How To Use Road Bicycle Gears

Road bicycle gears enable riders to ride at a comfortable effort level over almost any terrain, but, to be able to do this, riders first must be able to use their gears intuitively. In this video, Manon explains how to use road bike gears, as well as sharing some handy tips to help fix any problems you might encounter and ride more smoothly out on the road!

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[gcn]

Do you have a friend who's new to cycling? Why not share this video with them! Let us know if you found this video helpful for your riding in the comments below 👇

[AdamNigelDark]

We've all done the old 'pull away at the lights in the heaviest gear' malarky and the old 'go down the hill spinning like a lunatic' because we can't find a gear that turns lol. Ahhh good times, good times indeed!

[lerevenant]

Absolutely incredible video. Before watching this video I understood nothing about bicycle gears, and after watching the video I still understand nothing about bicycle gears.

[siobhanmurdie]

I got back into cycling last year after about 10 years. I thought it would be a good idea to dust off my old road bike and take it for a 20mile spin. Unfortunately, I had forgotten that it had down tube gear leavers and wasn't working particularly well, jumping to harder gears. I also had forgotten how hard it was to unclip your shoes when your legs are completely goosed! I was reminded of all of this when I was half way up a very steep climb, my gears jumped, I could no longer pedal. Luckily, I managed to unclip one of my feet just in time. Unluckily, my bike was falling to the opposite side!

[SassySkylar]

I hadn’t a clue how to change gears as I’m new to the world of cycling. Thanks for informing us newbies so well Manon.

[whitefox]

The presenter is such a lovely lady, thanks to her tips i already feel like a pro on my bicycle

[charliedillon]

Two points to add:
1.Backing off on pedaling torque slightly fo a split second prevents most bad shifts and dropped chains. We all don't have top gear in top tune all the time.
2. It's important to not cross gear - i.e. big cog to big ring or small cog to small ring. Rookie move. It's possible to find a similar ratio with a different combo, without having too much slack in the chain or stretching out the rear mech.

[pyromaniac]

Still can't get over how bling Manon's forks are.

[JoaoRibeiro-fmuy]

All those hints are excellent. Due the Coronavirus pandemic I bought a bike and I have no regrets.

[ThomasGMRossetti]

All the presenters on GCN seem like genuinely nice people. This makes me happy when I'm watching the videos.

Good tip about getting in the right gear *before* you start a big climb. I'll have to remember that.

[zacbenjamin]

I had gear shifters on the top of my bar where the stem is and i was climbing up a really steep hill and my bike was too small for me so my knee hit it and i was stuck in the highest gear with a really badly hurt knee.

[bassforhire]

Just got a bike to get to work after my car broke down, first time I'd ridden a bike in about twenty years lol. First ride out with it, I had my gears so messed up, I popped the chain loose not a hundred feet down the street, really needed this video, thanks

[ManishSingh-xofb]

I see her face, I click on the video. I find her more informative than other presenters. And even if you don't have that technical knowledge, you understand it. She knows how to simplify and and then present the whole concept in a simpler way. You always learn something from her.

[yannyburger]

A note from a real pro, an ex bike messenger with a decade of bike courier service throughout Canadian winters. You DO NOT ride big ring in front and big cassette in back. You want to keep your chain lined up relatively straight. So on a 3 ring front with say a 9 speed cassette in back, you only want to drop or go up about 3 gears in back before switching front derailer rings. So, small ring for the biggest 3 or 4 cogs in back. Then the middle ring for the next 3 then the big ring in front for the tallest 3 or 4 gears in back. Big ring in front and big cog in back stresses out the rear derailer and can wear it out quicker. Plus you sometimes get the chain rubbing on the front derailer mechanism.

[jiovannirosario]

I’ve watched three other GNC videos on this subject but Manon was the only who broke it down in a useful way.

Thank you!

[reidwagner]

She makes the granny gear use very clear. I feel it’s best to shift when my feet are at the 9&3 position to not put too much stress on the chain. I avoid some chain noise getting to the next gear. Excellent teaching points here

[michaelsingh]

I always watch these types of videos to get that one golden tip that makes climbing a little more faster, like keeping the chain on the big ring and changing to a easier cog until a point then shifting to the small ring... a pro tip

[ashwinmandan]

We'll all have to agree that Manon makes GCN videos 10X better

[nicovinn]

Am i the only one who think this is the smoothest bike commercials and biking lessons all at the same time?

[jaydibernardo]

I'm ready for a spot of tea after watching this. Cheerio!