changing into lower gear going uphill.

[Salty seadog]

Morning all,

What are the collectives thinking on changing into a lower gear whilst riding uphill? To my mind and experience it must be done under minimal or no loading on the drive train. With this in mind it can only really be done at the bottom of the hill as you lose momentum and whilst you have enough speed to ease off for the change down. Without taking the load off you are putting an enormous strain on the chain trying to lift it onto a bigger sprocket which could cause damage as I believe may have happened to mine during a badly executed change.

See the link pulling apart.

Once you are crawling up it is impossible to change gear without running the risk of damage.

Not sure what I want from this but there it is, take it and run with it.

Ssd...

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

If the chain is under such stress when you change down, I get the feeling I would have changed down well before you. Alternatively, a little bit of standing on the pedals to get a bit of momentum, before sitting, easing the tension and changing gear, should get you there.

 

[DEFENDER01]

I always back the pressure off when changing into any gear.
If thats wrong or right i guess someone will come along and say but i am an engineer so understand the forces involved.

 

[ColinJ]

Yes, a little anticipation would help rather than completely knackering yourself and making a panic lunge for your lower gear in the final microsecond before you collapse off the bike in a gibbering heap!

If I think chain tension is going to be an issue, I make a little surge forward to create enough momentum to ease off during the gear change.

PS As suggested by DEFENDER01 while I was typing my post! Oh, and deptford ...

 

[nickyboy]

Yep, definitely ease off the effort when changing down. If poss, put a little spurt in so I can do it without losing overall speed.

The killer is when I'm in the big ring and find myself underestimating a short, steep hill. Changing from big to small ring under heavy load is a recipe for dropping the chain IME so I just grind up the hill and try not to fall off

 

[Salty seadog]

Indeed I understand the forces at work and back of the power to accommodate a change and as said by DEFENDER01 and ColinJ this applies for all changes....regardless of terrain...

Just musing on my strained link (new chain fitted).....

Just typing aloud as it were....

 

[Sittingduck]

Put a little dig in
Soft pedal for a moment
Shift down
Resume as normal

Edit: skip step one when required

 

[fossyant]

Just ease off slightly and change. Newer had any issues. Getting the gear right in the first place helps.

 

[LonesomeWanderer]

Yep, change gear beforehand and pick one that's a bit easier than you think you'll need, then if you have some energy left you can change up as you near the top of the hill....

 

[yello]

Nice clean chain there. You should get out more

 

[Salty seadog]

Nice clean chain there. You should get out more

Ar not all our chains clean? Both of mine are...and I get out...

 

[tincaman]

With my Ultegra 11 speed I can change down going uphill when I am standing on the pedals, never used to be able to do that on 10 speed without major graunchy noises

 

[yello]

Ar not all our chains clean?

Of course, of course

 

[Salty seadog]

With my Ultegra 11 speed I can change down going uphill when I am standing on the pedals, never used to be able to do that on 10 speed without major graunchy noises

I'm 15 stones and if I did that I think my chain would go off like a hand grenade....

 

[biking_fox]

get a hub gear.
I can change gear with no more than a fraction of a rotation's slight lift of power.