Most bikes will have between one and three front gears.
Most bikes will have between one and three front gears.
If your bike has gears, there will usually be more rear gears than front gears. Some bikes have ten or more.
If your bike has gears, there will usually be more rear gears than front gears. Some bikes have ten or more.
For example, if you have three gears in the front and six gears in the back, your bike has 3 × 6 = 18 gears (or “speeds”). If you have one gear in the front and seven gears in the back, your bike has 1 × 7 = 7 gears. Some bikes with more than 8 gears may have overlapping gear combinations. If your bike only has one gear in the front and one in the rear, it has 1 × 1 = 1 gear. This sort of bike is called a single speed bike. Unfortunately, you can’t shift gears on single speed bikes. However, some single speeds may have internal gears in the rear hub.
Grip shifters that you work by turning your wrist Small levers above or below the handlebars that you work with your thumbs Larger levers next to the handbrakes that you work with your fingertips More rarely, electronic shifters or levers mounted on the frame of the bike
If you can’t keep your hand controls straight while you’re riding, remember: “right = rear. "
Shift into a smaller gear in the front. Shift into a bigger gear in the back.
Shift into a bigger gear in the front. Shift into a smaller gear in the back.
You’ll also want to do this whenever you come to a complete stop and start pedaling again (like at a red light). If you know you’re going to stop riding soon, it’s a good idea to shift into a low gear so you can get started easier next time. This is especially true if you know you’ll have to get out of a tricky spot — like if your home’s driveway goes uphill.
If you’re riding around on moderate terrain (like city streets with a few minor hills), a “middle” gear will usually work well for your default cruising speed. For example, if you’re on an 18-speed (three gears in front, six in the rear), using the second gear in the front and the third in the rear should give you a good “middle of the road” option.
You may find it difficult to slowly climb hills in a low gear at first. Since you’re moving at a low speed, it’s a little more difficult to keep balanced than normal. However, moving slowly means it’s easy to drop a foot to the ground if you lose your balance.
Being in a high gear is one of the only ways to be able to speed up while you’re going downhill. Lower gears won’t turn the chain quick enough to keep up with the wheels when you’re rolling downhill, making it basically impossible to speed up except from the hill itself.
To be clear, you can use your bike’s higher gears, but you should only shift into them gradually after you’ve already built up speed.
Don’t use the largest front gear with the larger rear gears. Don’t use the smallest front gear with the smaller rear gears.
