Beginners' Tips for Using Bicycle Gears

In my last post, I discussed the concept of how to change bike gears. This post is designed to take the info you learned in that post to the next level.

Only shift while pedaling: On most bikes, the gears will only change WHILE you are pedaling. You can't simply move the shifter. Not only will the gear not change, you can damage the gears.

When you ride, look ahead: This will allow you anticipate any upcoming hills that require shifting. The last thing you want to do is walk up the hill because you did notice it coming.

"Multi gear" shifting: While you will normally want to only shift one gear at a time, there is no rule that says you have to when you come to a large hill. Try jumping a couple gears by twisting/pushing the shifter farther than a single click. This will allow you to catch up on your shifting.

Keep riding: The more you ride, the more you will get the hang of using your gears. It will become second nature making your riding more consistent and fun. If you are having fun, you will be riding more, and that’s a great thing!

How to Change Gears on a Bike - The Secrets People Don't Tell You

Bicycles have been around for hundreds of years. Apart from refining of the design with high tech materials and state of the art manufacturing processes, bikes essentially have the same ingredients - two wheels, handlebars, a saddle and a drivetrain for forward propulsion.

Photo from an 1868 French bicycle magazine

My 2012 Kona Kahuna

In the 1960s gears became popular on mainstream bicycles making riding hilly areas (like ours) bearable. Today finding a bike with gears is not difficult. They are available on many inexpensive entry-level bikes found at all department stores. This means, if you buy a bicycle, there is a good chance you will need to learn how to change gears on your bike.

The “Secret” Concept of How to Change Gears on a Bike
After teaching both children and adults I have found that people have an "ah ha" moment when told the "secret"about gears. What's the elusive tip you need to know? Simply, gears change the speed of your FEET not your bike. Yes, that's it. When you ride you will want to keep your feet turning at a constant speed… whether you are going up hills or down, riding fast or slow.

But you are probably thinking "Ok, but what speed should they turn?" To learn what rate is right for you, head over to a large flat area, like in a parking lot, and ride at varying speeds until you find a comfortable pace that your feet's rotation feel “right”... not too fast, not too slow. This “right” cadence (to use a cycling term) is the one you will be using your gears to try to match… no matter how fast your are going.

Back to this in a minute…

Your Equipment 
Many bikes come with two gear sets – one at the rear wheel and another at the pedals. For this article we will be dealing only with the rear set.

Your bike will more than likely have one of two kinds of shifters – grip shifters or thumb shifters. The grip shifter will make your feet turn faster by pulling the top back and slower by rotated the top toward the front.

grip shifter 

indexed thumb shifter

"trigger" thumb shifter

Thumb operated shifters usually make your feet turn faster by pushing your thumb forward. Because there are a couple kinds of thumb shifters, slowing your feet will either require you to pull the lever backward or push a different button.

Oh, and in case you have never been told… you do need to be pedaling when you shift.

Using the Gears 
Back to the parking lot. So, you are riding around with your feet turning at a comfortable pace. But the world is not always flat. When you come to a hill and head up it of course it gets “hard.” The reason for this is your feet are not turning fast enough. Switch your gears to speed your feet up to your “right” pace and it will become easy (well, easier).

Eventually you get to the top and head down the other side. The same concept applies going down as up… you will need to change gears in order to keep your feet at the same pace, in this case, keeping them from turning too fast.

With some practice, you will get the hang of it. You will be changing gears without thinking about it, keeping your feet at that optimal pedaling rate.

Now that you understand gearing, check out the post with tips for gearing easier.

Originally published March 2014, updated 6/26/2017