d. Which gear should I be in?
The combination of largest rear and smallest front gears (fig. P) is for the steepest hills. The smallest rear and largest front combination (fig. P) is for the greatest speed. It is not necessary to shift gears in sequence. Instead, find the “starting gear” which is right for your level of ability, (a gear which is hard enough for quick acceleration but easy enough to let you start from a stop without wobbling) and experiment with upshifting and downshifting to get a feel for the different gear combinations. At first, practice shifting where there are no obstacles, hazards or other traffic, until you’ve built up your confidence. If you have difficulties with shifting, the problem could be mechanical adjustment. See your dealer for help.
WARNING: Never shift a derailleur onto the largest or the smallest sprocket if the derailleur is not shifting smoothly. The derailleur may be out of adjustment and the chain could jam, causing you to lose control and fall.
2. How an internal gear hub drivetrain works
If your bicycle has an internal gear hub drivetrain, the gear changing mechanism will consist of: |
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a 3, 5, 7 or possibly 12 speed internal gear hub | fig. P | |
. one, or sometimes two shifters | ||
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. one or two control cables |
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. one front sprocket called a chainring |
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. a drive train |
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a. Shifting internal gear hub gears |
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Shifting with an internal gear hub drivetrain is simply a matter of moving the shifter to the indicated position for the desired gear. After you have moved the shifter to the gear position of your choice, ease the pressure on the pedals for an instant to allow the hub to complete the shift.
b. Which gear should I be in?
The numerically lowest gear (1) is for the steepest hills. The numerically largest gear (3, 5, 7 or 12, depending on the number of speeds of your hub) is for the greatest speed.
Shifting from an easier, “slower” gear (like 1) to a harder, “faster” gear (like 2 or 3) is called an upshift. Shifting from a harder, “faster” gear to an easier, “slower” gear is called a downshift. It is not necessary to shift gears in sequence. Instead, find the “starting gear” for the conditions; a gear which is hard enough for quick acceleration but easy enough to let you start from a stop without wobbling, and experiment with upshifting and downshifting to get a feel for the different gears. At first, practice shifting where there are no obstacles, hazards or other traffic, until you’ve built up your confidence. If you have difficulties with shifting, the problem could be mechanical adjustment. See your dealer for help.
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