How to PROPERLY shift gears on a bicycle?

How to PROPERLY shift gears on a bicycle?
The basics are explained at 15 minutes and 53 seconds - "Conclusion - the essence!"
- Contents -
00:00 Introduction
00:42 SHOCKING fact :)
02:22 Cross-chaining explained
03:32 The basic principle
07:58 Chainline and 2x cranks explained
09:01 Compact cranks 50x34 problem
12:38 How to shift gears
15:00 1x systems
15:53 Conclusion - the essence!
- Useful links -
If you have any questions, please use the BikeGremlin forum (I try to respond to every comment, but KZbin sucks at notifications, especially when it comes to any follow-up questions):
www.bikegremlin.net/
Gears ("gear-inches"), cross-chaining, and overlapping gears explained:
bike.bikegremlin.com/104/bicy...
Chainline explained:
bike.bikegremlin.com/1755/bic...
Pros and cons of 1x systems:
bike.bikegremlin.com/6075/pro...
How to safely start & stop with a bicycle:
• How to safely start & ...
The shirt! :)
shop.bikegremlin.com/product/...
List of all the BikeGremlin videos, sorted by categories:
bike.bikegremlin.com/youtube/
Camera & editing: Srdjoni from 2bike.rs forum
Thank you, doctor! :)
id: 1044

[@BikeGremlinUS]

If you have any questions, please use the BikeGremlin forum (I try to respond to every comment, but KZbin sucks at notifications, especially when it comes to any follow-up questions): www.bikegremlin.net/ LEARN how to ride a bicycle in one day (kids and beginners): kzbin.info/www/bejne/bZ6XeH2IatSDp9k Relja

[@radouaneelmorro589]

I appreciate your English sir

[@marcusmors8485]

this guy speaks english and uses the metric system. He deserves more than a like. Thanks!

[@peterw.3816]

Speaking a second language is never easy. Most people in this world are too lazy to do so. Your vocabulary is excellent- just relax and let the words flow. Thank you very much for explaining these little known details. I just destroyed a rear derailleur by shifting too late and too hard before starting a hill climb on my road bike. Your info will keep me from doing that again.

[@kevin_elmoista4942]

i speak 4 lenguages

[@reallyeffingcooltechnodude]

Most people in the world don't have the need to speak a second language.

[@kevin_elmoista4942]

@@reallyeffingcooltechnodude well I have the need to speak 4 languages

[@BrickEngines]

i speak 5 languages

[@niro2240]

Very informative video. Thank you so much. පස්සේ be more confident when you speak. You know a lot & you can articulate well. Just trust yourself! Hope to see more good videos from you just like this one.

[@bonillasergio]

First thing: Don't lower yourself... If some people find this boring or too long, they are not quite interested in the science behind cycling. Second: This video is actually very good. Great and detailed description! Keep it up!! Thanks a lot!!

[@wonjez3982]

Exactly, you can easily find tutorials for all kinds of stuff, but you should never stop learning, so it's nice to have something explained more thurough and to think about it, even after my 20 years of cycling.

[@johnnyboy3357]

This video is underrated, AND the information here will be hated by manufacturers, why? 1) manufacturers want people to cross chain so the chain will wear too soon compelling cyclists to buy a new one too soon, especially those who choose single chainring 2) if you ask me, a chainring being aligned to a rear cog, i consider it cross chaining already if you shift the chain beyond two cogs either upshift or low shift, BUT, a double chainring does not mean it can accommodate 8 cogs, a double chainring can only accommodate 5 cogs, because it can only sit aligned between the second and fourth cogs, because if you ask me, a chainring can only handle three to four cogs maximum for optimum power transfer, three to four cogs width is around 25mm, aligning a chainring with a cog which is beyond the line range of a chainring which is around 25mm (for me) is already considered (to me) cross chaining, this is about 26er to 29er wheels, its much severe if the wheels are only 20inches - one chainring can only handle three cogs nearest to the chainring line because the smaller the wheel, the more bent the chain if cross chained 3) manufacturers created the aluminum chainring so a worn chain will be immediately replaced by the cyclist, since the aluminum does not give way to steel, when the chain is worn it will either fall off or make an annoying clicking sound that compels the cyclist to purchase a new chain all too soon thus boosting chain sales, especially those who use single chainring system or 1x in both hills and flats, its best if the entire drivetrain is made of steel so every component involved will wear together evenly without having to replace any part of the drivetrain, i have one bike 2x5 and it rode for average 20km a week for more than a decade its still good despite all the other bike parts were already replaced but the drivetrain is still good because i don't cross chain, only shifter and derailleur replace, but the chain and the front rear sprockets are still together worn evenly yet no need to replace any one part 4) since the width of 8/9/10 speed cogs are the same, but for convenience sake, use a 2x5 or a 3x6 or a 3x10, its more practical to use 10 instead of 8/9 because their widths are the same anyway it'd be a waste of cog space choosing 8/9 speeds so its better if its 10 speed because 11speed is already wider than ten speed, i wonder maybe that's why shimano updated their triple chainring from square taper to hollowtech, for a 29er wheel i think its still optimum to use 3x12 but i doubt there's a triple chainring for 11/12 speeds

