Tired of guiding your fixie bike while uphill? Having a bicycle with gears will make cycling more comfortable and efficient, whether you're hiking in the mountains or just cruising through the city streets. Understanding the basics of how gears work can change the way you cycle 180 degrees. Learn these easy techniques right now and you can start cycling in style!
Step
Part 1 of 3: Identifying Teeth
This section will teach you how to tell if your bike has teeth or not, if it does, how many gears it has. Click here. to go directly to the section on shifting gears.
Step 1. Count the number of teeth at the base of the bicycle pedal
If you want to know how to shift gears on your bike, you'll need to have a gear bike first. Luckily, it's easy to check. See the pedals section. At the center of the pedal, there is usually one or more serrated metal rings that fit the chain. This is front teeth.
Count how many teeth you see.
Most bicycles have about one to three front teeth
Step 2. Count the number of teeth on the rear wheel
Now, look at the rear wheel of the bicycle. You should be able to see the chain extending from the front teeth to the different sets of rings in the center of the wheel. This is back teeth bicycle. Count how many you see.
If your bike has teeth, usually the rear has more teeth than the front. Some bikes have ten or more
Step 3. Multiply the two number of teeth to find out how many teeth your bike has
Now, just multiply the number of front teeth by the number of back teeth. The multiplication result determines the total number of teeth on your bike. Some people also refer to it as the amount of speed.
- For example, if you have three front and six rear gears, your bicycle has 3 × 6 = 18 teeth (or speed). If you have one front gear and seven rear gears, then your bike has 1 × 7 = 7 teeth.
- If your bicycle has only one front and one rear gear, then your bicycle has 1 × 1 = 1 tooth. This type of bike is known as a fixed-gear or fixie bike. Unfortunately, you can't shift gears on a fixed-gear bike.
Part 2 of 3: Gear Shifting Basics
Step 1. Use your left hand to move the front teeth
Geared bikes almost always have hand controls on the handlebars for shifting gears. When using left-hand control, a metal loop known as a derailleur moves the chain from side to side so that the chain shifts to the desired front gear. There are several different mechanisms for shifting gears on bicycles that are widely known, namely:
- Grip shifter operated by turning your wrist
- Small lever above or below the handlebar operated using your thumb
- The larger lever is close to the brake lever operated using your fingertips
- Less commonly, a gearshift or electronic lever mounted on a bicycle frame
Step 2. Use your right hand to shift the rear gear
The back teeth have their own derailleur. Using the right hand control will move the rear derailleur from side to side, which will cause the chain to shift to the desired gear. The rear teeth almost always use the same mechanism as the front teeth.
If you have trouble remembering your hand control, just remember: right = back.
Step 3. Shift gears to a lower level to make the stroke lighter but less powerful
In certain situations, you can change gears to make riding your bike easier. For example, shifting to a lower gear will make your pedaling faster and easier, but you won't have much distance with each stroke. There are two ways to shift to a lower gear:
- Move to smaller teeth in front.
-
Move to bigger teeth at the back.
Step 4. Shift gears to a higher level to make the stroke heavier but more powerful
The opposite of shifting to a lower gear is shifting to a higher gear. High gears will make the stroke harder, but each stroke will take you further and make you go faster. There are also two ways to shift to a higher gear:
- Move to bigger teeth in front.
-
Move to smaller teeth at the back.
Step 5. Practice shifting gears higher or lower on level ground
A great way to master shifting is to practice hands-on! Go to a safe, level place (like a park) and start pedaling. Try to use one of the existing hand controls to shift gears to a higher or lower level. You'll hear the chain shifting or rattling and your feet will feel lighter or heavier, depending on the gearshift you've chosen; high or low. Try to use both hand controls to shift gears up or down until you get the hang of it.
Step 6. Shift gears only when you are pedaling the bike forward
If you're used to riding the kind of bike that requires you to pedal backwards to brake, it will take some getting used to. A bicycle chain can only shift to a different gear if the chain is tense, so you have to pedal forward. If you shift gears while pedaling backwards or don't pedal at all, the chain won't be tense enough to move. When you try to pedal again, the chain may crackle or slip out of the teeth. You don't want to experience this while cycling.
