Shifting gears on a mountain bike is necessary to get the most out of mountain riding. Climbing, cornering and negotiating obstacles become easier with efficient gear changes at precise points. As a mountain rider, understanding how to shift correctly preserves the gear system on your bike and allows you to have rewarding rides every time out.
Basics
Contemporary mountain bikes have three large chainwheel sprockets at the pedal cranks and a cluster of seven smaller sprockets at the rear wheel cassette. In mountain riding, the chainwheel sprockets are used for power and the cassette sprockets are used for speed. The particular front and rear sprocket where the chain is engaged establishes a certain gear ratio. Mountain biking is about maintaining momentum with the best gear ratio, and you accomplish this by shifting gears.
Derailleurs
The front and rear derailleurs are the critical components of the gear system on your mountain bike. When you operate a shift lever, a cable activates the corresponding derailleur, which then moves the chain to another chainwheel or cassette sprocket. Considering the number of gear changes the average rider makes on a mountain bike, derailleurs can be capricious pieces of equipment. Derailleurs depend on two things to operate efficiently and reliably: The correct pedaling rate and the proper amount of tension on the chain.
Force and Anticipation
Most novice mountain riders understand that it is necessary to keep pedaling when they shift gears because derailleurs cannot work unless the chain is moving. Then, they attempt to shift gears while pedaling uphill and discover it takes more force to move the shift lever. Although it is necessary to pedal when shifting gears, you have to back off on the pedals and reduce the amount of tension on the chain to allow a derailleur to move the chain. You become a more equipment-friendly mountain rider by anticipating gear changes as you approach hills, obstacles and tight turns and applying minimum force to shift gears.
Cadence
The rate at which you pedal to maintain momentum in mountain conditions is known as your cadence, and cadence affects the operation of the gear system on your bike. A slower cadence increases the amount of time it takes for a derailleur to shift the chain. As your level of conditioning improves, you are able to maintain a faster cadence, which translates to more efficient gear changes. You maintain the optimum cadence by establishing the best gear combination and ratio for the various conditions you encounter when riding a mountain bike.
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