Shift up or shift down. Which is correct term?

[novetan]

There seems to be confusion amongst articles written by different people.

When we change from big cog to small cog (rear gear), do you term it "shift up" or "shift down"?


If it says shift to higher gear, than there’s no confusion. But often it goes to say only “if you find it harder to ride, than shift up”, or "if you want to power up, than shift down". Why can't these writer make it less ambiguous.

So what’s that?

 

[Biker Joe]

........big cog to small cog (rear gear), "Shift down".
.......Why can't these writer make it less ambiguous.? .......... Because they're not cyclists and really haven't got a clue what they are talking about.

 

[green1]

Big cog to small cog for me is shifting up as your going to a higher gear ratio.

 

[numbnuts]

You change up for hills

 

[novetan]

So which is which? Over here 2 readers already have different opinion.

 

[Cyclopathic]

I'd have to go with shifting up for going into higher ratios. Big to small on the back = shift up. Like a car.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

Oooh, this gives me an idea

 

[steve52]

for me its gear ratios that take priority, so large cog to smaller cog is a higer ratio there for up, then its the same weather yuo can see the cog sizes or not, hub gears? and allso the same for the front,

 

[Boris Bajic]

A lot of cycling involves going up and down. This is central to the topic.

I find that when I'm about to go down, I change up. Similarly, but contrariwise, I change down before going up.

The up-change may involve a change up in chainring size, but by the same token a change down in the number of teeth on the rar sprocket. Similarly, a downchange may be quite the same thing in reverse.

One of my favourite downchanges (frequently used for short, sharp climbs after a fast piece of flat tarmac) involves a change down in chainring size timed almost instantaneously with a change up in sprocket size of three or more gears. This may be termed a downchange.

I find that choices as to whether a change up or down is required are often based (going forward) on whether the gradient I am on or approaching is up or down.

However, with perceived energy levels on the up and a similar upward corve in the gradient, I might be tempted to change up by changing down the size of the rear sprocket round which the chain is moving.

As in all matters relating to the use of language, it is very much up (or down) to the individual.

 

[Moodyman]

I too think in terms of gears. To me shifting up means going into a harder gear.

 

[black'n'yellow]

You change up for hills

You change down for hills - unless of course you do actually change up (ie select more gear inches), in which case you should be on the GB squad or something.

Lower ratio (ie 'easier' gears, at the bigger end of the cassette) means changing down.
Higher ratio (ie 'harder' gears, at the smaller end of the cassette) means changing up.

I can see how that might be counter-intuitive, but there we are.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

So for those of us whose bike manufacturers have put numbers on the gears (you know 1, 2, 3 and 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8) by some of the above changing from 5 to 3 is changing up?

Sorry, but I have enough issues remembering left from right. Numbers are going to stay in the correct order for me. 5 to 3 is down and I change down to go uphill into a lower gear.

 

[Ningishzidda]

In all my years of riding a bike, I cannot recall anyone saying "I changed down to climb that hill."

Its a 'given'.

 

[HLaB]

I shift down the Cassette but move up the Gear. I suppose it doesn't matter as long as you know what you are doing to suit your terrain

 

[MisterStan]

Buy a singlespeed and stop worrying!