How Do Mountain Bike Gears Work

The gears on a mountain bike work by changing the size of the circles that are made when the pedals turn. The larger the circle, the easier it is to pedal and go faster.

How do you use gears on a mountain bike?

Use one shifter at a time: To simplify gear shifting and minimize stress on your drivetrain, don’t shift both the front and rear shifters at the same time. Remember: shift the chain between the front chainrings for big changes, then use the rear cogs to fine-tune your gear setting.^[1]

Is gear 1 high or low on a bike?

Gear ‘1’ on a bike is a low gear: this is the same for gears in a car. This gear is best for climbing, riding over difficult terrain, and riding slowly. This gear may also be referred to as the ‘easy’ gear.^[2]

What is the easiest gear on a mountain bike?

Low Gear. The low gear is the “easy” gear and is primarily used when climbing. The low gear is the smallest chain ring in the front, and the largest cog on the rear cassette. In this position pedaling will be easiest and the least amount of force will be required to push the pedals.^[3]

What is the best gear setting for a mountain bike?

The best mountain bike gear ratio for climbing is 46 to 49 on a chainring and 16 to 18 on a cassette. For more diverse rides, mountain bike gears of ratios 46/17 to 42/17 are what work for flatter terrain or occasional hills. However, with that being said, the perfect ratio usually depends on the terrain you’re riding.^[4]

Do you shift gears while pedaling?

Shifting your gears while standing still stretches the cables and strains the derailleurs. Remember, you have to be pedaling before the bike will change gears.^[5]

When should I shift my mountain bike?

Uphill. If you want to stay seated, you’re going to need to shift into an easier gear. Downhill. Gravity, the weight of your body and the weight of your bike will help carry you down with ease. Variable Terrain. Always.^[6]

Which gear makes riding uphill easier?

Low Gear = Easy = Good for Climbing: The “low” gear on your bike is the smallest chain ring in the front and the largest cog on your cassette (rear gears). In this position, the pedaling will be the easiest and you’ll be able to pedal uphill with the smallest amount of resistance.^[7]

What gear should I use going uphill?

Uphill: Approach uphill situations with an appropriate amount of momentum, a higher gear (3rd in an automatic transmission) and less throttle to reduce torque, which also reduces wheel spin. The last thing you want to do is get halfway up the hill, lose traction and begin to spin your wheels.^[8]

Is a 7 speed bike good for hills?

The 7-speed bike is made for flat ground terrain and you can conquer good amount of incline. The 7-speed bike is great all-around bike. It has low enough gear to go up a pretty steep incline and also has a high gear to go pretty fast.^[9]

Why is it harder to pedal in higher gear?

The smallest sprocket is for the highest gear while the largest sprocket is for the lowest gear. On the front chain rings attached to your pedals, it is the opposite. On the rear cassette, the smallest sprocket makes for the most difficult pedalling. Switch to a lower gear to make pedalling easier.^[10]

What’s the slowest gear on a bike?

You would shift into your low gear when cycling up a steep hill. The lowest gear is when the chain is on the smallest cog on the front and the largest cog on the rear. The highest gear is when it’s hardest to pedal, this will move your bike at a fast speed if cruising along on the flat.^[11]

What gear should I use on a flat road?

High Gear. This one is great for descending, accelerating, or for use when you want to go nice and fast on a flat road. In a high gear, you travel a long way for each turn of the pedal.^[12]