Gears

[lovelylibrarian]

Just a quick question to you all. If your bike has them, do you use the numbers that show your gears on the handlebars of your bike or do you look at the gears themselves?

I'm still working on figuring out which gears to use when and how to switch BEFORE I go uphill.

My husband just looks down to see where his chain is but I can't do that and ride my bike at the same time. I like to look at my handlebars and use the numbers to learn the gears.

What do you do? I'm sure as I get more experienced, I'll just have a feel for the gears.

[Sarabeth]

On my first road bike, back on '01, I had Shimano 105's and the Flight Deck system. It shows where your chain is on the front and back rings. I got so used to looking at those numbers/positions that I couldn't imagine having to look down at my chain to see where I was before shifting going up or down the hills. Then after a couple of years it malfunctioned and needed to be replaced, but they no longer made the part I needed. Along about that time I bought a new road bike too and it didn't come with Flight Deck. It took just a short time to adjust and now I can't imagine any other way. It is so automatic now to look down at the chain. Also the longer I ride I can just sense what gears I am in without looking down.

[bike4ever]

I don't look at where I am. I just shift to make it easier or harder for my legs and the upcoming conditions.

If I'm coming to a very hard climb, then I drop the front ring and adjust shifting in the back. That way when I begin climbing, I have the gears to work slowly through to make it up the climb without being in too easy of a gear to begin with.

I explain to new cycling customers how the gears work; however, I really feel it has to do with what your legs need as to which gear you'll end up being in.

[makbike]

On my old steel touring bike I calculated the gear inches and made a chart. I taped that chart to my top tube and would refer to it when riding. I still ride this bike and can tell which gear I'm in by looking at the shifters which are located on the down tube.

On my new LeMond I have simply learned the feel of the bike and generally have an idea as to which cog is in use at the moment. However, if I'm not certain I can quickly glance to the rear for an instant read.

[Tuckervill]

I memorize which way the levers go for easier or harder pedaling. I started on my mountain bike, which has numbers on the dials, but I didn't want to have to look.

I memorized it on that bike this way: The harder it is to push the button (meaning having to use the lever that is not conveniently at my thumb), the easier it is to push the pedals.

It's a similar thing on my road bike with brifters, but the levers are different.

On my touring bike, with downtube friction shifters, I had to remember a whole different system, and it wasn't until I started riding it that I realized the chain is closer to the frame when it's easy to pedal, and closer to my right leg when it's hardest. I look down at the chain on that one a lot, but I don't like to.

It's funny because I rode bikes with friction shifters all through my childhood and I don't remember even considering how or when to shift. I just did it, or didn't, depending on if the bike was working or not (many of the series of 10-speeds I acquired because the last one got stolen were poorly adjusted and/or good or bad quality--I was just happy to have a bike). I never gave it a thought--I just pedaled.

Karen

[atombessy]

On my mountain bike I look at the shifters, on my road bike (if I have to look) I look at my gears. Although sometimes i'll look down at my crank on my mountain bike if i'm suspicious it didn't shift correctly. I think the best advice is to first memorize which direction to push to shift up or down, that's really step one!!

[Irulan]

I don't look at where I am. I just shift to make it easier or harder for my legs and the upcoming conditions.

Same here. None of my mountain bikes have ever had numbers, just hatch marks. You just have to mentally train yourself to know which way to go to go up or down a gear. This is fine until you get a bike that is reverse configured. I've had to retrail my brain since my newest bike has, I think SRAM instead of Shimano.

[ima_bleeder]

When I first started mountain biking I had grip shifters, and I relied on those numbers. But I haven't had that in a long time.

I shift a lot mountain biking, and often lose track of the gear I'm in. But I always know what ring I'm in, and usually roughly which gear in the back. If I know I've got a climb ahead I make sure I'm in the right ring (most important), and if it's a long climb I can finesse the gears to get them just right. If it's a short steep climb and I'm not in quite the gear I wanted, I just suffer through it.

[SadieKate]

Same as Irulan and bike4ever. I've had a multitude of mtbs over the years none of those have been adopted out had any indicators. Of the three I own now, only two have window indicators with hatch marks.

None of my road bikes do. The odd misfires (i.e, cross gearing) seems to be in direct relation to the social pace of the ride (in other words, a lot of yakking).

[Paradox]

I am what would be considered a "beginner" mountain biker and I like having the numbers on my shifters. Since I got my bike two years ago I've had shifters with indicators and have gotten used to thinking "okay, so for this hill, I should be in 1 and 2 or I'll never make it." My boyfriend is thinking about putting something on my bike that has a bracket so the shifters/brake levers can be mounted in the same location, but I guess that type of shifter doesn't have the indicator. I'm not real keen on not having the numbers, but I guess someday I may have to adapt. Being a numbers person I suppose it is easier for me to remember the gears by their number rather than the little/middle/big chainring, etc.

I say if you like looking at the numbers and it helps you then it's ok. Just because someone else looks at the chain rings doesn't mean you have to.

[sundial]

I just shift until it feels right. I rarely look at my gears.

[Tuckervill]

My son uses the numbers on his mountain bike. He has friction shifters on his old 10-speed road bike. It was a big adjustment for him. He usually just gets in the big ring and mashes anyway, and if he needs easier pedaling, either stands or shifts the front!

The downtube shifters made me fall over with my trailer going uphill. I couldn't really take my eyes off the road, so I reached too far back, and that made the handlebars squirrely. Me, bike and trailer all landed on the right side. I came unclipped from the Frogs, thank goodness, and scraped my knee a little, but was otherwise unhurt. Landed in the ditch. That bike is getting an upgrade to shifters closer to my hands!

Karen

[SadieKate]

II'm not real keen on not having the numbers, but I guess someday I may have to adapt. Being a numbers person I suppose it is easier for me to remember the gears by their number rather than the little/middle/big chainring, etc.

I say if you like looking at the numbers and it helps you then it's ok. Just because someone else looks at the chain rings doesn't mean you have to.

Just a comment. If you ever go to a skills clinic or get a coach, they aren't going to talk numbers. They are going to talk small, middle, big both on the front and back. I've been on lots of ride with new riders who ask gearing advice and rattle off numbers. The experienced riders/racers/coaches all look blank.

Just a thought about trying to learn small, middle, big . . . .

[Paradox]

If you ever go to a skills clinic or get a coach, they aren't going to talk numbers. They are going to talk small, middle, big both on the front and back. I've been on lots of ride with new riders who ask gearing advice and rattle off numbers. The experienced riders/racers/coaches all look blank.

That's fine. I'm just riding for occasional fun, not intending to race, get a coach or embarrass myself with all you more experienced riders or anything. The numbers make it easier, I think.

She said that she likes to look at the numbers to learn the gears while mountain biking. It sounds like her husband is telling her she should ignore the numbers and look at the chainrings. My personal opinion is that if she wants to look at the numbers while learning, what is the harm in it. It is better than crashing while looking down at your bike. There is enough to learn in the beginning as it is, she said she is still getting used to how the gears change.

[SadieKate]

I don't race either and only ride for fun which means I can still take classes to lessen my fall down go boom factor.

It was just a suggestion so that if anyone wants to take lessons to improve and have more fun she'd be better prepared.