Gear Use

Ha...I came to these forums with one question...and I have already learned so much reading through the posts -- sent to me and others--- that I keep coming back!! Its a cool place to hang out!!!

And I feel comfortable enough now to ask the d'oh questions (I actually LOVE the d'oh questions...:cool: )

So...I'm starting to understand that the mind is the most important "muscle" to riding...for going in a straight line etc....ANd last night when I was out with Maudie and DH and couldn't slow down enough to keep with them, I let go the brakes and spun out ahead -- before I knew it I was up this hill I could NOT get up a few days earlier...:eek:

And yes I was changing gears..but damn if I remember how....!!

So...can you talk to me a little about how and when to use my 7 gears? My 1st gear is a giant hill gear and I went there to get to the top....but what did I do to get that far?!?!!?

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Originally Posted by elk

So...I'm starting to understand that the mind is the most important "muscle" to riding...

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Heck yes... you got it... Zen said in another thread yesterday or today about down-hill confidence that how well you do is psychological... and this is soooooo right...

So much of cycling is about believing you can - climbing, descending, going faster, completing within a time, facing headwinds, going the distance...

Its head-stuff, and your mind can be your greatest ally or your worst enemy.


Glad you keep coming back to this place.
It is pretty darn awesome :)

You've got a 42T chainring (the gear in front). You've got a 13-34T rear cassette (the gears in back). The shifter will have 1st gear as the 34T gear in back. 7th gear is the 13T gear in back. So. You started up the hill in a gear that worked on the flat. It got hard to spin. You downshifted a gear. Spin some more. It gets hard. Downshift. Repeat as needed. Bing! You made it up the hill.

On a bike with more gears, you would need to change gears in both the front *and* the back for some hills. This can be... exciting... Managed to drop my chain that way this week. Good thing I was on the way to the shop for a tuneup anyway. Normally it's not exciting, but if the bike doesn't get normal maintenance, it will be.

If you watch yourself when you ride, you'll probably find you have a favorite gear for cruising around (mine is 2/5, yours is probably 4). You'll probably only hit 7th gear pedaling down hills, and you'll mostly hit 1st gear going up them.

This is too much like algebra for me,it makes me itch.
I just go by feel. I know about where I am and if i know what's coming up, where I'll need to be.

Works for me.

The closer you move the chain to the bike, the easier it is to pedal. Moving either the front derailleur or rear derailleur to bring the chain towards the bike makes it easier to climb a hill. Hope that helps!

starting to get it....I think I was jumping too many gears at first...
"ah, hill coming up, :eek: down shift down shift, clunk creak clink"

One at a time, as needed. I was reading Sheldon Brown's stuff (the guy who loves English 3 speeds) and he helped too...said: ideally you would always ride at the same cadence and shift as needed to keep that cadence...and a little faster is better than slower.

I also figured out what i DON"T like about the Pure....it feels low to the ground and I don't get an adrenaline rush on it...

I think I'm going to take my old Raleigh Grand Prix (bought it new in '76) in and see if I can clean it up without $$$$$ and ride that too... I just find myself every evening looking at hybrid bikes....! :o I don't have a lot of will power, but I sure as hell am tenacious!!

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Originally Posted by elk

I think I'm going to take my old Raleigh Grand Prix (bought it new in '76) in and see if I can clean it up without $$$$$ and ride that too... I just find myself every evening looking at hybrid bikes....! :o I don't have a lot of will power, but I sure as hell am tenacious!!

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Heck YEAH!!! If your old bike fits you- get it clean, tuned up and checked out and lubed....and RIDE it! :D :D :D
They made pretty nice bikes back then! It must be a nice steel bike too.

But do have your bike store check out the brakes and tune the gears up for you. You want to be safe and you sure don't want your brakes to fail on a downhill, now DO you? :cool: ;)

Get that steel baby back on the road! :p :p

Ooh is your Raleigh like this?
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/retroral...rand-prix.html

I'm writing a book.
It's called Gearing For Dummies.

It goes like this.

Front: Big, Medium, Little. (Those are on my left stem, uppest being Big.)

Back: Slow, Less Slow, Fairly easy, easier, much easier, easiest. (These are on my right stem, downest being Slowest.)

When I'm going up hill, I change into Medium and feel around the easy gears.

When I'm goin' down a hill, I change into Big and Slow.

My DH gave me a hint the other day, on some rollers.
He said, try just shifting only the left for awhile, between Big and Medium.
You mean, only shift between two gears?
Yep.
It was refreshing.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/retroral...rand-prix.html

this is the one. my ONLY hesitation is that boy bar that I thought was way cooler then....

i had it tuned, cleaned in '95 on the day my dad went into the hospital (he lived in Israel) suddenly and then he died and by the time I got back to Portland, ...well...ye old Englishe Bike went up into the attic...

and I just got her down this week.

I'm going to take her in (him I guess) and have them check the damage. I can clean the obvious stuff, but as you say....want it safe safe to ride!!

I only have 7 gears indigoiis, so I only need half a book for dummies...:p

Yup...

Good guidance, Indi

I got it into my head by watching the front chain rings (I only have big and small on both my road bikes).

Because I was too nervous to be trying to glance down and back to the rear set of cogs, I mostly looked at the front and remembered:

Small = Slow


Then, as long as my chain looked like it was running parrallel to the bike frame, I figured my gearing at the rear was ok.

Making sure that your chain is fairly straight is important or the potential for you to drop your chain is greater.

So if you are in the small at the front (climbing hills, into head winds, on relentless false flats), then keep the chain sitting on the bigger cogs at the back - the half closest to the wheel...

... and if you are in the big at the front (downhill, flat courses, tail winds) then stay in the smallest cogs at rear... the half furthest from your back wheel.

Thats how I sorted it in my head. If it doesn't help, discard my ideas til you find something that makes sense for you.


(I don't have a triple chain ring, but I assume if you do, then when you are in the middle cog at the front, you try and stay in the middle gears at the back...?)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by elk

I also figured out what i DON"T like about the Pure....it feels low to the ground and I don't get an adrenaline rush on it...

...

I just find myself every evening looking at hybrid bikes....!

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If you want speed and security on downhills, and downhill cornering... (and you want the adreniline rush) then hybrids won't cut it. Road (race) bikes are made for speed and efficiency, and maybe you should consider a test ride on one of those.

You can still use older/different style bikes for different rides... but if its the adrenilin you desire, you may not get the rush you crave (well, I crave so am assuming everyone else must too :p ) on an older bike, or a hybrid...