can someone tell me how my bike gears work?

[geraldinetheluckygoat]

I have got myself a new bike today, which I love! It's the first bike ive had in years, and it's so much more easy to ride than bikes I've had in the past...but as I'm a total novice, I don't really get how the gears work. they are the type that roll round on the handle bar grip things, and on the right are one to six, which i can change up and down and I understand those. But on the other are 1....2....3....etc. and I don't know what these are or how to use them!! Please someone who understands these things advise me!!?? I am braving first bike plus trailer school run tomorrow, eeek!

anyone??

The 1, 2, 3 controls the gears at the front, with 3 being the hardest and 1 the easiest. The 1 to 6 gears control the gears at the back.
(Look at your bike there should be 3 rings at the front near the pedals, and a set of cogs at the back with 6 cogs, these correspond to the front and back gears)
So, I would put it in 2 at the front, and mostly use the gears at the back, so the ones with the one to six, then if it gets too hard, even with the 1 to 6 gears, shift to the 1 at the front, this will make it easier. You can then use the 1-6 gears still with this gear at the front but the overall gears will be easier. Similarly if you are going downhill or fast on the flat and you want a higher gear and you are already in the top gear on the 1-6, shift to the "3" at the front.
For first time if it's fairly flat on your way to school, I would try just sticking to the 1-6 gears to begin with if I were you.
Hope that makes sense!

thanks, summerlightning, that does make sense!! I thought it felt a bit too easy with the left hand one on one, so i will shift it to two and see how that feels! Thanks for the help!

I had the same problem, this link really helped me:

bicycletutor.com/gear-shifting/

Oh thanks thats helpful i will have a look. I have got on ok with summerlightnings suggestions but dont seem to be able to change gears very smoothly with the left hand one, so think i need more practice. Yesterday my chain came off, is that normal??

Hello! Sorry to barge in but thought I'd also say thanks for this info as I will pass it on to my dp who has signed up for a London to Paris charity bike ride in May and has just gone out to buy a new bike to do it on....... he has an old clapped out one at the moment where the gears don't work that he has trying to practice on!!

yes thanks for the link, i understand now why i was having problems!

Message withdrawn

yes i was going up a hill and madly adjusting the gears in an attempt to figure them out lol. I definitely have a better understanding of how it all works now - thanks everyone! I am loving my bike so much, im so glad i got it, i even took my mindee and my ds2 in the trailer with my eldest on his bike to school today, and it was so lovely not having to put them all in the car!

It's definitely harder to change the front gears than the back ones, which is why I tend to use the back ones most of the time.
I find I often need to hold the gear shifter for longer until it's actually shifted into the new gear, if you see what I mean, rather than just pressing it.
Also chain shouldn't fall off, but it does occasionally for me even when I think gears are adjusted well. It happens particularly when shifting down to the smallest cog at the front. If you think you're going to need the smallest cog at the front, try not to leave it until the last second and have loads of pressure on it when you change.
Like someone said, bike shop should give you a free quick adjust of the gears after a few weeks, the cables tend to stretch and then the shifting gets a bit off, and they will fix this for you.
Glad you are enjoying it. I am getting a special trailer for my 2 month old DS in the next week or so, very excited!!

thanks for the advice, summer lightning, am planning to take kids into town with the trailer tomorrow so will give all tips a try. Also will get the shop to give bike a service after a few weeks.
Good luck with your trailer, it IS exciting, i couldnt wait to get the kids into mine, its much easier on the legs than i thought it would be, its really very easy to pull. Although i have almost totalled it twice on a bollard down the river and trying to pull it up a kerb....

Hi I am still confused re use of gears my left hand goes from L to H with about 11 marks inbetween and my right hand is 1 - 5 can anyone explain what I should use and when as I'm going on a cycling holiday at the end of May and I would like to have worked out how to use my gears by then.