"How do you use the gears on a road bike?"

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slowmotion

Quite dreadful
Location
lost somewhere
I was asked this today by a local guy who had just got a road bike, and to my shame, I really couldn't give him a simple answer. He said his gears were Shimano but, at the time, I was on my Campag Veloce bike so a demo would not have been entirely relevant. I think he really wanted to know about how to use the shifters etc best rather than how to win the TdF or nip up Mt Ventoux.

Is there a really simple clear YouTube clip or some online download that I could forward to him?

All suggestions would be very welcome. Thank you.
 

Saluki

World class procrastinator
Does he mean, which lever does what?

When I first went from downtube shifters to handlebar ones, I was confused and it took me a couple of rides to get the hang of them.
The smaller lever moves the chain to a smaller cog. The bigger lever moves the chain to a bigger cog. This works for both front and back cogs, or left and right - if you are thinking levers.

Is that what you think your friend meant?
 
OP
OP
slowmotion

slowmotion

Quite dreadful
Location
lost somewhere
Does he mean, which lever does what?

When I first went from downtube shifters to handlebar ones, I was confused and it took me a couple of rides to get the hang of them.
The smaller lever moves the chain to a smaller cog. The bigger lever moves the chain to a bigger cog. This works for both front and back cogs, or left and right - if you are thinking levers.

Is that what you think your friend meant?
Yes, that's just the sort of stuff he needs. It's absolutely second nature to me now but it's hard to describe to a newcomer because it's so familiar to me. He just needs a simple, very clear video instruction clip or some document. Thank you.
 

Saluki

World class procrastinator
Yes, that's just the sort of stuff he needs. It's absolutely second nature to me now but it's hard to describe to a newcomer because it's so familiar to me. He just needs a simple, very clear video instruction clip or some document. Thank you.
Just tell him that then. Little lever, little cog, big lever, big cog. Easy Peasy.
 

srw

It's a bit more complicated than that...
I dont' think I "learnt" how to use gears properly until I started driving. Use a low gear (big cog at the back) to move off, then gradually go up the gears (smaller cogs at the back) until the engine note (the strain on your legs) is sweet.
 

steveindenmark

Legendary Member
I think the best way to try gears out on a new bike is trial and error. If you take it steady there is usually not much error.
 

vickster

Legendary Member
Surely this is the sort of thing the LBS should be explaining, pearsons certainly gave a lesson on SRAM double tap although I obviously had to google later on!
 

Wolf616

Über Member
Just tell him that then. Little lever, little cog, big lever, big cog. Easy Peasy.

Although also don't forget to explain that bigger cog on the front and smaller cog on the back are the ones that will make pedalling harder/let you go faster...
 

jonny jeez

Legendary Member
Just tell him that then. Little lever, little cog, big lever, big cog. Easy Peasy.
Eh? On shimano, left lever is the chainring, right lever is the cassette. They are both the same size..or do you mean the up and down bit...ah maybe but then this advice suggests looking at the sprockets as you change. So to me, little lever =harder, big lever= easier..except on the left when the world turns upside down...I think...aw blimey I need to go check now.

Anyway, Forget the gears and concentrate on cadence. Maintain the same rotation speed, whatever the environment...by shifting about your gears accordingly.

Don't ask me about the overlap in the middle thoug,I'm never get that.
 
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