Gear changes - some advice please! 8)

marty_baby said:

hiya all,

1st time back on a bike in over 10 years!
got a mountain bike, with a 18 gears shimano set....

Read in the handbook something about - "don't jump any more than 3 gears at a time"....

is that right?

To be honest, I've been trying a combination of changing up/down on the 3 big front cogs... (ie high, med, low gears... i imagine its the 4th, 11th and 16th gear....)

Seems to work, but gear chnages are bit of a clinking/clunking affair....

Am I damaging the gears?

Do I reall have to work up and down ALL the gears?
(A bit fiddly and complex, when commuting it heavy traffic etc...)

Your advice would be appreciated
Cheers

:p

They meant to not jump over 3 gears on the back (in the casette).

in general you should not shift the front end nearly as much as you shift the back end, and try to avoid small gear in the front/ small gear in the back, as well as big gear in the front, big gear in the back.

Thanks for the info Tamman!

I guess I'm in that beginner stage - weak legs!.... ie. hit a hill and I need to change DOWN quite a bit.... hit a slope, and I can't spin fast enough etc....

another question:
------------------------
Am I right in thinking - once I'm up to strength - I should be able to tackle gentle hill and gentle slopes - all on the same front cog?

Your advice is all well appreciated!

Cheers
Martin
🙄

marty_baby said:

Am I right in thinking - once I'm up to strength - I should be able to tackle gentle hill and gentle slopes - all on the same front cog?

Your advice is all well appreciated!

Cheers
Martin
🙄

That is more a matter of preferance and style... Some people like really high cadances, and have to drop to a pretty low gear to get over hills, others like to grind and push the big gears... You gotta do what works for you...

I like the low gears myself...