In this complimentary section from our online course ‘Traffic Smarts for Cyclists,’ we outline the key elements of shifting.
Many longtime riders are unaware of some of the useful refinements they can add to their shifting skills.
This is also a great primer if you are a new rider, as it lays out exactly how to use the gears on your bike to your best advantage—smoothly and easily.
On varying levels of ground and at varying speeds, maintaining the proper cadence or RPM (revolutions of the pedals per minute) requires regular shifting of gears on the bike.
Go the speed you want to go, and select the gear that’ll let you spin at the proper cadence.
This is a skill that can be learned readily, and refined significantly with experience.
In this section we’ll discuss:
- the parts of the bike involved in shifting,
- proper technique, and
- some tips that will help make your shifting smoother and more efficient.
Other complimentary sections from our online courses. 
