Welcome to this week's edition of the South Bay Cycle blog. Today we're going to talk about proper gear shifting on your bike! So "gear up" and let's get rolling ... that may have been stretch. Anyway, enjoy this week's blog!
There's this old saying that you shouldn't use the "granny gear" (the easiest gear on the bike) and not only is that an antiquated and offensive phrase, as my great grandma loved riding her bike, it's objectively less efficient!
We use a phrase in the shop: "shift early, shift often". Your gears are there for a reason, make sure you use them. Easier gears, when pedaled at the correct cadence, are more efficient for your legs and your ride. You'll spin with more ease and be able to get to your destination faster even if you're technically not traveling as far with each pedal stroke.
What is cadence, and what's a good cadence?
Fantastic question dear reader.
Spinning (read: rotating your little feets around) your legs at around 80-100 RPMs (revolutions per minute) is best. This keeps the resistance up to propel you forward, without exhausting your legs by pushing too hard.
We always recommend making small adjustments with the rear gears to fine-tune your speed on the flat, but use your small chainring when the road tilts up on a hill or mountain. This helps make sure you're close to the right gear, and can shift in smaller increments to fine-tune your gear!
Don't forget to check back every Tuesday for our South Bay Cycle Blog!