Gears are essential for all bike riders, but are you using them properly? In this video we show you how to avoid cross chaining, how to prepare for steep hills, what the correct cadence is and all the parts that make up a groupset on your bicycle.
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00:00Our gears are one of the most crucial components on our bike, and making sure
00:03they're running efficiently is not only key for our enjoyment but also for the
00:06lifetime of the bike itself. Riding in the wrong gear can also be really
00:10inefficient for our riding performance which is probably the most important
00:13thing of all. So here's our top five tips for getting the most out of your gears.
00:30First of all, let's talk about the basics of gears and you have two options when you do this.
00:34You can make large changes which revolve around the front two chainrings or smaller
00:38changes which involve the rear cassettes. Your front cassette can come in many
00:43different types. A standard, a compact or a semi-compact which is a mix of the two.
00:49The front chainrings are adjusted by using the left brake lever. These shift the chain onto the
00:54smaller chainring for uphill or particularly steep sections and back onto the big chainring for
00:59downhill and flat efforts. The right brake lever controls the rear cassette however shifting it
01:04onto the larger ring makes the pedalling effort easier and the smaller ring harder but this allows
01:09you to put out more torque and consequently more speed. Every bike may change gears slightly differently
01:15depending on the brand but you'll get used to this after just a few rides and giving the gears a go
01:20by clicking through the systems.
01:21Making sure that your front chainring and your rear cassette are working in perfect harmony
01:32is key to cycling performance. It's also really important for the lifetime of your bike that you
01:37don't cross chain. This can happen in two ways when the small chainring on the front and the smallest
01:42sprocket on the back are both in use at the same time or conversely when the big chainring on the front
01:48and the biggest sprocket on the back are both in gear when you are pedalling. This can both stretch the
01:53chain and also cause mechanical damage meaning more replacement parts and more cost.
01:59As a rule of thumb use the rear cassette to make small gear changes and use the front chainring once
02:04you're starting to reach the extreme ends of the cassette.
02:06This can be personal preference but a lot of riders do pedal a cadence that isn't suited to their
02:17ability or the terrain they're riding on. Getting on top of your cadence will mean you aren't chugging
02:22it uphill on the big ring at 40 rpm or spinning yourself out on the small ring going downhill at 120 rpm.
02:30As I mentioned, cadence can be a very personal thing but aiming for 80 to 95 rpm when riding on a
02:36flat road is a good cadence to aim for.
02:45Gears are a great way to affect your pedalling rate but making sure you're aware of what's up the
02:49road ahead is crucial for selecting the correct gear at that moment in time.
02:54Making sure you are aware of any potential nasty ramps up the road will give you the time to shift
02:59down a few gears or onto the small chainring. This will ensure you don't come to a grinding halt.
03:05Changing gear before you are on the climb is far easier for you and your bike whereas changing
03:10on the climb itself puts a lot of strain on the bike mechanism as well as your momentum going
03:14up the climb as well. Clicking through the gears one at a time also means you're less likely to have
03:19mechanical whether this is by dropping the chain or jamming the gears all together if you try to make a
03:24lot of gear changes all at once.
03:32Being aware of your gears isn't just for climbs and descents. When riding within towns and cities
03:38it is crucial to be aware of when you may have to come to a stop and push off again.
03:43Always be aware that pushing a massive gear moving away from traffic lights or a junction
03:47is going to be incredibly hard work and almost resemble a track start.
03:52Instead click through the gears before you come to a stop to a more manageable gear.
03:57This means you can move away far more gently.
04:01Those are our top tips for getting the most out of your gears and do be sure to practice in a quiet
04:05area before you head out and try it out on the open road.
04:09Thank you for watching and do let us know in the comments section if you have any top tips for changing
04:14gears and don't forget to like this video and subscribe to the Cycling Weekly YouTube channel.
04:19Until next time, we'll see you then.