[@jm_sc]

Hell yeah it is

[@Cesar-cm4if]

Agreed! Something else to keep in mind while cycling is to wear the proper helmet, most helmets have an outdated safety standard, the best ones are the ones that pass the nta standard like xnito or bern hudson

[@g0dzilla5]

Even native English speakers can only dream of making this quality of content. Really helpful and informative.

[@B_COOPER]

I just cannot believe how criminally underrated you are. You are by far one of the most informative, educating, and you stay on topic without a bunch of rambling on. I noticed in one of your videos that you apologized for your English. Coming from an American that only speaks English, you speak more fluently than most people here that are not multi-lingual.

[@BikeGremlinUS]

Thanks for the kind words, Brandon. :) I hear that a lot, often from both UK and USA - how underrated BikeGremlin is. Locally, in my city (and country), people recognize me in the street, especially the cyclists and mechanics (got a website and a KZbin channel in my native, Serbocroatian). Mostly very good vibes with very few downsides for now. That surprises me, because my articles and videos are relatively "specialized" - I consider them to be long, boring, in detail, the way I like things explained to ME. I didn't think there are too many people who like that. Didn't expect to see many people enjoying it, videos just started as demonstrations to follow what's explained in my articles, nothing more. In English, there's a lot more competition so to speak. ParkTools channel (and website) for example - that is the level of production, video editing and narration that I'm aiming towards, but doing it my way, with a bit more details, perhaps followed by shorter, simpler video versions for the super-busy single moms who are very tight with time (one example, many people today are very busy as far as I can tell). So I do things my way, the way I like it, and in time, the channel will surely get the popularity it deserves (well see whether that is 3 thousand, or 3 million subscribers). I don't expect an average person to watch BikeGremlin instead of ParkTools - Calvin Jones is a brilliant teacher in my opinion. Will they watch it along? Maybe, we'll see. :) Without any false modesty: I get into long digressions more often than I'd like to. Many videos (and articles for that matter) could use a shorter version (not everyone wants to know about every caveat and gotcha, they just want to start). I plan to do that as well, but it will take a few more years probably to just cover all the important topics in detail, first. :) As far as I'm concerned, if a video, or an article help at least one person - it's worth it. I often use BikeGremlin articles as a reminder/reference (that's how the website started, just publishing my notes online, making it conveniently available wherever I go :) ). While videos are making my son interested into fixing bikes, so every one I make is worth just for that - I won't live forever, but the videos will hopefully last a bit longer. :)

[@B_COOPER]

@@BikeGremlinUS thanks for the reply! It makes me happy to hear that you are recognized in person. I am fascinated by the engineering and geometry of bikes and I found a lot of those “how do I ask” questions from your content. Park Tool & GCN has many videos about how gears and shifting work and I already know how & when to shift, but I love to learn HOW these things work and I am thankful for your “boring & long” lessons. I had no idea that you had a website and I am excited I get to nerd out and read a bunch of information that will be 90% I already know but there’s always hidden treasure that Calvin Jones, everyone’s favorite mechanic,just hasn’t mentioned. I’m extremely thankful for your content and I’m looking forward for more brainiac videos!

[@BikeGremlinUS]

Here's a list of all my content (like a sort of a hub): www.bikegremlin.com/ And the same for my native: www.bikegremlin.com/pocetna/

[@IsaacNussbaum]

I understand that details are not everyone's cup of tea but you, sir, have made my day. You packed a great deal of useful information into a 17 minute video, information that will make riding enormously more enjoyable for me going forward. Thank you!

[@cherther13]

Yes!!! As I am a beginner @66yo 💁‍♀️😀🩷🙋‍♀️

[@andrewdavis3301]

Always suspected that gears worked this way, with the overlapping ratios, but great to have it confirmed and explained by an expert. Many thanks, a really informative video.

[@moetocafe]

For those with 3 gear wheels in the front, it's good to predisposition the front gear up to the terrain ahead. If you bike mostly in the city, like me - then for the most part you can leave the front in the middle gear. If you're about to climb a more steeper terrain/hill - shift to the small front gear, before you begin so that you're well prepared. If you'll downhill in fast speed - shift to the high front gear.

[@GordoGambler]

OR get a FAR superior ROHLOFF14. My SA XL-RD5w is no slouch for going fast with a limited low end.

[@xpt]

@@GordoGambler im not spending $2000 on a hub gearbox.

