Gears and Pedal Speed

New athletes to cycling often wonder about two things when they’re riding: how fast they should pedal and, with so many choices, what gear should they ride in?

Deciding how fast you should pedal is the easier of the 2 questions. The speed you turn the pedals is usually called cadence. You measure cadence by counting how many times your right (OR  left) leg completes a full revolution in one minute. Exercise bikes and some spin bikes may have this number displayed for you. Unless you have a ‘bike computer’ on your bike you may have to count it yourself. Do this in a safe area where traffic and other hazards are at a minimum. Using a watch that displays seconds, count each time your leg comes up on the pedal stroke for 20 seconds. Now multiply this number by 3 to get your cadence.

Under most conditions it has been shown that people tend to be most efficient at around 90 revolutions per minute (rpm). Is 65 okay? I would say that's too slow. When you turn the pedals at that cadence it's a lot like lifting a heavy weight - you fatigue pretty quickly and can’t do very many repetitions. What about 75 per minute? You're getting closer and that would be much better. Once you start getting into the low to mid 80 rpm range you are pretty close to the sweet spot. Will this be easy to do? No, not right away, unless you are already used to it. You'll need to practice it. What if it's just too hard to pedal that fast?

That brings us to the gear question. Choosing what gear to ride in is a bit more complicated but not a lot. If it is too hard to pedal at 80, 85, or 90 rpms then you are probably using a gear that's too high. Shift into a lower gear to make it easier for you to turn the pedals faster. It seems complicated because of all of those gear/sprocket/metal-toothed thingys there on your bike. Those big, metal-toothed sprockets next to your right pedal are called chainrings. Many bikes have 2 of these while some have one or three.

Together the group of sprockets on the back wheel is called a cassette. Each individual ring in the cassette is called a cog. It is helpful to know which is a chainring and which is a cog.

You will have two shifters on your handlebars to change gears. The left shifter changes gearing between the chainrings next to your pedal. The right shifter changes which cog you are using. The chainrings make the biggest change when you change gears. If you move the left shifter you make a big jump, making pedaling either much easier or much harder. If you move the right shifter you make a smaller jump up or down – more of a fine tuning adjustment.

But which one should you use? Use the one that allows you to pedal comfortably in that 80-90rpm cadence range. Start off easier, in the small chainring (the one by your pedal) and one of the middle cogs (the ones on your back wheel). Shift to a harder cog if that’s too easy. If you keep moving the right shifter and it’s still too easy, shift to the big chainring. What “number” gear you’re in doesn’t matter. What matters is being able to turn your pedals at a good cadence while still being relatively comfortable. 

Here are a couple of examples. If you are riding up a fairly steep hill you will probably ride in the small chainring and one of the easiest cogs. If you are on a downhill you probably will be in the big chainring and one of the harder cogs. Experiment to see what works for you.

Finally, shifting gears smoothly takes practice and anticipation. You cannot shift gears unless you are pedaling. If you are coasting along, not moving the pedals, and you move the shifter, nothing will happen. You must be pedaling forward before the gear will change. But there is a little trick with this. In order for the bike to shift smoothly you need to be pedaling softly as you change gears. If you are pushing down hard on your pedals as you shift, the gear may not change. Instead you may hear some metal grinding sounds. Ease up on your force for a brief second or two (don’t stop pedaling though) and it will do what you want it to. 

As you approach a hill you will shift into the small chainring slightly ahead of time, before you start to slow down very much. As you go up the hill, if that isn’t easy enough, you shift to an easier cog. Anticipate this so you can shift before you find your legs barely being able to turn. Once the hill begins to flatten out or you reach the top, you will shift to a harder cog and, if need be, to the big chainring. Anticipate needing to do this so that your legs aren't spinning around like the Roadrunner in the cartoon because you waited too long to shift.

PRACTICE! Prop your bike’s rear wheel up off the ground, or ask someone to hold it up for you. Turn the pedals with your hand and move the shifters so that you can actually watch as the gears change. Then take your bike to a parking lot or a hard grass or dirt field and practice gear changes. This way you won't have to worry about cars, obstacles, or other riders. You will gain confidence and be more comfortable after a little practice.