00:00Our gears are one of the most crucial components on our bike.
00:02Making sure they're running efficiently is not only key for our enjoyment,
00:06but also for the lifetime of the bike itself.
00:08Riding in the wrong gear can also be really inefficient for our rider performance,
00:12which is probably the most important thing of all.
00:14So here's our top 5 tips for getting the most out of your gears.
00:31First of all, let's talk about the basics of gears.
00:33You have two options when you do this.
00:35You can make large changes, which revolve around the front two chainrings,
00:38or smaller changes, which involve the rear cassette.
00:41Your front cassette can come in many different types.
00:44A standard, a compact, or a semi-compact, which is a mix of the two.
00:49The front chainrings are adjusted by using the left brake lever.
00:52These shift the chain onto the smaller chainring for uphill or particularly steep sections,
00:57and back onto the big chainring for downhill and flat efforts.
01:00The right brake lever controls the rear cassette.
01:03However, shifting it onto the larger ring makes the pedalling effort easier,
01:07and the smaller ring harder.
01:09But this allows you to put out more torque and consequently more speed.
01:13Every bike may change gears slightly differently, depending on the brand.
01:17But you'll get used to this after just a few rides,
01:19and giving the gears a go by clicking through the systems.
01:27Making sure that your front chainring and your rear cassette are working in perfect harmony
01:32is key to cycling performance.
01:34It's also really important for the lifetime of your bike that you don't cross-chain.
01:38This can happen in two ways.
01:40When the small chainring on the front and the smallest sprocket on the back
01:43are both in use at the same time.
01:46Or conversely, when the big chainring on the front and the biggest sprocket on the back
01:50are both in gear when you are pedalling.
01:52This can both stretch the chain and also cause mechanical damage,
01:56meaning more replacement parts and more cost.
01:59As a rule of thumb, use the rear cassette to make small gear changes.
02:03Use the front chainring once you're starting to reach the extreme ends of the cassette.
02:13This can be personal preference, but a lot of riders do pedal a cadence
02:16that isn't suited to their ability or the terrain they're riding on.
02:20Getting on top of your cadence will mean you aren't chugging uphill on the big ring at 40 rpm,
02:25or spinning yourself out on the small ring going downhill at 120 rpm.
02:30As I mentioned, cadence can be a very personal thing,
02:33but aiming for 80 to 95 rpm when riding on a flat road is a good cadence to aim for.
02:45Gears are a great way to affect your pedalling rate,
02:47but making sure you're aware of what's up the road ahead
02:50is crucial for selecting the correct gear at that moment in time.
02:54Making sure you are aware of any potential nasty ramps up the road
02:58will give you the time to shift down a few gears or onto the small chainring.
03:02This will ensure you don't come to a grinding halt.
03:05Changing gear before you are on the climb is far easier for you and your bike,
03:09whereas changing on the climb itself puts a lot of strain on the bike mechanism
03:13as well as your momentum going up the climb as well.
03:16Clicking through the gears one at a time also means you're less likely to have a mechanical.
03:20Whether this is by dropping the chain or jamming the gears altogether,
03:24you try to make a lot of gear changes all at once.
03:32Being aware of your gears isn't just for climbs and descents.
03:36When riding within towns and cities,
03:38it is crucial to be aware of when you may have to come to a stop and push off again.
03:43Always be aware that pushing a massive gear moving away from traffic light or a junction
03:47is going to be incredibly hard work and almost resemble a track start.
03:52Instead, click through the gears before you come to a stop to a more manageable gear.
03:57This means you can move away far more gently.
04:01Those are our top tips for getting the most out of your gears
04:04and do be sure to practice in a quiet area before you head out and try it out on the open road.
04:09Thank you for watching and do let us know in the comments section
04:12if you have any top tips for changing gears.
04:15And don't forget to like this video and subscribe to the Cycling Weekly YouTube channel.
04:19Until next time, we'll see you then.
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