[@Vikingr91]

I'm having problem getting into the 1st gear front. Bike has been at service and everything. All gears work back and front. But the front 2nd gear does not want to respond down to the 1st unless I change gears back while trying to get into 1st front.

[@moetocafe]

@@hahahdhaw agreed, I rarely use it, if at all. I even consider removing it from my bike, it's only useless weight for me.

[@kovie9162]

Exactly. As I just wrote here, having a triple is like having three "one-by's" since you stay on the same front ring most of the time, to match the terrain and the kind of riding you want to do, and most of your shifting is done on the rear derailleur. So, on uphills you're on the hill one-by, on downhills and flats you're on the fast one-by, and on rolling terrain you're on the general purpose one-by. Sure, you're restricted to the top or bottom 7-8 cogs on the first and last, but that's fine because you don't need the restricted cogs then. When I set up my 3x10 I no longer had to keep shifting both derailleurs to get into the right gear. And the middle ring goes with any of the rear cogs because that's how a one-by works, and using the middle ring is literally like an actual one-by because it can work with all the cogs. People misunderstand the purpose of a triple. Sure, it's to give you a low range of bailout gears. But it's also to simplify shifting and make riding more enjoyable.

[@danieliturrino7381]

I had to pause right before you demonstrated cross chaining on your bicycle. Just want to say, detailed, informative and extremely thorough videos are a beginners & amateurs FAVORITE type of video. We learn so much more than a quick 2 min video. So thank you for all you do. Never stop. You might have a small audience but we are listening and watching closely

[@BikeGremlinUS]

Hi Daniel, Thank you very much for the kind words. :) Very glad to hear the video helped you.

[@marularch]

I was trying to watch you videos in Serbian but this is much better, thanks a lot. Greetings from Belgrade!

[@philcaffrey]

By the way, to follow up my earlier comment, I am English and really enjoy hearing the language used well. You, sir, use it very well. You speak English better than most English people. That's a fact.

[@micahgarfinkel3645]

Very helpful! It's heartbreaking to hear other's negative words permeate through your videos; ignore them. You explained everything perfectly and taught me what at least 6 teachers couldn't. Thank you for making this video 🙏

[@BikeGremlinUS]

Glad to hear it has helped. :) As for the negatives - I don't take things too seriously, and I like joking on my own account so to speak (so no one gets offended). No sweat. :)

[@nickhayes4315]

The explanation, diagram, and real demonstration solidified this concept more than any other teaching I've ever heard! Your video was not boring or unnecessarily long. It takes time to fully express certain ideas. I appreciate content done the right way; thoroughly and detailed.

[@franciscolagrifa18]

I think one of the best tips you gave in this video is showing the chain stressing on the front derailer. I hear too often how riders just force the chain. Thank you for sharing this!

[@edgarbran9822]

Never thought about it. I'll have to start developing a shifting pattern and being careful under the specific conditions he mentioned. This video was really insightful in my opinion.

[@r8devil]

Your explanations are detailed with diagrams and you showing how it happens on the bike helps a lot in the understanding. Also there is no problem with your English at all. I think the length of the video is perfect for explaining what you did. Too many videos out there say they are going to explain but tend to go through too fast and with not enough detail. Keep up the good work and I am glad that I found your channel.

[@samari1011]

To every new cycler: this should be required watching. Great discussion on a very commonly overlooked issue with gear change best practices.

[@firemedic5365]

I've seen countless videos on this issue. Yours is by far the best? Thank you, sir.

[@joramrozal31]

Been riding for 10 years, but I have just learned how to use proper gearing. Thank you for this very informative video, man!

[@gautamramasamy2482]

Finally I understand it! After watching so many videos on cross chaining, this is the only one that explains which front chain rings should be used with the rear rings. Thanks

[@MrBK212]

I am new to bicycling at 70 years old. The bicycle shop where I bought my bike is even older, dating back to the early 1900's. The bike they sold me for urban riding has a 46 tooth and 30 tooth gear in the front and 9 gears in the cassette ranging from 11 to 32. I suppose that's why I've increased my distace by a factor of 5. The bicycle is perfect for this environment - it's a Cannondale Bad Boy 3. I love how they designed it for this use, and appreciate the video explaining how to use and shift gears!

[@blob_425]

This is some goldmine you have here, as someone who was never really into cycling and is just getting into it this is amazing. Most content made for beginners does not go as deep into the topics that I want but you did an amazing job!!

[@cess8520]

Such a helpful video, thanks for being so detailed and showing diagram. I’m new to riding and I’ve cross-chained a lot, definitely affected my ride not being so efficient. Now I learned before I break my chain

[@jmaggg1356]

You just explained exactly what I wanted to know perfectly. I went through around 10 different 'experts' before I got to your video and NONE of them explained anything as precicely as you did. You have the benefit of not having English as your first language so you choose your words carefully and perfectly. Thank you!

