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How to Use Bike Gears: A Practical Guide
A practical guide to when and how to shift: what the two shifters do, how to keep a steady rhythm, and how to match your gear to the road ahead.
Riding Skills
Gears and Cadence
Using the gears smoothly and finding a comfortable pedalling rhythm.
Gear Shifting Mistakes New Riders Make
Seven common gear shifting mistakes beginners make, from shifting under load to forgetting to change before a stop, and a simple fix for each one.
How to Choose a Gear When Starting Off
Why an easier gear makes starting from a stop smoother and steadier, and how to shift down before you stop so you are ready when the light changes.
How to Pace Your Effort on Long Rides
How to keep your effort steady on long rides using gears and a comfortable cadence, with practical cues for hills, wind and tiredness and no training numbers.
How to Pedal in Smooth Circles
What a smooth pedal stroke feels like and simple low-speed drills, from one-leg awareness to light-gear spinning, to help you pedal more evenly and comfortably.
How to Shift Gears Smoothly
Learn how to ease pedal pressure while shifting, pick the right moment to change, and avoid crunching noises or a dropped chain on a derailleur bike.
How to Use Gears on Rolling Terrain
How to shift on short rises and dips so your momentum carries you over each roller, with simple timing cues and a steady rhythm that saves energy.
How to Use Hub Gears and Internal Gear Hubs
How internal gear hubs differ from derailleur gears in everyday use, including shifting while stopped, easing pedal pressure and when to ask a shop for help.
What Is Cadence and Why It Matters
Cadence is how fast you turn the pedals. Learn what it means in plain language, why a comfortable rhythm often beats grinding a big gear, and how to find yours.
When to Shift Before a Hill
Why shifting to an easier gear before a climb is smoother than changing under load halfway up, and how to judge the right moment from what you see ahead.
Why Cross-Chaining Strains Your Drivetrain
What cross-chaining is, why it can add noise and wear to the chain and gears, and simple habits that help you avoid the extreme gear combinations.
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