| When you choose mountain bike, it is a good idea | | | | ration. If you have lots of gears on your bike, |
| to learn more about the gearing systems. This | | | | then you will be able to get that ratio so that you |
| article will explain more about how those systems | | | | can continue your pedaling at a consistent pace, |
| work. | | | | no matter what terrain you are on or what your |
| Mountain bike gears are continually becoming | | | | speed is. |
| more and more complicated and intricate. Today's | | | | A typical mountain bike that has 27 gears will |
| bikes can come with up to 27 gear ratios. It is | | | | have six gears so incrementally close to the other |
| common for a mountain bike today to use nine | | | | that you will not be able to determine that there |
| gears in the back and three sprockets of | | | | is any difference between the gears when you |
| different sizes in the front for gear ration | | | | change them. |
| production. | | | | Most mountain bike riders decide to choose a |
| Why so many gears? The most common reason | | | | gear system with a front socket that is suitable |
| is that a large number of gears allow a rider to | | | | for the slope or terrain that they usually ride on |
| pedal at the same pace no matter what terrain | | | | and they stay with this choice, even though it |
| that he/she is on. This can be understood better | | | | may be more difficult under a heavy load to shift |
| if you think about a bike that just has one gear. | | | | the gears. This is purely a personal decision, but it |
| Every time you turn the pedals one full turn, then | | | | is simpler to shift between gears when the rear |
| the rear wheel also turns one full turn, too (1:1 | | | | socket, rather than the front one. |
| gear ratio). | | | | When you are pedaling uphill, then you will find |
| For example, your back wheel is measured at 26 | | | | that it is much better to choose a sprocket that |
| inches. If you pedal one full turn, then this would | | | | is smaller on the front and then shift gears with |
| mean that your wheel moved 81.6 inches. If you | | | | the nine gears that are available on the rear. If |
| are riding at 50 RPM, then you will be able to go | | | | you are more speeds on the rear sprocket, then |
| 340 feet per minute. This means that you were | | | | you will find that it is much more efficient to ride. |
| going 3.8MPH, which is equivalent to walking speed. | | | | Mountain biking needs gears so that you can keep |
| This speed is great for going up a hill that is | | | | an overall speed going. If you didn't have gears, |
| steep, but it is not a good speed for flat ground | | | | then you would find it difficult to build up any |
| or racing downhill. | | | | speed and you would find it nearly impossible to |
| If you want your bike to go quicker, then you will | | | | pound your pedals for extra control. Gears help to |
| need a different ratio. If you want to reach a | | | | move the pedals and enable you to gain that |
| speed of 25 MPH downhill using a 50-RPM | | | | speed. |
| cadence, then you will need to have a 5.6:1 gear | | | | |