handbuch mountain bikes

The Gears

6. The Gears

The gears on your bicycle serve to adjust your pedalling power to the terrain you are riding on and the desired speed. The gears do not reduce the physical work to be performed which remains the same with the identical distance to be performed at identical speed, but the pedalling force per crank rotation. That means: A low gear (where in the case of derailleur gears the chain runs on the small chainring and a large sprocket) allows you to climb steep hills with moderate pedalling force.

You must, however, pedal relatively fast.

High gears (large chainring, small sprocket) are for riding downhill.

Every turn of the pedals takes you many metres forward at correspondingly high speed.

To ride economically you frequently have to shift gears. As with a motor vehicle, your “engine” wants to be kept within a certain speed range, if it is to give its best performance. On level ground your pedalling speed, also referred to as cadence, should be higher than 60 strokes a minute.

Racing cyclists pedal at a rate between 90 and 110 strokes a minute on level ground. When climbing uphill, your cadence will naturally fall off somewhat. Your pedalling should, however, always remain fluid.

Finely graduated adjustments as well as an easy operability of modern bike gears are the best preconditions for an efficient riding. In addition, it reduces chain and sprocket wear as well as the strain on your knee joints.

6.1. Derailleur Gears

Derailleur gears are currently the most effective type of power transmission on bicycles. About 97 to 98 percent of the pedalling force performed is transmitted to the rear wheel with well-maintained and greased derailleur gears.

With specially designed sprocket teeth, flexible chains and clear-cut lever positions, shifting gears has become very easy. Most systems have an indicator on the handlebars showing the currently used gear.

6.1.1. Functioning and Operation

Gear shifting is initiated by actuating a shifter, a combined brake and gear lever unit or by a short turn of the wrist with the twist grip.

Caution:

Be sure to always wear straight cut trousers or use trouser clips or the like to make sure your trousers do not get caught in the chain or the chainrings thus provoking a fall.

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