Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

... to ask how to ride a bike with gears?

36 replies

Seeingadistance · 26/07/2018 17:00

As a child I had a very basic bike - no gears - to play about on. Now 50, I can still go a bike - as in getting it go forwards and stop without me falling off.

But, the bike I've got has gears and I have no idea, at all, how this works. I'm a car driver - if that helps with explanations.

The bike has 3 gears on the left and 7 on the right!

Help! Please!

OP posts:

foxitude · 26/07/2018 17:07

If you're finding it hard to pedal switch to a lower gear, i.e. first. You'll pedal more but each rotation is moving you forward only a little each time. Think legs spinning round but moving forward at only walking pace. When it's easy to pedal, switch up a gear, each rotation is more effort because you are making the wheels go round more times per pedal rotation. Use low gears up hill and high gears down hill. Think you've got to try it to get it. Get out on a cycle path away from roads and have a go.

Iruka · 26/07/2018 17:08

With two levers you will probably have two sets of gears, one on the back wheel and one on the pedals. You use the lowest gear (the one that isn’t hardest to pedal) to go down hills and the highest to go up hills.
On mine I have to alternate the levers to work up through all the gears but if you are a beginner then you should probably start by getting used to just changing throughout one set of gears. This is what I was advised when I got my first bike after 20 years.
Is there a local bike shop that could advise you?

Iruka · 26/07/2018 17:09

I may have my low and high gears the wrong way round there, sorry

Original poster

Seeingadistance · 26/07/2018 17:13

Thanks for comments so far.

When changing gear, is there anything I need to do? Do I stop pedalling or keep pedalling while changing gear?

Would it be a good idea to start off at gear 2 - middle one on the left, and practice going up and down the 7 gears on the right?

There is a local cycle shop - but they're on holiday just now. I'm on annual leave just now, so thought I'd use the time to try and get to grips with my bike!

OP posts:

ErrolTheDragon · 26/07/2018 17:16

Experiment with them on a flat path to get the feel for it. Some gears, for good mechanical reasons the up and down is opposite on the right and left hands (same clockwise/anticlockwise if that makes sense)

Would it be a good idea to start off at gear 2 - middle one on the left, and practice going up and down the 7 gears on the right?

That's exactly what I was going to suggest, and one of the reasons to try on something not too steep at first.

The thing you really want to avoid is changing down under too much load, so if you're approaching a hill gain as much speed as you can and change down before you start to struggle.

swimbikerun123 · 26/07/2018 17:18

Pedal and change gear at the same time.

The best thing to do is find a quiet park and just practice changing gear and trying what suits you. If you are grinding along, then you need to make it a bit easier. If you are spinning and going no where, change again.

It's probably easier to put the chain on the middle of the front 3 chainrings (left hand shifter) and just keep it there until you are more confident.

BlueBug45 · 26/07/2018 17:19

OP search YouTube - there are some good videos on how to use bike gears.

Another thing you can do is go to your local council website and see if they have cycle skills courses for adults. Then book yourself in for one as they are normally at a greatly reduced price if you live, work or study in the council area.

drwitch · 26/07/2018 17:21

okay first turn your bike upside down on the ground (as if you were cleaning it or putting the chain back on). Move the gear changes slowly while moving your pedals. You will then see what happens and how responsive they are (and which direction they go).

What matters is the ratio between the front cog and the back cog. The bigger the front cog is relative to the back one, the harder the work as you are doing more wheel turns for each push down of the pedals. Most riders thus only use a few of the 3 x 7 or so combinations. i would start by keep the front cog in the middle and changing the back. if that is always too hard work, then move to smaller one.

Other things, change down before you need to (otherwise you will ruin your gears). especially if you have to stop on a hill. also some think you should always ride on a lowish gear to save your knees. but i don't

ErrolTheDragon · 26/07/2018 17:27

I find it's often a good idea to change down somewhat (not necessarily all the way) when stopping so that starting off again is a bit easier. Unlike a car, you can't coast, stop, and then change down.

pigsDOfly · 26/07/2018 17:33

This thread is wonderful.

I have often thought about getting a bike but all the gears are a complete mystery to me and tbh a bit scary as I have no idea what they all mean or do.

I've asked people in the past but no one IRL has ever explained it as clearly and made it so easy to understand.

I know it's not my thread, but thank you.

Original poster

Seeingadistance · 26/07/2018 17:35

I live on a quiet, level, cul-de-sac so will give it a go.

So, starting low and working up?

OP posts:

YesILikeItToo · 26/07/2018 17:40

YANBU. I have the exact same question. Looking forward to understanding this now.

TooDamnSarky · 26/07/2018 17:41

Only change gears when the bike is actually moving.