Part 3 of 3: Knowing When and How to Shift Teeth
Step 1. Use a low gear when you start cycling
The first few strokes will be the hardest, as you'll need to move from rest to a comfortable pace. Whenever you start cycling, shift to a gear that is low enough to make the pedaling faster and lighter so you can get back to the speed you want.
- You should also do this trick whenever you stop and start pedaling again (such as when you stop at a red light).
- If you know you're going to be stopping your bike soon, it's a good idea to shift to a lower gear so you can start pedaling more easily when you need to go again. This is especially efficient if you have to get off of difficult terrain - for example if the road to your house is uphill.
Step 2. Gradually shift gears to a higher level as you pick up speed
As you speed up your bike, you'll notice that low gears feel too light. If you want to keep picking up speed, shift to a higher gear. You will feel that the stroke will feel heavier and you will continue to go faster.
If you ride your bike on less extreme terrain (such as city streets with some slight inclines), center gear will feel more comfortable for standard cruising speeds. For example, if you're tuning your bike at 18-speed (three gears in front, six in back), using second gear at the front and third gear at the rear will give you a pretty good intermediate option
Step 3. Shift to a lower gear to go through the incline
This skill is important to learn – without it, you will always be leading your bike on steeper inclines. It is almost impossible to climb an incline in high gear. However, a low gear allows you to pedal slowly and steadily up grades without exerting too much force.
At first, you may find it difficult to climb the incline in low gear. Since you're traveling at a slower pace, it's going to be more difficult to keep your balance than usual. However, moving slowly means it will be easier to lower your legs if you lose your balance
Step 4. Shift to a high gear for straights or descents
If you're trying to get on the bike as fast as you can, using high gear on terrain like this is perfect. Gradually shifting gears to the highest level will allow you to keep accelerating steadily until you reach your maximum speed. Remember to be extra careful when you go this fast - your chances of injuring yourself are higher.
Using high gear is one way to be able to accelerate when downhill. Low gear won't spin the chain fast enough to match the bike's wheels as it slides downhill, so it's practically impossible to accelerate the bike except with the help of the descent itself
Step 5. Shift gears to a higher level carefully to prevent injury to the joints
You may find it satisfying to push your bike in high gear, but it can be bad for your body in the long run. Pushing yourself to pedal a bicycle in too high a gear can put strain on your joints (especially your knees), which can lead to pain or even joint problems later in life. Cycling in low gear and at a steady pace is also not a great exercise for the heart and lungs.
To be clear, you can use a higher gear, but move slowly once you're ready to pick up speed
Step 6. Avoid using teeth that make the chains cross
As you shift gears and look at the chain, you may notice that sometimes the chain forms slightly diagonal angles. This is not a problem, unless you use gears that cause the chain to form too extreme a diagonal angle. This can make the chain wear and tear more quickly over time and can cause the chain to crack and slip in the short term. In general, you need to avoid the chain being in the largest gear or the smallest gear in either the front or rear gears. Or in other words:
- Do not use largest teeth in front with largest teeth in back.
-
Do not use smallest teeth in front with smallest teeth in back.
Tips
- The difference in size between the front and rear gears determines how much power you need to pedal and how fast you go. For example, if the two gears are nearly the same size, for each pedal rotation, the rear tire will rotate once. On the other hand, if the front gear is larger and the rear gear is smaller, the rear wheel will turn more for each pedal rotation. This will help you to reach higher speeds, but you will need to expend more power.
- When cycling against strong winds, adjust the gear one level below your usual gear. You'll be going slower, but you'll be able to ride longer at a steady pace.
- Most people find that 75 to 90 rotations per minute is the easiest speed to maintain for long periods of time. At this speed, you can pedal a full circle before you even finish saying “tu wa ga pat”.
- When cycling on an incline, take a safe step and use a low gear. Pedaling fast but using less force can be tiring, but it's better than expending more effort when climbing an incline. Apart from that, it can also help you get through longer inclines.
- Shift gears when heading for an early incline. You don't want to change gears in a hurry while you're going up an incline.
