1. Mountain Biking Made Easier
As with the gears on all kinds of bikes, you have many choices to meet the demands of a variety of terrains. Mountain biking in particular involves so many different paths and environmental challenges that knowing how to use the gears gives you a great advantage. While many of the gears on mountain bikes are consistent, so many new additions are being made that you may have to run through some of the gears in a practice mode to see how they affect your riding. The goal of bike riding is to achieve a constant pace and a turning ratio of one-to-one. For every time you pedal around, the wheels should turn around once as well.
2. Find Which Gears Work Best
Newer mountain bikes can have as many as 27 different gear ratios that are achieved using three sprockets on the front tire and nine on the back. Most mountain bike riders find a front sprocket gear that works well for the hills they are riding and leave that in position, shifting for changes with the rear gears. The front gears are more difficult to shift, especially when you have any pressure on them, such as climbing a steep incline.
3. Right-side Shifting
The gear sprockets for the rear wheel are located on the right handlebar. The lower the gear number, the easier it is to pedal. Use the low gears when you under pressure for an uphill climb. You may be pedaling faster than the ideal one-to-one, but at least you can keep riding. As you speed up, shift to the higher numbers. Anticipate the need to change gears before you are on top of the terrain. If you see a hill coming up ahead, shift before you begin the rise. The shifting will be much easier and there will be less strain on you and your bike.
4. Keep Pedaling
When you change gears, the chain slides from one level to another. A derailer is the mechanism that moves the chain when you shift gears. The chain must be moving when it is being shifted. You don't want to pedal too quickly or too slowly. Find a steady, even gait when shifting so the chain doesn't stick or bounce off the sprocket.
5. The Ghost in the Bike
Sometimes you can be riding along, shifting easily, and then you suddenly hear the chain shift sprockets all by itself. A loose screw in the shift lever usually causes this action. After a hard day of riding or at least a couple of times during the biking season, check your screws and make necessary adjustments. The cable guide also can tough and will slide to another gear independently of your shifting. Greasing the chain regularly can prevent the ghost on the bike.
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