Can you help a newster understand chainwheels and cassette numbers please?

[hebe]

That help?

Yes! Thank you so much. I'm going to do some gear maths tonight. I'd naively assumed that one turn of the pedals equalled one turn of the wheels and didn't really get what the gears actually did. Presumably it gets even more interesting when you start considering power too.

hmmmmm.

Indy, I seem to use my middle ring most of the time, but I have to switch to the smallest one for steeper hills and even then I haven't always made it. I think practice will help, but if I continue loving these offroad routes I may well start investigating a better tool for the job. All those numbers make a lot more sense now, thank you both for replying in such detail. I may well come back with some further questions

[Melalvai]

What really helps to understand the gears: turn your bike upside down (or better, put it in a stand if you have one). Watch what happens to each cog and the wheel as you turn the pedal. Get someone to help you shift it into another gear (you don't need help if you have it in a stand--your toddler can help turn the pedals while you do the shifting if you have it upside down), and see what happens. Turn the pedals yourself in each gear, you'll see how it's hard to turn the pedals when it's a high gear ratio and easier when it is a low gear ratio.

[hebe]

I'll try that today, Melalvai, thank you. It's another grey wet day so that will be perfect.

So the gears at the front don't mean anything until you look at the ones at the back too... that makes a lot more sense now!