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How and When Do I Shift Gears?

November 15, 2018 by NTX Trails Leave a Comment

How and When Do I Shift Gears?

One of the first frustrations newbie mountain bikers experience is figuring out how and when to shift gears on the trail. Since changing gears is an area of mountain biking that is better learned visually, we’ve decided to gather some of the best videos around on the subject rather than write a lengthy post. We’ll delve into how gears work in a later post, but for now, let’s focus on how to properly use them out on the trail.

How to Shift When Mountain Biking

Most of you are going to grab an entry-level bike when first starting to ride, which means you’ll likely end up with a 2x or 3x chainring setup—meaning your bike has either two or three gears up front at the pedals. Though a bit dated, this video featuring Pancho Herrera does a great job of explaining how to choose the right gear for the terrain, and how to keep shifting smoothly as the terrain changes beneath you.

How to Shift Gears Better on a Mountain Bike

Though the next video is a bit rapid-fire, the next video by one of our favorite MTB YouTubers, Chris Carter, goes more in-depth on how to choose the right gear to suit the terrain. FYI, not all 22 tips are available in the video.

Cycling Training—Gear Changing for Cycling Training

This last video is more geared toward road cycling but gives a very clear explanation of why and how to avoid cross chaining.

What are your tips for managing gears out on the trail? Let us know in the comments.

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Have fun, ride smart, and keep shredding!

Related posts:

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What is Basic Mountain Bike Trail Etiquette?
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How to Ride Your Mountain Bike in Cold Weather

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Filed Under: MTB Life, Skills

About NTX Trails

Our mission is to strengthen the sport of mountain biking in greater North Texas by building the most comprehensive database of information about area trails through public information and on-the-ground crowdsourcing. We also work to help you get the most out the sport by helping you buy, set up, and maintain your bike, find the best trails for your skill level, and show you how to take those skills to the next level.

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