Comments on: A Complete Idiot’s Guide to Bicycle Gears & Shifting

By: Shewale Patil

Shewale Patil — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 10:59:42 +0000

Hi!
I am begineer, we friends bought 6 bikes yesterday of Hybrid -Helix Bergamont make. In morning i has ride & found difficulty. This artical give me so confidence that now Cycling will be cakewalk for me. I also shared this artical with my friends & they are so happy to read the same. Thanks a lot

By: Levi

Levi — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 18:10:17 +0000

@jackie

Very common problem. You can’t mix new and old drivetrain parts. Your old chain won’t match up properly with the new cassette, so you’ll need a new chain. With the new chain, you may then need new chainrings.

By: JACKIE

JACKIE — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 09:00:44 +0000

have a older ironhorse. love it but recently the cassette broke. replaced it now it clicks and jumps and clanks when i pedal, impossible to ride. what did i do wrong or what else might be wrong?

thanx for the help!
jackie

By: Mandy

Mandy — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 17:05:40 +0000

After spending some time reading your article I firstly went and cleaned my bike!My husband then very helpfully lifted the rear wheel off the ground while I practiced changing gears. My problem has always been changing the front gears. I think that I’ve snatched at it in a sort of panic (!) resulting in grinding at best and the chain coming off at worst.This lack of confidence meant that I only ever stayed in the 2nd front gear and used the rear gears. Well, I have just returned home from a wonderful 4 hr solo ride where there was only an occasional little grind which I soon rectified and during which the chain didn’t come off once….EUREKA!!I feel so pleased.Understanding what is happening has made such a difference and given me the confidence to experiment. Thank you, thank you for sharing your knowledge and in such a way that people like me can understand the process.Safe riding everyone.

By: Kelly

Kelly — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 23:53:09 +0000

Thank you, thank you, and thank you. I haven’t been on a bike for 25years and have just been given a shine new fluid mountain bike with all these gears which I had no idea how to use. Your instructions are easy to understand and now I can ride with my little boy without feeling like an idiot!

Wishing you a great day!

Kel

By: mike o

mike o — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 22:11:21 +0000

I brought a used a moongoose xr200 26 sp, back wheel turns freely both ways front and back, whats wrong with it? thanks, mike

By: Peace

Peace — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 20:58:40 +0000

I know the article was written a while back, but thank you, thank you, thank you.

I recently got a 24speed bike & couldnt figure out squat on it. This article really helped me to understand gears & shifting.

Well written & truly an article for beginners & pros alike.

Thanks.

By: Levi

Levi — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 19:16:42 +0000

@A Norman

With the Nexus internally geared hub, it should shift fine while pedaling or stopped. It doesn’t require effort on your part like a derailleur system, which is what this article focused on.

By: A Norman

A Norman — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 22:56:07 +0000

When changing NEXUS gears should I pedal forw ards,backwards or not pedal at all?

By: Pauline

Pauline — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 13:09:07 +0000

Thanks so much for this article. Shifting is intimidating for me and is an experimental adventure for my husband! We’re “seniors” picking up our new 21 speed cruisers today. Understanding how the gears work will make riding our bikes much more fun and easier now.