00:00 Our gears are one of the most crucial components on our bike. Making sure they're running efficiently
00:04 is not only key for our enjoyment but also for the lifetime of the bike itself. Riding in the
00:09 wrong gear can also be really inefficient for our riding performance which is probably the
00:12 most important thing of all. So here's our top five tips for getting the most out of your gears.
00:18 [Music]
00:30 First of all let's talk about the basics of gears and you have two options when you do this. You
00:34 can make large changes which revolve around the front two chain rings or smaller changes
00:39 which involve the rear cassette. Your front cassette can come in many different types;
00:43 a standard, a compact or a semi-compact which is a mix of the two. The front chain rings are adjusted
00:50 by using the left brake lever. These shift the chain onto the smaller chainring for uphill or
00:55 particularly steep sections and back onto the big chainring for downhill and flat efforts.
01:00 The right brake lever controls the rear cassette however shifting it onto the larger ring makes the
01:05 pedalling effort easier and the smaller ring harder but this allows you to put out more torque
01:10 and consequently more speed. Every bike may change gear slightly differently depending on the brand
01:16 but you'll get used to this after just a few rides and giving the gears a go by clicking
01:20 through the systems. Making sure that your front chainring and your rear cassette are working in
01:31 perfect harmony is key to cycling performance. It's also really important for the lifetime of
01:36 your bike that you don't cross chain. This can happen in two ways; when the small chainring on
01:41 the front and the smallest sprocket on the back are both in use at the same time or conversely
01:46 when the big chainring on the front and the biggest sprocket on the back are both in gear
01:50 when you are pedalling. This can both stretch the chain and also cause mechanical damage
01:56 meaning more replacement parts and more cost. As a rule of thumb use the rear cassette to make
02:01 small gear changes and use the front chainring once you're starting to reach the extreme ends
02:06 of the cassette. This can be personal preference but a lot of riders do pedal a cadence that isn't
02:16 suited to their ability or the terrain they're riding on. Getting on top of your cadence will
02:21 mean you aren't chugging uphill on the big ring at 40 rpm or spinning yourself out in the small
02:26 ring going downhill at 120 rpm. As I mentioned cadence can be a very personal thing but aiming
02:33 for 80 to 95 rpm when riding on a flat road is a good cadence to aim for.
02:38 Gears are a great way to affect your pedalling rate but making sure you're aware of what's up
02:49 the road ahead is crucial for selecting the correct gear at that moment in time.
02:53 Making sure you are aware of any potential nasty ramps up the road will give you the time to shift
02:59 down a few gears or onto the small chainring. This will ensure you don't come to a grinding halt.
03:04 Changing gear before you are on the climb is far easier for you and your bike whereas changing on
03:10 the climb itself puts a lot of strain on the bike mechanism as well as your momentum going up the
03:14 climb as well. Clicking through the gears one at a time also means you're less likely to have a
03:19 mechanical. Whether this is by dropping the chain or jamming the gears all together if you try to
03:24 make a lot of gear changes all at once. Being aware of your gears isn't just for climbs and
03:35 descents. When riding within towns and cities it is crucial to be aware of when you may have to
03:40 come to a stop and push off again. Always be aware that pushing a massive gear moving away
03:45 from traffic light or a junction is going to be incredibly hard work and almost resemble a track
03:51 start. Instead click through the gears before you come to a stop to a more manageable gear.
03:57 This means you can move away far more gently. Those are our top tips for getting the most out
04:03 of your gears and do be sure to practice in a quiet area before you head out and try it out
04:07 on the open road. Thank you for watching and do let us know in the comments section if you have
04:12 any top tips for changing gears and don't forget to like this video and subscribe to the Cycling
04:17 Weekly YouTube channel. Until next time, we'll see you then.
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