Q&A for How to Shift Gears on a Bike

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Question

How do I fix the rattling sound when shifting front gears on my bike?

Ikaika Cox
Bicycle Mechanic
Ikaika Cox is the Shop Director at the Salt Lake City branch Bicycle Collective in Salt Lake City, Utah. He has been a bike mechanic since 2012, beginning as a volunteer with the Provo Bicycle Collective, and growing and honing his skills as a bicycle mechanic and educator in multiple Bicycle Collective locations over the years. He now leads the Salt Lake City branch of the Bicycle Collective.

Ikaika Cox

Bicycle Mechanic

Expert Answer

Sometimes the front shifter can be out of adjustment. You can make small adjustments to your overall cable tension with the barrel adjuster on the shifter. Other times, your left shifter may have a “trim” position to move the cage over. Experiment with different things to identify what will work for your bike.

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Question

Can I shift both the front and the back gears at the same time on a bike?

Ikaika Cox
Bicycle Mechanic
Ikaika Cox is the Shop Director at the Salt Lake City branch Bicycle Collective in Salt Lake City, Utah. He has been a bike mechanic since 2012, beginning as a volunteer with the Provo Bicycle Collective, and growing and honing his skills as a bicycle mechanic and educator in multiple Bicycle Collective locations over the years. He now leads the Salt Lake City branch of the Bicycle Collective.

Ikaika Cox

Bicycle Mechanic

Expert Answer

It is unwise to shift both the front and the rear at the same time. It’s best to shift one at a time.

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Question

Does this mean that the left and the right hand both need to be on 1 for lowest?

Community Answer

Yes, both low numbers mean low gears. Although the lowest gear is not always equal to the smallest gear in size. A low gear will mean a small gear in size at the front and a large gear at the back and a high gear will be inverted to that.

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Question

Can I go on 2-6 gears?

Community Answer

On a mountain bike, you have two sets of gears on either side of the bike which you control with the left and right handle. The left side usually has 3 gears, one small gear ring which you might use for climbing hills. One medium gear ring which you might use on the high street if you prefer to peddle faster but with less resistance, and finally the big gear ring which is most commonly used and is good for the high street. Then on the right, you usually have about 6-8 gears which you can change depending on how fast or hard you want to peddle. Have a play around with all right-hand gears on different gear rings on the left and see the differences they all have.

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Question

Do I increase the display number or decrease it to get a higher gear in the rear set?

Community Answer

To get a higher gear and more resistance, you select the higher displayed numbers.

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Question

When should I use low level gears and when should I use high level gears?

Community Answer

Step 3 and 4 explain the differences. Low level gears are for going up hills, while higher level gears are for downhill or flat areas.

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Question

My bike has 18 speeds. I want to keep the front gear at a particular gear and just want to use the rear gear. Is it possible?

Community Answer

Yes. Just don't shift the front gear and only shift your rear gears. This is the easiest and most commonsense way to solve your dilemma.

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Question

Is a 6 gear bike adequate for small hill climbing?

Community Answer

A 3 gear bike is better for small hills, for bigger ones you use 6-9 gear bikes depending on the size. Rule of thumb, the smaller the hill the fewer gears you need.

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Question

On my front shifter, does the "+" move the chain to a larger sprocket?

Community Answer

Yes it does, and with the back sprocket it is the other way around. You can play around with the gears and see for yourself.

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Question

How do I ride a 21 gear bike?

Community Answer

The same way you would ride any other bike. Jump on the bicycle and start pedaling.

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Question

How do I avoid soreness in my knee?

Community Answer

Use the lower gears, which will decrease the strain on your joints. Also, make sure your seat is set to the appropriate position for your body.

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Question

How can I stop the chain from coming off the gears of my mountain bike?

Community Answer

Push the rear end of the de-railer forward and seat the chain on the front chain casing. This should solve the problem.

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Question

What should I do if my front gears don't shift properly?

EMBend

Community Answer

You should take the bike to a bike shop to have the cables checked. The cable could just need adjusting or it might need to be replaced.

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Question

Can you change front and back gears at the same time?

Community Answer

Technically you can, but it will be very difficult to change both of them at the same time with only two hands. You may be able to get it if you practice a lot, but you should be careful because it is dangerous.

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Question

My front gears are not changing. What should I check?

EMBend

Community Answer

This is probably due to an old cable that needs replacement. I would suggest taking it to a bike shop to have it diagnosed.

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Question

Do I have to shift both the right gear and the left gear at the same time?

EMBend

Community Answer

No. You should never do this, actually. Your chain is designed for the front and back to be shifted separately.

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Question

Which are the low gears and the high gears?

Community Answer

1 is the lowest (most resistance) and 7 is the highest (least resistance).

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Question

I bought a used 18 speed bicycle and chain/gears are somewhat rusty. What kind of maintenance should I do?

Community Answer

See how much the chain swings from side to side and likely replace it. Rust on the chain means it could break on you. Clean up the gears, make sure they're shifting okay and not slipping, then go from there.

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Question

Which are the hardest and easiest gears?

Community Answer

All the gears are easy on the correct surface, like if you're going up a hill, then a low gear would be easy. If you're going down a hill, a higher gear is best.

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Question

How do I determine the optimal time to shift in order to maintain power?

Community Answer

If you can judge your power easily, it is good to shift at nearly 65% power, or right when you feel it become easier. In competition, shift nearly at 90% power to get as much acceleration as possible.

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Question

Why aren't my gears shifting?

Community Answer

There might be a mechanical issue with your brakes that's causing them to lock up. You should take your bike to a shop where they can diagnose and repair the problem.

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Question

Is it safe to use bike clips on my bike?

Community Answer

Yes, it is.

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Question

How do I fill up the gas in the tube?

Community Answer

Go to a gas station and tell the attendant to fill it right up.

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Question

My height is 162 cm and inseam length is 72 cm, which height/frame bicycle do I choose? What is the difference between height and depth of the cycle?

Community Answer

If you sit on the bike and put your foot on one pedal at the farthest it will go, you should be able to reach the floor. If you do this with someone from a bike shop they can help you more. The result will depend on the height of the seat.

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Question

Is changing gears on a standing bicycle bad for the machine?

Community Answer

Changing gear while standing will not work, as we need to pedal while changing gears. If you shift while you're pedaling backward or not pedaling at all, the chain won't be tight enough to catch. When you start pedaling again, it may rattle around or slip off of the gear. This isn't something you'll want to happen while riding.

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Question

Should I not crisscross the chain when shifting gears on a bike?

Community Answer

Crisscrossing the chains on your bike is very bad for the bike. Don't do this.

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Question

What do the letters H and L mean when seen on the handlebars of a bike?

Community Answer

H means high gear and L means low gear. The high gear is used when you want to increase your speed or when you're going downhill; low gear is used when you're going uphill or when you want to decrease your speed.

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Question

Do I have to stop pedaling while changing the front or rear gears?

Community Answer

No, keep pedaling while you change gears.

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Question

How do I shift the rear gear into first position?

Community Answer

By using the down shifter or move the gear shifter to 1 on the right hand side.

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Question

I turned my gear shifters on my bike but then the pedals wouldn’t move. What do I need to do?

Community Answer

Take it to a repair center if you haven't tried manually resetting the chain and popping the chain on the right gear.

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