical trails

blablablacksheep

I looking to improve my gears and getting better at getting the right ones for the right time, so wondering as the poll said what gears you tend to use most and what gears you use for differant types of terrian, ie normal flat trail/uphill/downhill/tricky rooty terrian ect.

geordiefreerider

Thats a bit of a open ended question, but generally try in keep in a stiff as gear as you can posssibly pedal, that means you'll be going as fast as your legs can cope with, i've tried getting into the habit of stomping up hills in a harder gear rather than being a lazy retard and dropping straight into the granny ring, as you keep riding you will notice your fitness and strength increase and hills you once struggled with will fall behind you with ease ! If you know what I mean.............

supersonic

I use them all! I try and pedal at a steady 90rpm on smoother terrain, so shift to the gear that matches it. For extra bursts of power I may select a harder gear and gun it, but the gears are there to be used.

stubs

You have forgotten to include the getting off and pushing up a hill gear in you poll. Its the one I use most

dave_hill

blablablacksheep wrote:

I looking to improve my gears and getting better at getting the right ones for the right time, so wondering as the poll said what gears you tend to use most and what gears you use for differant types of terrian, ie normal flat trail/uphill/downhill/tricky rooty terrian ect.

The only "correct" gear is the one which feels right at the time and allows you to maximise effort. If it gets too much, get off and push.

nicklouse

use them all.

the right gears are the ones on the bike now.

Northwind

Most people naturally pick a too-high gear, it generally feels better to be stomping along but you mainly just wear yourself out fast. The tendancy is to pick a gear that feels like you're working harder, which is fair enough but actually, you usually want a gear where you're not working hard at all.

No 2 riders have the same length legs, same muscle development, same stamina or ride the same trails at the same speed, so really it's just what works best for you. I've found from experimentation that my brain's not to be trusted, so I always stay slightly lower than what feels really right, and it works perfectly.

nicklouse wrote:

the right gears are the ones on the bike now.

Unless you have a single speed of course

nicklouse

Northwind
still the right gear.

Northwind

Not in my experience, it's almost always the wrong gear! Too low for descents, too high for my puny legs to climb.