I don't understand the gear settings on my bike.?

Bob A

New member
You want the gear that allows you to pedal at 70-90 rpm's with a lite pressure on the pedals. The front gears determine the range and the rear gears fine tune. With the smallest and largest gear in the front you only want to use the three gears on the same side.

http://bicycletutor.com/gear-shifting/
 
What type of bicycle is this? Is it a hybrid, road or mountain bike? Brand? Age?
OK, the "clicky" on the right shifts the rear gears. The largest cog on the rear is the lowest gear (easiest to pedal). The smallest cog is the highest gear (hardest to pedal). I am not familiar with the type of shifter you describe as being on the left. It should change the front gears (chain rings). There may be 2 or 3 of these. The smallest is the lowest and the largest is the highest gear. The front gears are changed from lower to higher, just as the rear, depending on terrain and speed. Don't be afraid to shift. You should shift into lower gears when going uphill or going slow, Shift to higher gears when you're going faster on level roads or going downhill. Use the gears and you will save energy.
 
On the right, I have a "clicky' thing that can be clicked from one to six. I keep it on four.

On the left is another cylindrical dial that is marked with lines that get progressively thicker.

What's for what?
 
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