Gears

[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!!

[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.