High and Low Gears

• Bicyclists use the gear shifter on the handlebar to change, or shift, from one gear to another. Smaller numbers (1 to 9) are low gears and larger numbers (10 to 27) are high gears. You can then can upshift or downshift. The larger the number of gears, the more "transition" you have available between gears.
  
  

Drivetrain

• In simple terms, the basic drivetrain of bicycles consists of front and rear derailleurs, a chain, a front chainring and rear gears. Derailleurs are small devices that move the chain between the different gears on either the front wheel or back wheel. The chainrings are big rings that affix to the chain the bike's wheel to transfer the energy to power the bike. If your bike has three chainrings, then the little chainring is best suited for hills, the middle one is good for flat terrain and the biggest chain ring is best for downhill.
  When the bicyclist uses the gear shift on the handlebars to switch gears, he engages the "drivetrain" of the bicycle. The gear shift is attached to the drivetrain of the bicycle by a cable. However, you can only shift gears when pedaling.
  
  

Cadence

• Ideally, a bicyclist will eventually reach a perfect cadence, or pedaling speed, when riding. Generally, if you are on an uphill incline, you should shift down to make pedaling easier. However, if the pedals are spinning too fast and you are on a level or downhill incline, then you shift up for more balance and to push the bicycle forward. You adjust the gears depending on how much variation you need and your overall riding conditions.
  
  

Riding Advice

• New bicyclists should start out on flat terrain until they are comfortable with biking, then move on to more challenging terrain. After you ride a bicycle more often, you will become more proficient in using your bicycle gears more effectively and establishing a good cadence. You will also learn to anticipate the upcoming terrain and its potential challenges.
  
  

Touring vs. Racing

• Bicyclists on touring bikes often need more lower gears to make bicycling on hills and mountains easier. For expert racing cyclists, using gears is less of an issue since they are in good physical shape and rely less on gears than amateur cyclists. Their bicycles are usually also lighter in weight.