Hybrid - How to use the gears properly?

Trotter

I picked up my new hybrid last weekend and brought it for a spin. It has 24 gears and I've noticed that I could only get at 12 of them, 16 if you can tolerate a load of grinding noise!

I'm going to drop it back into the shop over the next few days for a bit of an adjustment.

Im just wondering though, can anyone tell me how I should be using the gears correctly?

I've got a 1-3 setting on the left, 1-8 on the right.

Going from 1-1 to 1-8, and then to 2-8... Is that correct?? Or is there a better sequence for moving up and down the gears?

Fingers crossed it'll be a handy job to adjust the gears in the shop. Can I expect to be able to use the 24 gears without "concerning" noises?

Chips Lovell

You don't have 24 usable gears. You're not meant to have. You see there is some crossover between the gear ratios available. This chart (which you can adjust yourself to suit your own gearing) illustrates it.

You get the noise from crossing the chain, i.e. when you have a combination of big ring and big cog, or small ring and small cog. This chart (which you can adjust yourself to suit your own gearing) illustrates it.

The best way to shift your gears is not the way you described. In short, try to keep the chain as straight as possible. So, if you're in a big gear, instead of shifting all the way up the cassette, move into a smaller chainring as you approach the middle of the cassette and down again as you reach the biggest cogs.

Bicyclegadabout

Think about the ratio of teeth on the front to teeth on the back. It should increase if you're accelerating.
Or, easier than that, think about keeping the chain in a straight line. Your bikes designed that way. Lateral movement=waste. That's an important lesson, kid. It's useful in all aspects of life.



I'm gonna laugh my head off when I read this in the morning.

rubadub

el tonto wrote: »

The best way to shift your gears is not the way you described. In short, try to keep the chain as straight as possible. So, if you're in a big gear, instead of shifting all the way up the cassette, move into a smaller chainring as you approach the middle of the cassette and down again as you reach the biggest cogs.

That it really. I only use about 4 gear configurations on mine, should really use more to give more even wear, but it suits me. I was thinking of taking the 2 smaller rings on the front off, to lower its sellability/theft potential. I never use them, save a touch of weight too. could take the entire derailer off,

Persius

I've 21 gears - 3 Chain rings and 7 sprockets.
To use your notation, I use
1-1, 1-2, 1,3
2-2, 2-3, 2-4
3-3, 3-4, 3-5, 3-6, 3-7

I never use any other combinations. So 10 out of 21 gear combinations are used.

And you don't switch down in sequence either

So say you're on 2-3 on an uphill and struggling. If just struggling just a little, drop to 2-2. Otherwise drop straight to 1-3. I.e. just dropping down either the chrain ring or the sprockets. Don't try to drop from 2-2 to 1-3. It's too much hassle and you loose too much momentum.

Of course as stated previously, you should never fully cross the chain - i.e. smallest chain ring and sprocket or largest chainring and sprocket

Trotter

Thanks a lot for all the info! Another couple of questions come to mind having read through it all. First, why even sell the bike with 24 gears if they can't be used? Why even have those gears on the bike?

Is it not a bit like buying a 4 door car with 1 of them welded shut?


Also, will it be a quick job to have the gears adjusted so I can get better use out of them? The lads in the bike shop are very good and really know their stuff so fingers crossed it won't take long.

kona

just get a screwdriver and set the limits on the front mech your self, it ill take 1min at most. Read the owners manual it will tell you exactly how to adjust the front mech you have depending on what way it swings
save you the time, money and effort of a bike shop.

you get 24 gears because its 8 on the cassette x 3 on your cranks.

it would take a gearbox to stop gears over lapping, GT and Honda do them, expet to pay 6k!! well 14k for the honda

rubadub

Trotter wrote: »

First, why even sell the bike with 24 gears if they can't be used? Why even have those gears on the bike?

Is it not a bit like buying a 4 door car with 1 of them welded shut? .

Well a bike with only 12 gears will have "less usable" ones again.

Think of it more like a broadband company saying a 6meg connection, it might be twice as fast as their 3mg one, but no way you get the quoted figure! Or buying a car with a max speed of 200mph, compared to one with a max at 150mph, you can never go that fast by law, but you know which is generally faster

Trotter

I'm reluctant to go poking at the adjustment screws just yet considering I bought it just before the weekend. I'll drop it in just to make sure they're set right.

rubadub

Trotter wrote: »

I'm reluctant to go poking at the adjustment screws just yet considering I bought it just before the weekend. I'll drop it in just to make sure they're set right.

