Scott Mountain Bike Gears Explained

How mountain bike gears work.

Scott mountain bike gears explained. Since the introduction of the 11 speed cassette many of the newer mountain bikes that are hitting the. For these systems you change gears by rotating the dial forward and back. Shifting explained for beginners if you haven t a clue how many gears your bike has how many you actually need or even how to use them properly don t worry you re not alone. Bicycle external drivetrains explained an external drivetrain with a.

There are a few different systems that bikes use to change gears though by far the most common is the external drivetrain. This is considering that a majority or cross country riders prefer a 29 wheel size for their bike. Some bikes operate with grip shifters or a dial that is located to the inside of where you place your hands. Gear systems and ranges have evolved over the years to reflect how we ride and the changes in the types of bikes on the market.

Succeed at this and you ll avoid the wearing out of freewheel cassette cogs derailleur cages and even chain rings. Let s start with what your bike. The upper pulley closest to the cassette is referred to as the jockey pulley and the lower pulley is called the idler pulley. You may be fortunate to know top bottom of the functions of the gears as you are riding your bike for a long time but not everybody did get that privilege as yours.

The rear derailleur has two little gears actually called pulleys in it and the chain makes an s turn through them. Mountain biking is no longer just the cross country orientated sport. Most geared bikes have one two or three chainrings in the front the rings attached to the pedal crank arm and anywhere from seven to 12 gears or cogs in the back or the cassette attached to. For most mountain and hybrid style bikes with flat bars you shift the gears by using set paddles that you operate with your thumb.

As such it is essential to understand how to operate those for a better ride. Nowadays almost all bikes whether a road bike a mountain bike or a commuter bike comes with gears. This way you ll be able to make informed decisions when upgrading cassettes or buying new bikes in the future. Having a wide range of gears available offer greater clearance and variety for the rider to find the right gear for them.

Learn the sound your gears make when all is working well and tune your ears to notice chain chatter and other metal on metal noises when things aren t perfectly aligned. The pulleys are held in position by the cage.