[@bikerjee_]

I recently purchased a geared MTB which is yet to be installed and this will be my first time riding a MTB Cycle with gear and I have no prior experience. Thankfully KZbin suggested me this video. This videos really helped me to understand the mechanism and the right way to shift gears properly at right the right place. Thank you for this video and I’m watching this in 2022 btw.

[@BikeGremlinUS]

Glad it could help. I try to explain the principles, which makes most of my videos (and articles for that matter) sort of timeless. :) BTW, for reasons beyond my understanding, KZbin hadn't shown this video to anyone for about a whole year since it was published (had about a dozen views). Then, it started recommending it, apparently to the people that could be helped by it (judging by hundreds of 99.99% positive feedback in the comments). No idea how that works or how it knows who wants to see what. :)

[@bikerjee_]

@@BikeGremlinUS Ofcourse it helped many people. And it is also an interesting thing to watch even if people are not that much into cycling but still can get have knowledge about the principles. And your way of explaining is really good and your english is very good as well.

[@AlexSlok]

A very good topic. There are a lot of people that don't have a clue what proper shifting means. And your pronunciation is very good. 👍

[@travisamerica7213]

This is a fantastic video with really detailed, but easy-to-understand explanations. Thank you so much!

[@aaronburt845]

your vid is neither boring nor too long. It's perfect, very infromitive and well thought out. thanks for posting.

[@kryptogamerz6831]

I think long documentary videos like this should be more appreciated, because it really does help a lot.

[@kryptogamerz6831]

it's not a long documentary but when compared to other cycling tutorial videos, I could consider this one a long video.

[@miweneia]

I actually learned these things only recently, even though I have been riding bikes for more than a decade. Thanks for spreading the knowledge to other people as well!

[@user-jq7ql9di5b]

Hi, I wondered if anyone has told you about it, but you’re a really good teacher! This is your second vid that I’ve watched but I feel that you always go out of your way to make sure students understand. Thank you!

[@AX3L87]

Wow, that makes so much sense. I'll be sure to teach my kids and wife about this as we are out riding. I never knew this but my mentality for everything in life that I gathered from carpentry is that "every cause has an effect. And everything has a science to it." Thank you

[@robyn2791]

I don't normally comment but I wanted to thank you for this video as it has made it super clear to me what I keep doing wrong with my gears and how to do it correctly. I 1have read a few articles and watched a few videos and this is the only one that has explained the gears in sufficient detail for me to understand. The diagrams made all the difference for me. Thank you so much.

[@josephwhitaker6574]

This is such a clear explanation!! Thank you so much for taking the time to make this video. I'm a bit newer to cycling so this was immensely helpful and I'm sure it'll save me a lot of chain wear in the future.

[@ADLQASEM]

hi, this is the best video i had ever seen in the web explaining the right way to shift gears in the bike, but still i have a question if the bike will not be used for long time front gear must be on position one and rear gear must be in position 9 (last one) or it doesn't matter as it will not affect any thing, thanks a lot

[@BikeGremlinUS]

That's a good question. I'll address it from the practical, and theoretical "angle:" 1) Practice: I've never had problems when leaving the derailleurs on the largest front chainring, and the middle of the cassette (never stored bikes on the largest rear sprocket, as it's not the gear I end the rides in, as I live in flat lands :) ). 2) Theory: When you leave the derailleurs in positions where there's some cable and spring tension (as in the scenarios you described), the potential problem is spring weakening, or spring creep, spring fatigue. OK. Let's discuss that. The amount (say percentage) of how much a spring (including the derailleur springs) "relaxes" while being left loaded depends on the following: - The higher the temperature - the more quickly it relaxes. - The higher the load - the more quickly it relaxes. That creep is exponential over time. The relaxing that happens within the first say 10 days is far greater than any extra amount of creep that happens afterwards. 3) Practice 2: Problems that often occur after long storage depend on (poor) maintenance: rusted cables, dirty/rusty derailleur pivots and similar. Those things cause shifting problems but those problems are not a result of the gear the derailleurs were in when the bike was left for storage. Maybe the problem with spring creep (point 2) affects derailleurs that had pretty weak springs to begin with, maybe - but that hasn't been my experience so far. So, my answer and opinion would be: it doesn't matter. Of course, my opinion is based on my knowledge, education and experience. Different riders and mechanics have different experiences and hence different opinions. That's normal. Relja Edit: Questions and answers page (KZbin sucks at dealing with comments): www.bikegremlin.com/questions/

[@ADLQASEM]

@@BikeGremlinUS Hi really i never expect this answer but i believe that your answer is the best for my question, thanks a lot.

