what is the correct technique for gear changing on tours?
davmaggs
Posts: 1,008
I commute happily around London, but am planning on riding from London to Bath for the hell of it. One thing I realised is that I never change gear on the front rings, I just go up and down the rear cogs. I want to avoid spinning out when I approach a proper hill and decide to drop down the front ring or do the reverse and not drop in time or with the wrong rear cog thereby loosing momentum.
Does anyone have any links or explanations for proper gear changing techniques (Google seems to either be real geeky ratio figures or simple articles for people who've never owned a bike)?
The scenario I am pondering is that I start approaching a long drawn out hill, which I know requires me to drop the front ring at least once, but maybe twice at some point. When should I do the move and which rear cog should I be on when I do this? I want to avoid the mad spinning moment or leaving it too long and loosing momentum.
Does anyone have any links or explanations for proper gear changing techniques (Google seems to either be real geeky ratio figures or simple articles for people who've never owned a bike)?
The scenario I am pondering is that I start approaching a long drawn out hill, which I know requires me to drop the front ring at least once, but maybe twice at some point. When should I do the move and which rear cog should I be on when I do this? I want to avoid the mad spinning moment or leaving it too long and loosing momentum.
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When I slow down to the point I need to drop to the smaller front ring I also drop 1 gear on the rear at the same time (to a higher gear). This gives me overall a lower ratio but not much lower than I had previously been in (avoids the spinny thing). Then as it gets tougher just keep shifting on the rear.
I usually do this when I get to the 3rd or 4th lowest gear on the rear rather than waiting til I'm in the lowest gear possible on the rear thus avoiding crossing the chain too much.0 -
the other point I (personally find odd) is when I realise I want to get out of the saddle and attack... which is more often than not because I am a bit mental - I go up a few gears to make the power I apply more efficient.
my bike mechanic brother always suggests you want to keep the chain as parallel to the stays as possble (unless you got funky ones then ignore or just keep the chain as parallel with the front cogs as it were). So in biggest front, try not to go in to first couple at back. middle front and neither inside or outside and smallest front do go to the outer ones.
As buttered has said - going down at front and up at back to not drop too much momentum but give you access to more cogs at back is a good way to do it.Le Cannon [98 Cannondale M400] [FCN: 8]
The Mad Monkey [2013 Hoy 003] [FCN: 4]0 -
For a 39/53 & normal cassette of ~25-11, the gear inches pan out in such a way that on the 53 roughly the same gear size is found two gears higher when on the 39. So if approaching a climb and expecting to drop onto the 39 ring, knock the rear mech up a couple of gears to compensate. Usual caveats about avoiding the extremes, 39-12 & 11 & 53-25 & 23 etc.0
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What actually happens if you run large front and back for example. My Hybrid is 50 / 28 in such circumstances, I wouldn't plan on being there but it happens sometimes when clicking up one at rear is preferable to down one at the front (mainly to spin up before clicking down again).
What damage does this actually do and what are the risks?--
Chris
Genesis Equilibrium - FCN 3/4/50 -
CiB wrote:For a 39/53 & normal cassette of ~25-11, the gear inches pan out in such a way that on the 53 roughly the same gear size is found two gears higher when on the 39. So if approaching a climb and expecting to drop onto the 39 ring, knock the rear mech up a couple of gears to compensate. Usual caveats about avoiding the extremes, 39-12 & 11 & 53-25 & 23 etc.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/chain-g ... f-the-yearAndy Schleck wrote:If only somebody had told me
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Sketchley wrote:What actually happens if you run large front and back for example. My Hybrid is 50 / 28 in such circumstances, I wouldn't plan on being there but it happens sometimes when clicking up one at rear is preferable to down one at the front (mainly to spin up before clicking down again).
What damage does this actually do and what are the risks?
extra wear and tear on the inside of chain pieces and on the sides of the teeth I think = shorter lifespan.Le Cannon [98 Cannondale M400] [FCN: 8]
The Mad Monkey [2013 Hoy 003] [FCN: 4]0 -
So ok for short spin ups but not for long drags. So to speak--
Chris
Genesis Equilibrium - FCN 3/4/50 -
It's undignified, mainly. There's usually a better option.Sketchley wrote:What actually happens if you run large front and back for example. My Hybrid is 50 / 28 in such circumstances, I wouldn't plan on being there but it happens sometimes when clicking up one at rear is preferable to down one at the front (mainly to spin up before clicking down again).
What damage does this actually do and what are the risks?0 -
Sketchley wrote:What actually happens if you run large front and back for example. My Hybrid is 50 / 28 in such circumstances, I wouldn't plan on being there but it happens sometimes when clicking up one at rear is preferable to down one at the front (mainly to spin up before clicking down again).
What damage does this actually do and what are the risks?
