Basic Shifting

Find out which shifter does what before you ride. On most bikes the right shifter moves the rear derailleur across the cassette, and the left moves the front derailleur across the chainrings. Some systems differ, so check yours.

you know which hand to use without looking down.

Learn which way is easier. Easier (lower) gears are the smaller chainring at the front and the bigger cogs at the back. Harder (higher) gears are the bigger chainring and the smaller cogs.

easier gear, lighter pedals, more turns per metre.

Practise somewhere quiet and traffic-free first. Check the gears change cleanly before a ride. If they grind, skip or jump on their own, get them adjusted before relying on them.

each click gives one clean change.

Shift to an easier gear just before a hill, not halfway up it. If you're unsure, start the hill in a gear that's too easy. You can always change up if it feels light.

you reach the slope already spinning, not stalling.

On a climb that gets steeper, go down one gear at a time. Jumping several gears at once can throw the chain off. On flatter sections, change up a gear or two so you have gears left for the steep part.

small steps, each one smooth.

Change to a harder gear as the road flattens or tips downhill, so your legs aren't spinning out with nothing to push against.

the pedals have some resistance again.

Keep the pedals turning forward while you shift. A derailleur only moves the chain while the cranks are going round. If you stop pedalling, the gear won't change.

pedals still turning as you click.

Ease off the pedal pressure for a moment as the chain moves, then press again. The rear can usually shift under load, but easing off is kinder to the chain. The front changes badly when you're pushing hard or turning the pedals slowly, so ease off most for front shifts.

a soft half-stroke, then the click, then back to work.

Use the front for a big change in resistance and the rear for small adjustments. A front change is a big jump, for example at the start of a long climb. Rear changes fine-tune your pedalling speed.

big jump up front, small tweaks at the back.

Avoid the extreme chain angles: the big chainring with the biggest rear cogs, and the small chainring with the smallest rear cogs. The chain runs at a sharp angle, which is noisier, adds friction and wears the chain and cogs faster. Change at the front instead.

the chain runs fairly straight and quiet.

Aim for a steady pedalling speed you can keep up. There's no single correct number for a beginner. Cycling UK suggests roughly 60–90 rpm; trained riders tend to choose 80–100 rpm in short efforts. If you're grinding slowly, shift easier. If you're bouncing on the saddle, shift harder.

a rhythm you could hold for a long time.

Shift down to an easy starting gear as you slow for a stop, while the pedals are still turning. Then you can pull away from junctions smoothly instead of heaving on a hard gear.

the first pedal stroke from a stop feels light.

Shift up before you stand on the pedals, not after. Standing puts more force through the pedals, so a slightly harder gear suits it.

you rise out of the saddle into a gear that pushes back.

If your bike has hub gears (gears sealed inside the rear hub), you can change gear while stopped. Derailleur gears need the pedals turning.

with a hub, pick your starting gear at the lights.