Understanding gears....

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Comments

  • Mr Will
    Mr Will Posts: 216
    Mikey23 wrote:
    Good thread this... I have standard compact 50/34 11/28. I'm getting better about using the middle ranges but it took a bit of practice. What I find is a prob for me is that I'm needing to change from large to small ring, I do the whizzy feet thing and click click click quickly down so I can get a smooth transition. Is this common or am I doing something wrong? I have no probs the other way but I feel so stupid and it looks inelegant

    I shift both at once when riding a compact; one click on the rear first then click both front and rear together. Requires easing off for a fraction of a second to do smoothly but avoid the whizzy feet/loss of momentum.
    2010 Cannondale CAAD9 Tiagra
  • g00se
    g00se Posts: 2,221
    Mr Will wrote:
    Mikey23 wrote:
    Good thread this... I have standard compact 50/34 11/28. I'm getting better about using the middle ranges but it took a bit of practice. What I find is a prob for me is that I'm needing to change from large to small ring, I do the whizzy feet thing and click click click quickly down so I can get a smooth transition. Is this common or am I doing something wrong? I have no probs the other way but I feel so stupid and it looks inelegant

    I shift both at once when riding a compact; one click on the rear first then click both front and rear together. Requires easing off for a fraction of a second to do smoothly but avoid the whizzy feet/loss of momentum.

    It's more of an issue with a compact where you may need to shift 3 or 4 sprockets at the back to match the gear you had on the big ring.

    Short of getting a bike with Campagnolo kit on it (you can shift up 5 on the rear and drop to the smaller chainring at the same time). I'd shift a few on the back first so the drop to the smaller ring isn't too "whizzy"...
  • Mikey23
    Mikey23 Posts: 5,306
    Ok ta, a couple of good tips there for me to try!
  • pinkteapot
    pinkteapot Posts: 367
    Simon E wrote:
    The difference between the outer ring and middle is about the same as moving 2 or 3 cogs on the back.

    Just have to say THANK YOU again for this simple comment. :D

    The info and theory of it above is cool and I understand it all now. But THIS is what I had in mind on my ride today. Did 35 miles (my longest so far) and for the first time I used the outer front rings fairly regularly. The way I thought of it was that if I was coming up to a hill where'd I switch up/down by about 3 gears (or more), I'd flick the front ring first and then adjust with the back if need be.

    Brilliant!

    I know this is probably so obvious to 99.9% of bikers but I feel like I'm finally (at 32) starting to use gears correctly. :D
  • g00se
    g00se Posts: 2,221
    Cool. It's not obvious - just needs to be done a few times to understand how best to use them. Like you said - planning ahead is the way to go.
  • fsman
    fsman Posts: 112
    http://www.gear-calculator.com/#KB=39,5 ... =2099&SL=2

    good for playing with different ratios.
  • simon_e
    simon_e Posts: 1,707
    pinkteapot wrote:
    I know this is probably so obvious to 99.9% of bikers but I feel like I'm finally (at 32) starting to use gears correctly. :D
    It's not usually obvious, people pick these things up as they ride and/or learn from others. Glad you found it helpful.

    I found that when I could visualise the difference between each chainring I could anticipate whether I'd need to swap rings better.
    Aspire not to have more, but to be more.

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