Your ego, and people pointing and laughing0 -
It's just that everybody says this and no one says why. So I feel the need to question.--
Chris
Genesis Equilibrium - FCN 3/4/50 -
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JonGinge wrote:
As I posted above: AS attacked in the 39-11 and the chain jumped and jammed. He lost the TdF by the very margin he lost on that stage...Sketchley wrote:
It's just that everybody says this and no one says why. So I feel the need to question.
I can't remember which rider said it - but during the whole debate about whether it was ok for contador to attack or not, there was a quote along the lines of "if you draw your sword, you'd better not drop it". I quite liked it at the time, but now it is clear to me that they should have said:
"If you draw your sword, don't pull it out of the scabbard at too much of an angle, 'cos it'll scrape against the side and get damaged and loose the edge......"
Or something.0 -
JonGinge wrote:
As I posted above: AS attacked in the 39-11 and the chain jumped and jammed. He lost the TdF by the very margin he lost on that stage...Sketchley wrote:
It's just that everybody says this and no one says why. So I feel the need to question.
I thought his chained jumped when he tried to change up from 39 to 52 at the front while standing up and putting the power down? Although had he been in 52 / 14 or something he would have had extra gear at back so no need to change the big ring, is that the point?--
Chris
Genesis Equilibrium - FCN 3/4/50 -
If you can't find 'em, grind 'em"Consider the grebe..."0
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back to when to shift - The front chainrings are the worst at shifting under load, when you are pedalling hard. So, if you need to shift down a ring when you are climbing, you either have to back off the pressure a lot and lose a lot of speed quickly or risk losing the chain. I always try to find the right chainring for a climb well before I hit a steep gradient.0
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Oh, and if you're not used to riding long distances, change down early. When your legs feel good, it's easy to put in a few digs, some big-ring heroics up the little climbs but you will regret it later on.0
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SteppenHerring wrote:Oh, and if you're not used to riding long distances, change down early. When your legs feel good, it's easy to put in a few digs, some big-ring heroics up the little climbs but you will regret it later on.
That's my thinking for posting what seems like an obvious question. I have tended to just force my way along the commute not really worrying about technique, but on a long run with some proper hills I know it would cause a drama. As of today I am actively paying attention to my gear changing so that I try and undo the years of commuting habit that have become muscle memory.
I liken it to a racing day at Silverstone a number of years back when I was reminded quite sharply that day to day driving habits become so engrained and they aren't the right way to do things.0 -
Yep change front ring early, even if that means moving to a smaler cog or 3 at the back as yopu do it, as changing under load is tricky, i imagine that applies more so on a loaded tourer. I have a tandem and its a nightmare on that trying to coordinate both of you backing off to drop the front ring to the granny ring and maintaning momentum.Bianchi Infinito CV
Bianchi Via Nirone 7 Ultegra
Brompton S Type
Carrera Vengeance Ultimate Ltd
Gary Fisher Aquila '98
Front half of a Viking Saratoga Tandem0 -
my riding is mostly off road, so as you can imagine, there is a lot of changing going on at the front as the variable terrain requires...
my general rule...9 speed cassette...
big ring, 3 smallest sprockets
granny ring, 3 biggest sprockets
middle ring for the 5 middle sprockets....where the 3rd at each end is the transition point for the change at the front.
at those points, the difference in the ratio seems slight, so there is no jump straight into spinning or grinding.
one other thing to consider about big ring, big sprocket....is that depending on your chain length....and the capacity of your rear mech.....this can end really badly, with the chain going bar tight....although, generally, this happens on mountain bikes more where a shorter caged mech is used....
I have seen this once....the chain was so tight the guy couldn't change gear again, or even split the chain...we broke a chain splitter trying.Whenever I see an adult on a bicycle, I believe in the future of the human race.
H.G. Wells.0 -
I make engine noises in my head as I ride. Usually those of a large diesel vehicle.
Once the revs start to drop, double declutch, blip of the throttle and shift into low ratio.
Then mash the throttle and leave clouds of black smoke in my wake.
Conjur up some gearbox whine for extra authenticity.Less internal organs, same supertwisted great taste.0 -
You need to anticipate, as you say if there is a long drawn out hill ahead you know you are going to need to change down so you do it just before you start the climb. As for which gear at the back don't wait until you have run out of gears at the back before you change at the front otherwise you have nowhere to go. It's one of those things that is difficult to explain but easy to do once you get the hang of it.davmaggs wrote:I commute happily around London, but am planning on riding from London to Bath for the hell of it. One thing I realised is that I never change gear on the front rings, I just go up and down the rear cogs. I want to avoid spinning out when I approach a proper hill and decide to drop down the front ring or do the reverse and not drop in time or with the wrong rear cog thereby loosing momentum.
Does anyone have any links or explanations for proper gear changing techniques (Google seems to either be real geeky ratio figures or simple articles for people who've never owned a bike)?
The scenario I am pondering is that I start approaching a long drawn out hill, which I know requires me to drop the front ring at least once, but maybe twice at some point. When should I do the move and which rear cog should I be on when I do this? I want to avoid the mad spinning moment or leaving it too long and loosing momentum.
Hope that helps.0
