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no obstacles, hazards or other traffic, until you’ve built up your confidence. Learn to
anticipate the need to shift, and shift to a lower gear before the hill gets too steep. If you
have difficulties with shifting, the problem could be mechanical adjustment. See your
dealer for help.
c. What if it won’t shift gears?
If moving the shift control one click repeatedly fails to result in a smooth shift to the
next gear chances are that the mechanism is out of adjustment. Take the bike to your
dealer to have it adjusted.
E. Pedals
1. Toe Overlap is when your toe can touch the front wheel when you turn the
handlebars to steer while a pedal is in the forwardmost position. This is common on
small-framed bicycles, and is avoided by keeping the inside pedal up and the outside
pedal down when making sharp turns. On any bicycle, this technique will also prevent the
inside pedal from striking the ground in a turn.
WARNING: Toe Overlap could cause you to lose control and fall. Ask your dealer to
help you determine if the combination of frame size, crank arm length, pedal design
and shoes you will use results in pedal overlap. Whether you have overlap or not, you
must keep the inside pedal up and the outside pedal down when making sharp turns.
2. Some bicycles come equipped with pedals that have sharp and potentially dangerous
surfaces. These surfaces are designed to add safety by increasing grip between the
rider’s shoe and the pedal. If your bicycle has this type of high-performance pedal, you
must take extra care to avoid serious injury from the pedals’ sharp surfaces. Based on
your riding style or skill level, you may prefer a less aggressive pedal design, or chose
to ride with shin pads. Your dealer can show you a number of options and make suitable
recommendations.
3. Toeclips and straps are a means to keep feet correctly positioned and engaged
with the pedals. The toeclip positions the ball of the foot over the pedal spindle, which
gives maximum pedaling power. The toe strap, when tightened, keeps the foot engaged
throughout the rotation cycle of the pedal. While toeclips and straps give some benefit
with any kind of shoe, they work most effectively with cycling shoes designed for use with
toeclips. Your dealer can explain how toeclips and straps work. Shoes with deep treaded
soles or welts which might make it more difficult for you to insert or remove your foot
should not be used with toeclips and straps.
WARNING: Getting into and out of pedals with toeclips and straps requires skill
which can only be acquired with practice. Until it becomes a reflex action, the
technique requires concentration which can distract your attention and cause you to
lose control and fall. Practice the use of toeclips and straps where there are no
obstacles, hazards or traffic. Keep the straps loose, and don’t tighten them until your
technique and confidence in getting in and out of the pedals warrants it. Never ride in
traffic with your toe straps tight.
but easy enough to let you start from a stop without wobbling — and experiment with
upshifting and downshifting to get a feel for the different gear combinations. At first,
practice shifting where there are no obstacles, hazards or other traffic, until you’ve built
up your confidence. Learn to anticipate the need to shift, and shift to a lower gear before
the hill gets too steep. If you have difficulties with shifting, the problem could be mechanical
adjustment. See your dealer for help.
WARNING: Never shift a derailleur onto the largest or the smallest sprocket if
the derailleur is not shifting smoothly. The derailleur may be out of adjustment
and the chain could jam, causing you to lose control and fall.
e. What if it won’t shift gears?
If moving the shift control one click repeatedly fails to result in a smooth shift to the
next gear chances are that the mechanism is out of adjustment. Take the bike to your
dealer to have it adjusted.
2. How an internal gear hub drivetrain works
If your bicycle has an internal gear hub drivetrain, the gear changing mechanism will
consist of:
• a 3, 5, 7, 8, 12 speed or possibly an infinitely variable internal gear hub
• one, or sometimes two shifters
• one or two control cables
• one front sprocket called a chainring
• a drive chain
a. Shifting internal gear hub gears
Shifting with an internal gear hub drivetrain is simply a matter of moving the shifter to
the indicated position for the desired gear ratio. After you have moved the shifter to the
gear position of your choice, ease the pressure on the pedals for an instant to allow the
hub to complete the shift.
b. Which gear should I be in?
The numerically lowest gear (1) is for the
steepest hills. The numerically largest gear is for
the greatest speed.
Shifting from an easier, “slower” gear (like 1)
to a harder, “faster” gear (like 2 or 3) is called an
upshift. Shifting from a harder, “faster” gear to an
easier, “slower” gear is called a downshift. It is
not necessary to shift gears in sequence. Instead,
find the “starting gear” for the conditions — a gear
which is hard enough for quick acceleration but
easy enough to let you start from a stop without
wobbling — and experiment with upshifting
and downshifting to get a feel for the different
gears. At first, practice shifting where there are