It is expected to go off a little. all cables will stretch eventually, esp. with first usage, If you cant adjust it yourself go to the shop.

Chips Lovell

Trotter wrote: »

First, why even sell the bike with 24 gears if they can't be used? Why even have those gears on the bike?

The point of the having a triple up front is more about the spread of gears you get rather than the number of possible combinations.

Trotter wrote: »

Also, will it be a quick job to have the gears adjusted so I can get better use out of them? The lads in the bike shop are very good and really know their stuff so fingers crossed it won't take long.

It's a very quick job, but a shop mightn't do it on the spot of they're busy. It's quite easy to do yourself.

unionman

All good advice...but life with one gear is just so...Zen


I'll get me coat...

daymobrew

Trotter wrote: »

Thanks a lot for all the info! Another couple of questions come to mind having read through it all. First, why even sell the bike with 24 gears if they can't be used? Why even have those gears on the bike?

Is it not a bit like buying a 4 door car with 1 of them welded shut?

Persius wrote: »

I've 21 gears - 3 Chain rings and 7 sprockets.
To use your notation, I use
1-1, 1-2, 1,3
2-2, 2-3, 2-4
3-3, 3-4, 3-5, 3-6, 3-7

Is isn't like a 4 door car with 1 welded shut. In the example from Persius, all 3 chain rings and all 7 sprockets are used, just not all 21 combinations.

If you were to examine the gear ratios of each of the 21 combinations you'd probably find that there might be some duplication (or very close ratios in different combinations).

I leave my bike in 2-4, shift to 2-5, then 3-5, 3-6 and 3-7.
I only drop to lower combos for serious hills.

So, there is nothing at all wrong with your bike.

Trotter

daymobrew wrote: »

So, there is nothing at all wrong with your bike.

Its not changing from 2 to 1 or 2 to 3.. It was at the beginning with a load of rattling but wont now. That cant be right.

Not to worry anyway, the lads in the bike shop told me to drop it in at any stage and they'll have a go at it.. Im well impressed.

Thanks for all the advice everyone!

kona

Trotter wrote: »

Its not changing from 2 to 1 or 2 to 3.. It was at the beginning with a load of rattling but wont now. That cant be right.

Not to worry anyway, the lads in the bike shop told me to drop it in at any stage and they'll have a go at it.. Im well impressed.

Thanks for all the advice everyone!

seriously, limits and cable tension is somthing no serious cyclist should not know.
try fixing it tonite, if you mess up, the LCB will fix it in the morning.:D
if you fix it, then youve saved money and learnt somthing.

niceonetom

kona wrote: »

seriously, limits and cable tension is somthing no serious cyclist should not know.
try fixing it tonite, if you mess up, the LCB will fix it in the morning.:D
if you fix it, then youve saved money and learnt somthing.

wtf, kona - i actually agree with you. :eek:

there's no need to be intimidated dérailleurs etc. there's loads of instructions on the web (i even remember seeing a youtube vid about setting the limits for a rear dérailleur) and being able to fix your own bike really adds to the sense of self-sufficiency that is all part of cycling (for me anyway).

i think all you need is a screw driver, maybe an allen key too. have a (careful) go.

Trotter

niceonetom wrote: »

wtf, kona - i actually agree with you. :eek:

there's no need to be intimidated dérailleurs etc. there's loads of instructions on the web (i even remember seeing a youtube vid about setting the limits for a rear dérailleur) and being able to fix your own bike really adds to the sense of self-sufficiency that is all part of cycling (for me anyway).

i think all you need is a screw driver, maybe an allen key too. have a (careful) go.

Ah lads, I only got the bike on Friday.. I'm not a serious cyclist.. Im barely a cyclist!

Anyway.. job done. I tried to fix it, no joy. I dropped it in to the shop and the lad had it fixed in 5 mins.. No charge. Turns out it wasnt anything to do with those adjusting screws. Its going like a dream now.

Except for the bang from the front wheel as I was testing it out this evening...

Anyone know how to fix a puncture?? (Cue barrage of expert cyclist insults)

Only kiddin.. I can certainly fix it myself.

Thanks again for the advice.

daymobrew

Trotter wrote: »

Anyone know how to fix a puncture?? (Cue barrage of expert cyclist insults)

For future punctures I recommend carrying a spare tube, tyre levers and a pump.
You can quickly swap the punctured and good tubes and fix the puncture at home.

I carry a Toppeak Master Blaster mini pump. Very compact and only 17.45 euro.