My uncle explained it to me mathematically, which I got, but I wouldn't dare try to explain myself.
You have two gears up front, and five gears in the back. When your chain is on the smaller gear in the front, pedaling is easier. When your chain is on the larger gear, pedaling is harder, but you go further for each thrust.
In the back, it’s reverse. The smaller the gear in the back, the harder it is to pedal. The larger the gear, the easier.
You generally never want to have your front gear and back gear both on the smallest, or both on the largest gears. But if you’re on the largest (easiest) gear in the back, you’ll probably want the small (easiest) gear in the front, because you’re probably going up a hill.
If you’re on the smallest (hardest) gear in the back, you’ll probably want the big (hardest) gear in the front, because you’re probably going down a hill.
Somewhere in the middle, there is overlap. If you’re on the 2nd biggest gear in back, and the big gear in the front, it might be equivalent to a smaller gear in the back, and the small one in the front. At this point, you’d have to do the math to figure out which one gives you the better mechanical advantage.
If you’re doing a lot of flat riding, you’ll probably leave it about the same anyway. Get out on a flat road, and practice, feeling what is what, and noting where the gears are.
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regna
(no subject)
Date: 2009-05-18 05:45 pm (UTC)You have two gears up front, and five gears in the back. When your chain is on the smaller gear in the front, pedaling is easier. When your chain is on the larger gear, pedaling is harder, but you go further for each thrust.
In the back, it’s reverse. The smaller the gear in the back, the harder it is to pedal. The larger the gear, the easier.
You generally never want to have your front gear and back gear both on the smallest, or both on the largest gears. But if you’re on the largest (easiest) gear in the back, you’ll probably want the small (easiest) gear in the front, because you’re probably going up a hill.
If you’re on the smallest (hardest) gear in the back, you’ll probably want the big (hardest) gear in the front, because you’re probably going down a hill.
Somewhere in the middle, there is overlap. If you’re on the 2nd biggest gear in back, and the big gear in the front, it might be equivalent to a smaller gear in the back, and the small one in the front. At this point, you’d have to do the math to figure out which one gives you the better mechanical advantage.
If you’re doing a lot of flat riding, you’ll probably leave it about the same anyway. Get out on a flat road, and practice, feeling what is what, and noting where the gears are.
http://bicycleuniverse.info/eqp/gears.html