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D.4.3 Shifting Gears
Your multi-speed bicycle will have a derailleur drivetrain (see 1.
below).
1. How a derailleur drivetrain works
If your bicycle has a derailleur drivetrain, the gear-changing
mechanism will have:
• a rear cassette or freewheel sprocket cluster
• a rear derailleur
• usually a front derailleur
• one or two shifters
• one, two or three front sprockets called chainrings
• a drive chain
A. Shifting Gears
There are several different types and styles of shifting
controls: levers, twist grips, triggers, (see Figure 4.12
and Figure 4.13) combination shift/brake controls and
push-buttons. Ask your dealer to explain the type of
shifting controls that are on your bike, and to show you
how they work.
The vocabulary of shifting can be pretty confusing. A
downshift is a shift to a "lower" or "slower" gear, one that
is easier to pedal. An upshift is a shift to a "higher" or
"faster", harder to pedal gear.
Trigger-style Shifter
Front shifter
Pull down with index
finger to shift gears
Twist-style Shifter
Front shifter
Twist to change
gear level
Tech D
Rear shifter
Push in with thumb
to shift gears
Figure 4.12
Rear shifter
Figure 4.13
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