[@manuelluis5456]

@@ADLQASEM ... , ... do think of spring fatigue when they are on tension ( for nothing ) ... /.. , let it lay at rest ... ( not at rust )

[@domsquaaa4323]

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[@nigellee7892]

The only reason for doing this is to reduce stretching of the gear cables but also the chain. I don’t always strictly adopt it myself as prescribed, because I tend to use my bike almost everyday (certainly for commuting everyday anyway), but every time I park my (double chain set) bike up, I’ll drop the chain onto the smaller chainring at the front and also drop the chain onto one of the smaller cogs on the rear cassette. I’m not anal about it though and I must confess that this is something I’ve only relatively recently learnt to do from watching some other KZbin video. It most definitely extends the time between having to adjust gears as a consequence of cable stretch though in my opinion. It slackens the chain too.

[@snortymcsnortface]

Good and to the point, i like having things explained to me thoroughly. It helps it stick in my head, some other channels try to pack to much and do too many video cuts. Thank you for this.

[@tonycolbourne7694]

Been riding for years and just stumbled across your video. It's brilliant and I've just learnt so much from you. Your enthusiasm is contagious too. 😂😂👍

[@philcaffrey]

I have watched 2 minutes of your video and already you have earned a sub - I love your content and your delivery is first class. I already feel confident that I am in a very good place coming to your channel. Please don't stop. I love your work. Thank you.

[@R7Rolan1]

Thank you so much for your explanation! I'm a bike amateur, and your explanation has helped me understand bike gears better. 👍

[@juliocesarpereira4325]

I once bought a Monark 10 speed bicycle and it came with a thorough user guide including the aproximate meters each gear combination would provide and I was surprised to learn that it was different from a car gear system that is progressive. I was also told by a bicycle mechanic that I should avoid crossing the chain. With this in mind I had to reprogram myself to change the way I used the my bicycle gear system. Later, I came to the conclusion that the best way to change gears without stressing the chaing was to dicrease the load on the pedals enough time for the new gear to set in. It took me a lot of training until it became second nature to me. The video was long, but you had to cover a lot of ground and I was happy to check out that everything I learned, most of it self-taught is correct. Thanks a lot!

[@pannsui]

I just bought my first bike! I was confused when I saw that my bike had shifts for front and rear derailleurs. This video really helped explain that they do and what the optimal settings were. Thank you for explaining it so thoroughly and making so easy to understand!

[@fahmidul]

I liked your presentation a lot. It cleared a lot of confusion regarding gear ratios and the proper way of using them. I also liked how humble you are as an expert. Keep up the good work. 👍🙌

[@DanielHernandez-po2ke]

Thank you for explaining the cross chaining phenomena! I have been riding for the better part of 10 years, and I am guilty of occasionally finding myself on the small chaining and the small sprocket in the cassette (or the opposite). Won’t make making that mistake again thanks to you. Also, snapping your chain because you didn’t shift properly prior to a climb… I do not recommend that experience.

[@yousaidwhaaaattt8631]

As a novice gear bike rider this helped me alot. Thank you Mr.Gremlin :)

[@gadzilla3173]

Thank you! Nothing boring in the video! My wife and I are just getting serious about cycling and this is great information. You have another subscriber.

[@ELYuckMutt1492]

Best video I've seen . Very simple concepts giving me a better understanding. Thank you.

[@thekinginyellow7029]

Thank you so much for helping me understand this. I'm trying to get into commuting by bike, and shifting gears was something that I was really struggling to understand.

[@HollyFormolo]

You just helped me figure out my 2x Diamondback Lux 2 shifting learning curve! Thanks for that. :) You've got a great natural style of explaining things & reinforcing through diagrams, etc. Consider me a fan!

[@chrisricetopher21]

Man… out of the 80 videos I’ve watched… your explanation connected ALL the dots. Great work my friend.

[@uptown710]

First time watching one of your vids. Got yourself a new subscriber 👍🏾 Passion communicates more than people know, and I understood all that you explained here. Thank you for your hard work, and I’m looking forward to watching more of your work.

[@joselopeziii8776]

🙏 Thank you, your explanation made perfect sense! You helped me understand what I’m doing wrong with my shifting. Have a great day

[@UTubeQu1che551]

Excellent explanation. My hardest lesson to learn was not to shift too late. I constantly over rated my power level. Shift BEFORE I need to! Thx!

[@afinkeln]

Best video of its type I have ever seen. This is "lightbulb moment" video when things really start making sense, especially with gear ratio. This is the perfect combination of practical and theoretical to instill the right logic to gear shifting. Just Excellent. Thank you very much.

[@gs8941]

Amazing video Sir. Something so important explained in such a simple manner. Thank you!! Do keep up the good work

[@SlowmotionJoe]

Thank you very much! You are definitely helping people. This is some basic info I think a lot of cyclists do not understand / do not know, because they are simply not being told when they get a bicycle. Very well explained :-)

[@light-and-thunder]

These things you MUST know when you are new on biking! Thank you very much for your clear explanations!

