Riding a bike on a flat road, you need to consider not only the type of gear to switch to but also how fast you can go, how easily tired you can be after going some distance,your strength and endurance.
Gear is an important component of every bicycle, Gear determines how fast and how slow a cyclist can go.
Hence its best you switch to a gear that gives you confort as you ride. But identifying the gear to make use of, for greater efficiency becomes confusing hence this article will help you understand
The front Gears: 1,2,3
For the the Gear 1, its mostly called the small ring. When you are on Gear 1 it becomes very easy to pedal but distance covers reduce greatly,hence when you are climbing a hill you are supposed to make use of Gear 1.
For the Gear 3, which is refer to Big ring does the opposite. You get very tired easily when peddling but the more you pedal with strength the more faster you go. So when you are on a flat road please make use of the big ring.
Back Gear :
For the Gear 1 (small Gear) it’s very difficult to pedal but you will be compensated with greater distance/ spead . This is recommended for flat roads.
Lager Gear : this is very easy but speed reduces hence make use of this when climbing the hill.
Contents
What are the optimum gear ratios for flat roads
There is no perfect answer to this question, we still have to consider the leg strength, preference of the individual and the terrain; But it’s advisable to stick to the ration that guarantees you 80/90rmp cardence.
Choosing the proper gearing comes down to a consideration of terrain, private preferences, and the barriers of your equipment.
Is Gear1 high or low on a bike?
Gear 1 refers to the smallest chainring(front) and the biggest sprocket (rear) and its considered the lowest Gear on a bike.
This Gear is generally used to pull away from a stop or starting off and also best used while climbing a hill because it makes you pedal with easy.
But remember that while on Gear 1 your speed reduces greatly hence we won’t conclude if cycling on Gear 1 is too high or low on a bike rather what you should consider is to know the best time when to switch to it, but remember it’s beneficial for steep hills
What Gear should I ride my bike on?
You have to consider if you are climbing a hill, descending on a hill or on a flat road before deciding the Gear to ride on. Are you carrying a load? You should also consider this
If you are climbing a hill or even trying to pull from a stop it is beneficial you go for Gear 1 which is the smaller Gear; this is because your bike moves at the least effort, you won’t pedal with much strength hence you won’t get tired easily.
If you are riding on a flat road or descending a hill you can switch to the Big ring.
Do you change gears while pedaling?
Can you change gears while riding a bike? Yes you are expected to change Gears while pedaling, but remember that you are to change the Gear.. one at a time so you dont run the risk of jamming your gears in the process.
Changing the gear slowly while pedaling ensures that the bike components don’t get spoilt in the process .
What if you change the Gears while not padeling? The Gear won’t change not until you pedal the bike before it will change.
Conclusion
Biking is exciting when you know the right time to change a Gear or when you know which Gear to change.