Beginner cyclist with speed issues

[roadrash]

@summerdays ,...... they are gripshift

 

[xahend]

@summerdays thanks for the explanation! I'm still having trouble understanding the back cogs though :\

 

[Jody]

Ah they are trigger shifters

Not trigger but gripshift. Twist to change gear

The 1-7 refer to the back cogs with the smallest being 7 and the biggest is 1.

Unless they have changed gripshift then it's the opposite way round on the rear with 1 being smallest and 7 being the big cog.

 

[greekonabike]

@summerdays thanks for the explanation! I'm still having trouble understanding the back cogs though :\

So the one on the left corresponds to three large rings on the front of the bike. The smallest is the easiest and the biggest one is the hardest. Most people tend to stay in the middle one (2 on the shifter) however if we want to go faster and it feels like we are pedalling too quickly we go up to 3. If you hit a hill and it gets really hard to pedal you can go down to 1.

The right hand side of the handlebar operates the cogs on the back wheel. The easiest way of explaining it is that 1 is easier to pedal and 7 is harder.

So if you have the left in 2 and the right in 1 you can start pedalling and as you get faster you can go up through the numbers on the right hand side. If you want you can then change the one on the left up to 3. What I normally do is get to 2 (on the left) and 5 (on the right). Then I move the left up to 3 so I'm in 3 Left 5 Right. Then as I get quicker I move the right to its top gear (8)and I'm then in the bikes final gear 3 Left 8 Right which is 24 gears. It looks like the bike you have has 21 gears so it works pretty much the same.

GOAB

 

[boydj]

Find a nice flat, straight bit of road and play about with changing gear to get a feel for how things work. One click at a time, starting with the right hand changing the cogs at the rear. You'll soon have it figured out.

 

[Markymark]

Yep. It's confusing. Front and back are opposite.

Put front in middle and leave it. Use back mainly. Low numbers (big rings) for up hill. Middle numbers for flat and big number (small ring) for fast.

When you get more used to it and fitter use big front ring but rear cogs same principal applies.

You just have to get used to changing gears works opposite way front and back. But as I say set front and leave it.

 

[xahend]

@greekonabike @boydj @Markymark @smutchin thanks guys, that really helped! can't wait to try again tomorrow, I feel better informed

 

[smutchin]

Ah they are trigger shifters

No, they're grip shifters - that's why it has the words "GRIP SHIFT" on them. You operate them by twisting the grip. Trigger shifters are the ones you operate by pressing a lever with your index finger or thumb.

@xahend I agree with the advice to stay in 2 on the left as much as possible. Generally, with gears, the trick is to change gear often so that pedalling is always comfortable - not pushing too hard, nor spinning your legs like a maniac. But until you get used to them, it's best to stick with changes at the rear (right-hand shifter).

 

[cyberknight]

@summerdays thanks for the explanation! I'm still having trouble understanding the back cogs though :\

What combination of gears do you ride in atm that you find to easy ?
say your on 1 on the left and and 3-4 on the right hand it will be easy but slow , great for hills
say your on 2 on the left and 3-4 on the right it will be a bit harder but faster
say your on 3 on the left and 3-4 on the right it will even harder to start pedalling but even faster, if your on 3 on the left and 7 on the right your flying along assuming youhave the legs to pedal it at a decent leg speed, an average would be 70-90 leg turns (rpm) per minute per leg .

I start on an easyish gear and work up to a harder to pedal gear as i gain speed till i am in a gear i can comfortably pedal and maintain it on the flat, down hill i use and easier gear or lower number , down hill if i want to i use a higher number to go faster .

Best to go play around with them , make sure your pedaling when you change gear but dont push down to hard as the aim is to let the gears change smoothly as mashing the pedals with all your might doesn't help it change.

 

[summerdays]

@summerdays ,...... they are gripshift

I meant that but fingers didn't type the right thing... sorry for any confusion I created!

 

[CanucksTraveller]

"Sur la plaque".

 

[snorri]

The operation of bicycle gears is not easy to explain in a few words, but soon you will wonder why you ever had a problem in the first place! The following links actually explain the same thing in three slightly different ways, I hope they help you.

https://www.southcoastbikes.co.uk/How-To-Use-Derailleur-Gears

https://www.cyclescheme.co.uk/community/how-to/how-to-understand-derailleur-gears

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/product-news/using-bikes-gears-efficiently-148101

 

[summerdays]

Unless they have changed gripshift then it's the opposite way round on the rear with 1 being smallest and 7 being the big cog.

On a gripshift (right hand side, rear gears), gear 1 is the lowest gear which corresponds to the largest cog at the back.

 

[vickster]

"Sur la plaque".

??

 

[cyberknight]

??

http://www.velominati.com/technique/sur-la-plaque-physics-of-the-big-ringle/