[@castrumsolitas4355]

Great video, clear and practical explanations. Thank you very much!

[@nogheadz4987]

Great video! Very informational and well explained

[@123abhinand]

The simplest, yet one of the best videos I have seen here. Thank you for sharing. And some one told me once that good communication is not the ability to speak a particular language well, but the ability to make the listener understand well. You did that, here.

[@Mungu-Akubariki]

This is one of the best videos I've come across that explains gear shifting and how to avoid cross chaining. The diagrams were helpful. Thank you.

[@JohnnyB.]

This explained it so well. I’m definitely a visual learner and when you brought out the paper and pencil to draw lines, I understand now haha thanks so much!!

[@jonnybeggar]

Thank you so much! You put it in a simple way that I could understand. You just saved me money and future frustration.

[@blueroselily2891]

I have watched a lot of videos about gears but so far this video is the most precised and well explained.

[@brendastolecki4755]

I appreciate the length of explanation. I am 66 years old and never knew how to properly change the gears. I never did it properly. I recently started biking again and want to do it properly do it is easier for me. Thank you!

[@ironman_gee]

i loved your video... Best explanation on gearing!!! thank you soo much. Keep educating and sharing your knowledge. Long video is not a problem and i actually downloaded it so i can watch it repeatedly.

[@sjakila]

Great video! Years ago I worked out all possible chainring/casette combinations for my bike, combined with speed and cadence, in an Excel-sheet to find the perfect combination for me. It made a very big difference.

[@dubmob151]

I'll have to count the teeth on each of the chainrings and rear sprockets and get a sorted list of possible gear ratios by dividing the chainring by rear sprocket teeth. Then try to remember the sequence, eliminating the extreme angle combinations. Maybe print out a small chart for reference for the optimal combinations.

[@patnewman1]

I am relatively new to biking and I am hungry for information, which you have provided in a clear and concise explanation. Thank you.😊

[@edwyrd4227]

I've been riding all my life and never knew this. This was very helpful. Thank you.

[@David-xk8hb]

Great explanation. Thank you! As an occasional rider I often forget which way to shift and which shifter to use in order to make it easier or harder to peddle. I wish there was a shifting system where I didn't have to do all the visualization/math of gear ratios in my head, and I could just click a single up/down button rapidly in succession to up-shift (harder to peddle) or down-shift (easier to peddle), and the shifting system would intelligently handle which chain rings to use in order to make for the smoothest/safest transition. That would make for an awesome user experience, especially for beginners.

[@BikeGremlinUS]

1x systems have that pro. But they also have their cons. Explained that here: bike.bikegremlin.com/6075/pros-and-cons-of-1x-groupsets-systems/ Likewise, modern electronic systems (at least Shimano, haven't tried any others) can be configured to do it all automatically, you just use on lever for up/down shifting, and the system worries about front and rear shifts, chainline etc. Neither of those is my cup of tea, but they do exist and some people love them.

[@DreDre-jt8jf]

Man i have been riding for a long time and i kept thinking i was doing somthing wrong... found this video and you explaied it crystal clear thank u

[@wx1124]

Cycling has been my primary mode of transport for over 2 years now and I have hardly ever given any thought about how bicycles work and how to maintain them. I have been using a relatively cheap bicycle and caused the chain ring to snap due to abusive use. I decided to save up for half a year and replace with a relatively more expensive bicycle and wanted to take better care of it. So I watched multiple theory videos about maintenance and shifting gears, but they have all been so confusing and difficult to understand. I came across your video and watched all 17 minutes of it. From start to end, you were informative and so engaging on the delivery. Straight to the point. Thank you for this, truly.

[@BikeGremlinUS]

Glad to hear it was easy to understand. :)

[@abj0531]

Best video about Gear Ratios I have found so far. Great job and incredilble information. Stay as close as possible to the middle for best results. Can't wait to ride in the morning. I have been doing it wrong for over 10 years! Thanks again for this information.

[@RodrigoSilvaRocha]

Man, keep the vids coming. Your channel is a hidden gem with

[@campiondavid42]

Hey man.. just want to say im loving your videos !! one mechanic to another, ive just gotta say keep it up because your message is very accurate and very informative...

[@BikeGremlinUS]

Thank you very much - appreciated. :)

[@premravindranath4519]

I guess whoever says ur videos sucks they're probably not watching your entire video, it's rare gem which I have found... A very detailed explanation. Thanks a lot.. cheers.. By the way you have a great accent :-)

[@NotYourRemy]

Hello! I can’t express how appreciated I am after seeing this video, because about 2 weeks ago I broke my chain while trying to climb a little hill and I had no idea why that happened until today. As now I figured out that I always use the wrong combinations so my chain was always in tension and twisted. Again, thanks a lot for your efforts and greeting from Spain!

