Quote:
Originally Posted by johnny
I was wondering if anyone has some tips for me about shifting gears with a mountain bike, I am a beginner at it and always inevitably end up in some really strange gear that doesn't have the power I am looking for...
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I solved that problem with a singlespeed.
I will add to the Smiley ones reply by saying think ahead whenever the terrain is about to change. If you're going from flat to a 10% grade, you are going to have to drop several gears and vice versa. What gear you should be in will depend on the situation, the terrain, and your riding style. Some people like to spin and others like to hammer. Knowing what gear is right for you comes with experience.
There are some gear combinations that you want to avoid. These are called crossover gears. That is when the chain is at an extreme angle like running the big ring and the biggest cog or the granny and the smallest cog. This puts undue strain on your drivetrain and the same ratio (or close to it) can be accomplished with friendlier combinations.
When I ride with a full set of gears off road, I run the middle ring 95% of the time. I only shift into the granny for very steep climbs and only use the big ring for flat sections and non technical downhill. While riding the middle ring, you don't have to worry about crossover gears.
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