Take pity on me and teach me how to use bike gears

[ThomasRichard]

Please! I have a very hilly commute and although pumping up my tyres has shaved 10-15 minutes off it and stopped me feeling like I’m going to die, I’m still a puffing, sweaty mess by the time I get to work. I’d like to use my gears more effectively, especially as there’s one big hill where I get a quarter of the way up and then have to get off and push. I have a 21-gear hybrid. Standard Shimano gear shift. 3 ‘big’ gears, 7 ‘small’ gears (no idea if there’s a proper name for them).

When I go down a hill I whack up the gears to big:3, small:6, then gradually take the gears down to maintain cadence on the flat and uphill. For the mini-hills I just shift the big gears. There’s a long, long, long slope (about 3km) and big:2, small:3 feels exactly the same in terms of effort as big:1, small:7. Which one will take me over more ground?

Thanks if you bore with my mangled explanation! All tips welcome!

Bike shop, youtube videos. The only rule is to spin a lot, your legs should go around as fast as you are comfortable with, so that you put minimal force thru your knees each time.

Smallest ring in front going uphill, big ring in front going downhill.

I don't understand your question "take me over more ground?": do you mean before you have to get off & push?

I'm betting your bike weights at least 30kg. Do you have knobby tyres?

My tyres aren’t particularly knobbly but they’re not road tyres either. I got a hybrid as half the stretch of the cycle path was dirt/gravel. Then the council tarmaced it

What I mean is, will big:2, small:3 rotate the wheels more than the same effort with the gears in big:1, small:6?

You need to count the teeth on the rings to answer your last question. Read up on gear ratios. You need low GR to get up hills... but also low weight of total bike. What bike (model, brand) is it?

Rough tyres are more puncture resistant as a rule, so can be worth having even if more rolling resistance.

The lowest gear, the one for the steepest of hills is smallest at the front and biggest at the back.
Some of the gear combinations will feel the same but don't worry too much about that, the 'right' gear is the one the feels right for the situation..... when hill climbing you want to feel resistance so that your pushing the pedals round without having to give it everything, likewise you don't want to be in too low a gear that your legs whizz round like the clappers but you go nowhere.
Best way to work it out is just getting out and riding.
Make sure you enjoy it, that's the most important thing.

A non-gear related tip in case it also helps - check the height of your seat. I quite often see people struggling up easy hills and want to shout at them (in a helpful manner!) to put their seat up a bit. You want to make sure you're getting the full leg stroke on every rotation.
Otherwise, for gears, anticipation is important. So for the hill you usually have to get off on, be in the easiest (smallest) front ring as you hit the hill and shift as you go. No shame in getting off to push though!

Some great advice here about saddle height and maybe change to slicker tyres with less rolling resistance if journey is all tarmac. Will probably cost £50 -£60 or so. Maybe get a bike service if more than 6 months old and regular use. At lest check both wheels are spinning freely and not catching on the brakes (or mudguards). Has the chain been oiled (not too much though) get someone to show you or check online.

With gears big 3 for downhill and big 1 or 2 for uphill depending on how steep. best to spin your legs with easier gears tham to grind away with a big gear. However be mindfull not to cross the chain too much with the gears you select - avoid big1 and small 6/7 or big 3 and small 1/2. As you alluded to in your post some years are repeated and 21 speed bike does not actually have 22 distinct gears - instead of using big 1 and small 6 definitely use big 2 and the middling small gears - you won't be crossing your chain and your bike wiĺl love you more.

Also think about what clothing you wear - make sure it is breathable as will make your journey more comfortable. Layers are best and something you can unzip before going uphill.

Finally, it will get easier the more you do it. You will get fitter, your pedalling technique will improve, you will get better at using the gears and pacing youself.

Good luck and don't give up .

Thanks all! This is my bike: GT Nomad 1.0. I hoiked up my saddle last summer when my knees were hurting and that has helped a bit.

I assume they are numbered like mine so the lower the number on both levers the easier it is up hill so work your way down to 1 on both sides.

ok, your gears,
casette (back) = 11-34
chainrings (front) 28-38-48

You can get a GR

Yes it has a front suspension fork. Useful for the speed bumps!

Thanks! So generally as long as my knees aren’t straining I should stick in the higher gear, but if I do need to drop down then there’s quite a bit of overlap so don’t worry.

Can you lock out your suspension on the front? I was riding a hard tail mountain bike for daily commute to start and really struggled uphill but locking out the suspension helped hugely as didn't have to compensate for the 'bounce' if that makes sense? Practice I think is best when it comes to which gears to use. My OH likes to stay in as high a gear as poss and change down when he's finding it hard but I like to change down a little pre-emptively so my legs don't slow down and I can keep my rhythm.

I hadn’t thought of turning off the suspension. I’m not sure if I can but I’ll have a look.