Interleaving is the next step to take, after you become comfortable with shifting your gears.

You will probably notice a large difference when moving the front (typically from large to smaller) chain rings, than say when scaling the cogs in the back.

To increase your overall gearing range and for more subtle gearing adjustments as you become stronger, you can use a technique described to me as interleaving or half-step shifting. I find it useful when working on rolling hills intermittent with climbs.

I will assume a triple ring for this discussion ...

Basically, when you are ready to move from the big chain ring (in the front) to the middle, first shift the back derailleur to a higher gear (or smaller cog for more torque when pedaling) by one, then immediately shift your front derailleur in the front to the middle. Remember, chains hate to move when under pressure, so alleviate some of your pedaling torque when doing the maneuvers to allow for smooth chain transitions between the sprockets.

The same technique can be used when moving from the second ring to the third or smallest ring in the front.

I have found that the jump between the second ring and the third, the granny gear, is significantly more dramatic. In many cases, I choose to move the back derailleur by two higher gears (to smaller cogs) before going into my granny gear. This takes some experimentation and practice, but on those really long climbs it will definitely increase your range of gearing.

So the power of the gears is not in how many you have, but in the size (56 mm - 28 mm) of the gears and how you use them!!

Just imagine being on one of those nasty climbs, and you are in the (assuming 9 cogs in the back) 4th or 5th one when you hit the granny gear up front ... that leaves you 5 or 4 more gears to scale. Talk about a confidence builder.

Also, another gearing technique for getting up those nasty hills, when unfortunately you are in the last two lowest (biggest cogs in the back, easiest pedaling) gears is what I call the stand/sit method. From the sitting position, while you still have some aerobic energy in the legs (before they totally lactate), shift the rear to a higher gear (smaller cogs / harder torque by one or two cogs) and stand. When standing, remember to breath and keep it even. I will take long deep breaths with purposeful exhales. This technique also has the advantage of using different leg muscles. Once again, before total lactation, sit back down and shift the back to lower gears (larger cogs) in the back. Because you are using different muscle groups, you can do this indefinitely ... I know because I have had to do it.

I have mastered shifting while standing ... but that took sometime, lots of practice, really knowing how to use the interleaving and stand/sit techniques above and absolutely being able to remove pedaling torque at the moment the chain jumps.

so practice, practice, practice

~~o
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( * )/ ( * ) Ride like a girl