The numbers work in the same direction as a car. Start in a lower gear. Higher gear for when you're being speedy. Change down for hills.

If you're struggling then it most likely means that your gears need a service. It should be fairly easy to change.

And your suggestion to keep in gear 2 (of 3) and jus fiddle with the other one is a very sensible way to start.
Honestly it'll be fine.

drwitch · 26/07/2018 17:42

I'd start in the middle (my guess is that would be the ratio your fixed gear bike was on)

wanderings · 26/07/2018 17:47

Keep the left handlebar (the 1, 2, 3) on 2, and just change the other one for now.

Move off in a low gear; go to higher gears as you speed up, as soon as it feels too "easy" to pedal. Uphill, use the lower gears more.

Downhill, use the higher gears more, unlike on a car, where you use the lower gears to get engine braking, you don't have this on a bike.

Also unlike on a car, change down through the gears as you slow down, because you need a low gear to get moving again. It's not so easy to stop in a high gear, then go straight to a low gear, like you do in a car.

Original poster

Seeingadistance · 26/07/2018 17:49

Woo hoo!

Just back from a very brief cycle along the cup-de-sac and back, then onto a real road and up a bit of hill, and back again! Fortunately, I live in a very quiet village, so didn't see any cars at all.

(Doesn't take much for you to get a sore arse, does it?)

So, sometimes I felt as if the pedals were going round very quickly and easily, but not really catching on anything if that makes sense. So I changed up a gear or two with my right hand, and could feel the power from my pedalling.

Coming down hill was scary! Should I come down in a low-ish gear? I basically freewheeled down, touched the brakes a little bit, then changed up then down again to the junction when I got back onto the flat.

OP posts:

jasjas1973 · 26/07/2018 17:50

When the chain is in the smallest cog on the front and the biggest cog at the back, that is 1st gear, smallest on the wheel and largest at front is gear 21 !!!
Always change gear whilst pedaling forward only, always slightly ease pressure on pedals whilst still pedaling fwd.

Get a friend to hold the bike up whilst you turn pedals and move gear levers to your preferred starting gear, middle at front and 3rd largest at rear would be a good starting point and always make sure you are in a gear you can pedal away in when you stop.

within 5mins it ll be second nature.

BlueBug45 · 26/07/2018 17:52

OP if you get a sore arse from such a short ride you need a better saddle.

TooDamnSarky · 26/07/2018 17:53

Well done,
Usually you want a high gear coming down hill if you are picking up speed so that when you start pedalling again you actually having something to pedal against rather than just having the pedal spin around.

ErrolTheDragon · 26/07/2018 17:53

You'll be fine. When DD got her first 'big bike' and I got one too (after not really riding since I was a student) to accompany her, DH who hadn't been on a bike for 40 years and never used gears decided he didn't want to miss out and got one.

Turns out riding a bike really is 'like riding a bike' and he got the hang of the gears pretty quickly.

NEFink · 26/07/2018 17:57

Im thinking of getting a BMX!

Original poster

Seeingadistance · 26/07/2018 17:59

OP if you get a sore arse from such a short ride you need a better saddle.

I'm hoping that cycling will give me a better arse!

OP posts:

onlyjustme · 26/07/2018 18:04

Don't go all the way up and down in the middle gear.
You might have "21 gears" but you don't actually use all of them!
For example my bike has 21 gears (1,2,3) and (1,2,3,4,5,6,7)
But you only use low gears together and high gears together, otherwise the chain is too stretched. (On mine anyway - from the way the gears are laid out. I think of the scene in Ghostbusters "don't cross the streams!)
For example (1,1) is the lowest gear (easy set off, up steep hill, etc) then (1,2) (1,3) and maybe (1,4).
(1,5) (1,6) and (1,7) are dangerous areas...
Then you can go to (2,4) drop to (2,3) and work back up... from (2,5) I would probably go to (3,4) as I think (2,6) and (2,7) are risky as are (2,1) (2,2)
From (3,4) you can then work up to (3,7) top gear when going at a fair old pace...
I keep pedalling while I change gears.
As others have said, Practice! You;ll soon get the hang of it.
Disclaimer... not actually ridden my pushbike for a good few years

Original poster

Seeingadistance · 26/07/2018 18:29

Ha! Just back from a 3 mile cycle! Single track road, combination of hills and flat bits.

Went up to 2 on the left hand gears. Thanks for the advice about not crossing over, onlyjustme. I'd heard that before, but now it's starting to make sense to me!

Arse is now startled but coming to terms with this new life.

OP posts:

Iruka · 26/07/2018 18:44

Well done :)
Enjoy cycling, hopefully you don't live in an area like mine where you can't go anywhere without going up a cliff

Flip

1 2

Swipe left for the next trending thread