How Mountain Bike Gears Work

The gears in mountain bikes just keep getting more and more intricate. The bikes of today have as many as 27 gear ratios. A mountain bike will use a combination of three different sized sprockets in front and nine in the back to produce gear ratios.

The idea behind all these gears is to allow the rider to crank the pedals at a constant pace no matter what kind of slope the bike is on. You can understand this better by picturing a bike with just a single gear. Each time you rotate the pedals one turn, the rear wheel would rotate one turn as well (1:1 gear ratio).

If the rear wheel is 26 inches in diameter, then with 1:1 gearing, one full twist on the pedals would result in the wheel covering 81.6 inches of ground. If you are pedaling at a speed of 50 RPM, this means that the bike can cover over 340 feet of ground per minute. This is only 3.8 MPH, which is the equivalence of walking speed. This is ideal for climbing a steep hill, although bad for ground or going downhill.

To go faster you'll need a different ratio. To ride downhill at 25 MPH with a 50 RPM cadence at the pedals, you'll need a 5.6:1 gear ratio. A bike with a lot of gears will give you a large number of increments between a 1:1 gear ratio and a 6.5:1 gear ratio so that you can always pedal at 50 RPM, no matter how fast you are actually going.

On a normal 27 speed mountain bike, six of the gear ratios are so close to each other that you can't notice any difference between them.

With actual use, bike riders tend to choose a front sprocket suitable for the slope they are riding on and stick with it, although the front sprocket can be difficult to shift under heavy load. It's much easier to shit between the gears on the rear.

If you are cranking up a hill, it's best to choose the smallest sprocket on the front then shift between the nine gears available on the rear. The more speeds you have on the back sprocket, the bigger advantage you'll have.

All in all, gears are very important to mountain bikes as they dictate your overall speed. Without gears you wouldn't be able to build speed nor would you be able to pound pedals. The gears will move the pedals and help you build up speed.

There are all types of gears available in mountain bikes, all of which will help you build up a lot of momentum if you use them the right way.
 

Related topics

01/05/2009 03:26 PM

Mountain Bike Shoes - What You Should Know Before Buying Them to Avoid Any Careless Mistakes

A Mountain biking expedition is quite incomplete without equipping yourself with all the necessary accessories that give you the best possible mountain biking experience. One important thing that you must do is, purchase the right kind of footwear that will permit better performance. Mountain bike shoes are specialized shoes that are designed specifically for mountain biking. It should be apt for the terrain you plan to cover and provide necessary features to suit your personalized requirements.

01/05/2009 03:25 PM

Mountain Bike - What You Should Know to Avoid Any Careless Mistakes When Buying Them the First Time

In order to buy a bicycle it is very important to figure out how you would be using it. In case you like mountain biking then it is vital to buy the right kind of mountain bike for yourself. Mountain biking involves riding your bike through rough terrains and dangerous slopes. Therefore, it is important to find a bike that is strong enough to withstand the stresses and strains of mountain biking.

01/05/2009 10:40 AM

Downhill Mountain Bike - What You Should Know to Avoid Any Careless Mistakes When Buying Them

Downhill mountain biking is an extreme adventure sport that goes only one way and that's down! From the top of the hill to the bottom at break neck speeds while riding over rugged terrain all the way, avoiding rocks, pits and trees! This means that you cannot afford to take such risks unless you have the best equipment to back up your endeavor.

01/05/2009 10:39 AM

Best Mountain Bike - What You Should Know Before Buying a New Set to Avoid Any Careless Mistakes

As we all know mountain biking is a very popular adventure sport. A mountain bike is for those who like to live life beyond the boundaries of concrete jungles. Mountain bikes are also a great way to commute; they are usually designed to be able to take a beating so you can rule out chances of breakdown, they provide a great cardio workout and not to forget, they are a zero emission form of transport and besides, riding a bike beats taking the bus or being stuck in traffic hands down!

12/29/2008 04:30 PM

Go Back to School - Mountain Bike School

The thrill of the forest speeding past at thirty miles per hour. The rush of making hair-raising turns around boulders. The joy of making it to the top of what seemed like an insurmountable peak. Mountain bike school will have you up and running in no time at all.

12/16/2008 12:53 PM

Setting Reservations to Go Extreme Mountain Biking

There is probably not one person that has never heard of mountain biking! However, extreme mountain biking is different; it is a more intense form of mountain biking. Not only is it more intense, but it is also far more strenuous on the body.

12/15/2008 09:23 AM

Mountain Bike Accessories

I love to mountain bike and learned first hand the importance of bringing the right stuff with you before you hit the trail. Getting caught in the rain without a poncho in the middle of nowhere is no fun. Getting dehydrated because you didn't bring enough water stinks too. I'm hoping to provide a bit of insight into the importance of what's a good idea to bring with you and what you can do without.