[@1shitomlettesupreme]

This was so well explained compared to the other high viewed videos. Can you upload a video of when to use the front derailleur when mountain biking? Ex: going up a steep/slant hill and when to use the proper gears. It will help newbies like myself!

[@oliverschembri9211]

Very good video, I always liked your articles really pragmatic and not influenced by marketing b.s., and clearly stating when it is your opinion and that there are others. Your english may not be perfect (like me as a non native speker) but that probably helps you explain in a clearl and simple way. Thank you for sharing all this information !

[@ericschwartz9982]

Thank you. I learned about gear ratios and gear inches decades ago and I've found many friends who did not understand the concept until I showed them my chart, and turned them on to Sheldon Brown's site. Your video is great. Keep them coming!!

[@YanithOlivares]

Worth every second! Finally, someone explained it. Most people just say don't, and that's it. there is no explanation why. this was a great video

[@mvp_kryptonite]

Great video! Think some people hear of cross chaining but don’t know what it actually is. It’s true the multiplication of gears is far from accurate. I like to use the small front chain ring for hills or most conditions that don’t need any real speed. Front chain ring for high speeds on my road bike. Great explanation! Cadence too is another topic that most don’t realise makes riding easier instead of using higher power and ‘grinding gears’

[@Justin87878]

Why front chain rings are more suitable for MTBs? Then say road bike or urban/commuter bike?

[@JP-xb9qd]

Well done. It's my first time hearing the explanation and I get it. Thank you 🙂

[@-MacCat-]

Relja, of the many thing you are "boring" is not one of them. It has taken me a long time to get this post of yours but that has simply been because you have a lot of useful content and it takes time to ingest all the excellent information you share with us. Thanks, as always, for all your excellent work which you share with great, but unnecessary, humility.

[@BikeGremlinUS]

Thank you very much for the kind words. Great feedback and knowing that what I do helps people means a lot to me.

[@josetapia6101]

It is always a pleasure to learn from professionals like you. Thank you very much.

[@mctwain5319]

Very good wonderful explanation !!!!!!! I have been biking for years and never used more than 4 to 5 gears as all the changes add no benefit or major difference from the center sprocket going up or down gears .10 speeds 21 speeds is all absolute BS ! Thank you!

[@wonjez3982]

10:03 i have that 2 chainring setup, another big downside is it's either too slow or too fast. When going from 0-30 mph there's pretty much a gap somewhere around 15mph that you can't pedal easily (either skip by accelerating to higher speed before shifting or shift early and grind on the higher gear). It takes a significant time to shift over that big difference too, so i lose acceleration efficiency, lose my pace and it takes longer. Not a fan really, but got it with a di2 for cheap on ebay :)

[@liambradley1723]

I put together an Excel spreadsheet for various combinations of front chainrings (48/32, 50/34, 52/36) and rear cassettes (11-25, 11-28, 11-30), and I found that you have to go all the way up to an 11-32 cassette to get a good overlap in the ranges of available gear ratios for the two chainrings. I run 50/34 and 11-32 on my road bike and it works very well for me. Most road bikes these days only come with an 11-28 cassette, which leads to the gap that you mention.

[@wonjez3982]

@@liambradley1723 Wow cool to see it reflect in the data. Interesting how changing the cassette makes the difference. I guess roadbikes aren't made to sprint from 0-35, you either sprint at low speeds while climbing or sprint on the large ring when descending. Time to modify :) I have a 50-34 and 11-28. Obviously you'd lose the fine gradient of the 11-28 for the endurance rides, but i've felt the cassette is too flat anyways for my style of stop and go. I find myself using mostly the 5-6 on the casette and shifting only on the chainrings because the casette varies so little, however on long rides the fine steps between 5-10 really allow me to smoothen my power output. But since im riding a singlespeed too, i probably wouldn't miss that delicate cassette adjustment capability anyways. Thanks for your time, im going on a ride now :)

[@thankmelater1254]

Again, beautifully complete explanations of things commonly thought of and those not so commonly thought of.

[@RecordingStudio9com]

Thanks for clearing some confusion for me. Sometimes it takes time to explain simple things in detail. Thanks for taking your time.

[@BikeGremlinUS]

Bicycle gear ratios ("gear-inches"), overlapping gears and cross-chaining explained (article): bike.bikegremlin.com/104/bicycle-gear-ratios-speeds-gear-inches/

[@System3200]

stay cool

[@markjohnson9495]

VERY good video on a subject all bicyclists should learn!

[@northwindx79]

you know your stuff, great video.

