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Changing gears

Does anyone have a tip to go quickly from the smallest gear on the small ring to the largest one on the big ring ?

Is there a tip to be able to do it quickly, for example after climbing a big hill then straightaway descending ?

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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20 comments

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glynr36 | 9 years ago
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Just drop it a few down the block staying in the inner ring, then once the cadence builds up as you get on top of the gear, push into the big ring, and then keep doing down the block as you need.

Hardly rocket science, just figure out how many you can drop down the block in the inner first.

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chokofingrz | 9 years ago
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If I've been climbing a 10% hill in the lowest gear, my usual thought process is not "how do I descend as fast as possible?", but "where's a good spot to collapse, and is there a café/pub nearby?"

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MKultra | 9 years ago
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These derailleurs will never catch on.

Fit a Sturmey Archer.

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The _Kaner | 9 years ago
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...get Di2.....and randomly press buttons. levers until you find the 'sweet spot'...I'll get my waterproof....

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jstone1 replied to The _Kaner | 9 years ago
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...yep, Di2 set it to "superfast shift", and/or hope that Shimano roll out "Sychro Shift" to road kit not just MTBs. Hold one button down and rapid-fire shift across the whole drivetrain range.

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ianrobo | 9 years ago
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thanks kwi seems a sensible suggestion and easy to remember on Saturday

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kwi | 9 years ago
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Stay on the small ring and start shifting up, about the middle of the cassette change to the large ring but, at the same time, shift down (Small to large.) 2 gears on the cassette. Should keep your momentum going like that. Play about over the range of the cassette and you'll find the 'sweet spot'.

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ianrobo | 9 years ago
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Just to clarify, going up a 10% hill means on the smallest gear for me (i.e. big sprocket/small ring) on this hill it immediately goes down hill at the peak so I want to shift quickly to the big wheel and then all the way down to the smallest sprockets. Now the thing I find is just the loss of momentum in doing these changes and just wondered if there was any advice for it ?

Is that a bit clearer now ? maybe using wrong terminology  1

What tends to happen as explained is that I get this wrong and spin out too much ...

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Man of Lard | 9 years ago
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@ianrobo - faced with this in bottom gear and needing/wanting to be in top gear quickly (as I crest the summit - because they tend not to be perfect points)

I tend to click up the rear by 1/ of the range, then the front by one click, rinse and repeat until in top gear.

So assuming a 3x9 that's 1-1 (rear shift through the rear gears to) -> 1-4 (front shift)-> 2-4 (rear)-> 2-7 (front)-> 3-7 (rear)-> 3-9
If it was a 2x10 that would be 1-1 (rear)-> 1-5 (front)-> 2-5 (rear)-> 2-10

Hard to write it down intelligibly...

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Flying Scot | 9 years ago
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Yeah, can this index malarkey and go back to friction shift!

....Other than easy set up and less weight, it's only advantage!

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ianrobo | 9 years ago
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I understand and will have to have a play around for sure at the weekend, thanks for the advice.

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crikey | 9 years ago
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Seriously, (and apologies for being a bit rude) it's all about looking ahead.

When you approach the top of a hill and the gradient begins to ease off, think ahead; instead of clicking down the cassette and staying on the small ring, move to the big ring and click to an easier gear at the back. Then when the gradient eases or you begin going downhill, you can click down the block without needing to change at the front.

It's a bit like chess; think about what you need to do some time before you need to do it.

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ianrobo | 9 years ago
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course not but there are areas when I have to quickly shift into much harder gears or I simply spin out nd have to get onto the big ring to stop that. Because of the problems though I did record my highest ever cadence of 140rpm !

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crikey | 9 years ago
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Then think a bit faster and change gear a bit faster; it's not bloody rocket science, it's changing gear on a bike.

Hopefully you aren't doing the classic newbie trick of thinking 'Oh, I'm going downhill, I must change to the hardest gear I have' ?

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ianrobo | 9 years ago
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sure but I am talking about a great change, peaking at 10% climb straight into a fast downhill

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ianrobo | 9 years ago
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sure but I am talking about a great change, peaking at 10% climb straight into a fast downhill

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crikey | 9 years ago
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Look a long way ahead and think about your gearing in the same way.

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ianrobo | 9 years ago
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I understand that but on anything over 10% at the moment I have to go to the smallest possible gear and on one hill I do which I love to climb it does mean having to shift all the way.

Yes as I get fitter the need to go on the smallest will decline but not there yet !!

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OnTheRopes | 9 years ago
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The best way is not to end up on the smallest sprocket on the small ring. If you are climbing a hill on the smallest sprocket then you should be able to do it on the big ring in a larger sprocket as there is always a large overlap of gearing on the two chainrings.
So, assuming you come to the bottom of a hill on the big ring and start to climb, you change from (say) the 19 to the 21 sprocket and know you will need the small ring so you change down now before you run out of gears on the big ring. As you change to the big ring you should only need to knock it down a couple of sprockets on the rear.
Then use the gears as you need to the top of the hill.
As you start to go over the top you will no doubt select a couple of smaller sprockets, but well before you get to the smallest you should be thinking of moving back to the big ring and at the same time you should only need to change up two or three sprockets on the cassette.
This is the normal way to do it and avoids having to do what you are asking

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rjfrussell replied to OnTheRopes | 9 years ago
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OnTheRopes wrote:

The best way is not to end up on the smallest sprocket on the small ring. If you are climbing a hill on the smallest sprocket then you should be able to do it on the big ring in a larger sprocket as there is always a large overlap of gearing on the two chainrings.
So, assuming you come to the bottom of a hill on the big ring and start to climb, you change from (say) the 19 to the 21 sprocket and know you will need the small ring so you change down now before you run out of gears on the big ring. As you change to the big ring you should only need to knock it down a couple of sprockets on the rear.
Then use the gears as you need to the top of the hill.
As you start to go over the top you will no doubt select a couple of smaller sprockets, but well before you get to the smallest you should be thinking of moving back to the big ring and at the same time you should only need to change up two or three sprockets on the cassette.
This is the normal way to do it and avoids having to do what you are asking

The question is not entirely clear, but I think when he says "the smallest gear" he means the lowest gear and thus the biggest sprocket. See his later comment, " on anything over 10% at the moment I have to go to the smallest possible gear and on one hill I do which I love to climb it does mean having to shift all the way."

Your comment obviously makes perfect sense if he is cross-chaining on a small ring at the front at small sprocket at the back. But that does not appear to be the case.

But equally, I then don't really understand what the question is getting at, because if you are in the lowest possible gear and need a bigger gear, just change up, front and/or back, as quickly as possible.

Bit puzzled by the question, I have to say.

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