[@martinsutoob]

In simple terms, you should always go for the combination that gives the straightest possible chain and if you hear somebody boasting that he/she rode up a hill "in the big ring" ask them which sprocket they were using. If they say the largest then that is just dumb because that is going to give you the greatest deviation from a straight chain. When a tooth at the top of the chain wheel is pulling on a link this also means the link is pulling on the tooth and if the forces aren't in the plane of the chainwheel there must be a lateral force on the tooth trying to bend it sideways!!!. How much force? I don't know, but look at your bike and the angles. It can't be negligible. In this age where everybody is obsessed with making sure wattage goes into forward speed and nothing is lost to inefficiencies then seriously, forget the big ring for big hills and keep that chain straight.

[@chrysopylaedesign]

Focusing on bicycling fundamentals is always valuable. I've been cycling avidly for over 35 yrs. & it still amazes me how basic & elemental bicycles are. From the materials, design & engineering, to the human transmission of power to the pedals-rings-chain-wheels & the almost primitive selecting of gears that gives the rider an intimate & real connection to how all of that influences the machine & the ride. Bicycles may be the Ultimate Human-Machine interface ever created. It is so basic & elemental that focusing on & improving those fundamentals will give a noticeable (& sometimes surprising) improvement to the ride & the enjoyment......which is all, very cool.

[@YuriBrazilianfly]

I love how well detailed this gentleman is. He taught me a lot of things that I didn't understand before in just one video! Thank you. Subscribed!

[@TwinShards]

4:39 This is exactly how i ride my bike. Mine is a 3x8 (24) but i'll mostly use ~18-20 of them the same way in the picture. Not only the chain and rear gear wear less, but doing so may allow you to wear through 2 chains before changing the rear gears if you catch the chain's wear exceeding +0.75% in time. Which is what i do most of the time. The second chain may skip on the 7th and 8th (outter gears) for a week or so then it will not skip for the rest of it's remaining life.

[@democratic_chocolate2067]

This was extremely informative. Personally i understood the concept just seeing the thumbnail unlike those click bait videos and I'm glad I watched the entire thing. Respect for you mister

[@kovie9162]

Way back when I started riding a road bike I would write out a table of all the gear combinations of my then 2x7 speed gears and the correct shifting patterns to use when shifting up and down, greying out the 4 most extreme combinations to avoid cross-chaining, and would constantly be up and down shifting both derailleurs to get to the next highest or lower gear ratio. Needless to say this made for efficient but cumbersome shifting. But when I built up a new road bike, this one with a 3x10 gear setup, I no longer had to do that as there were enough duplicate gears to allow me to stay on the same front chainring for much longer and all the shifting was done on the rear derailleur. I basically had three "one-by's" on my bike, the high one for fast flats and downhills, the low one for steep hills, and the middle one for most of my riding. So long as I avoided cross-chaining, I was ok. And there really wasn't much of a chance of that because if I was in my small front ring then it meant that I was going up a hill and needed to be in low gears so no point in being in the smaller cogs. If I was in my large front ring then it meant that I was descending or on a fast flat and needed to be in high gears so no point in being in the larger cogs. And when I was in my middle front ring I could basically use any cog that I wanted. And that's because a middle chain ring is aligned between the two middle rear cogs, so it's basically like a "one-by", and you can use any cog that you like. It's probably best to not stay for too long in the largest and smallest cog or two, but it's doable. And chances are that if you need the gear ratios that they provide, there was a duplicate or close enough one possible using the large or small chain ring. That's the beauty of a triple, that you no longer have to think too hard about which combination of ring and cog you need to be in, and most of your shifting is done on the rear derailleur. Plus cross-chaining is less likely. Again, it's like having 3 "one-by's" on your bike, with just a slightly added level of complexity, cost and weight, that in my 20 years of riding this bike has never been an issue for me.

[@robertlehane9955]

As an experienced cyclist, i've learnt something new about using the gears and smaller and larger chain rings correrctly. It may make my use of gears for efficient and probably prolong the life of chain and drive train. Thanks great video.

[@tam3116]

I've seen quite a number of videos on bikes and I gotta say this is probably one of the best explanations on gears I've ever come across.

[@BikeGremlinUS]

Thanks. :) Made it as I would have liked to have had it explained at the age of 9 (when I got my first geared bike). :)

[@tam3116]

@@BikeGremlinUS honestly it was really helpful, helped me understand why my bike skips gears now.

[@nunosapunso6239]

Thank you so much for the in depth explanation. I always thought that shifting gears under load was bad for the chain and sprockets as I always feel it jump around and was rough. Now I’m going to back off while shifting gears for a smoother transition and less wear and tear.

[@44toudy44]

I just randomly found this video, I was like: ok let's take a look. I wanted to skip to part how to shift, but I ended up looking whole video without skipping. It's very informative, very good understable. Too long? not a problem since your video has "chapters". Advice for all bikers out there, try to think in advance and shift to easier gear before you are going uphill (before you start slowing down).

[@skateboardious]

This was very informative and easy to digest. Just trying out a road bike with 3 chainrings on the front derailler and I had no idea how to use it effectively. I feel much more confident now after this video!