Electric Bike with Gears: How Beginners Should Ride and Shift

Congratulations on your new electric bike with gears! If you're feeling confused, you're not alone. The most common question we hear from new riders is, "My e-bike has a motor, so why do I even need to worry about gears?"

The answer is simple: gears on an electric bike are not for creating power, but for managing efficiency and control. They work as a team with the motor. This gives you a smoother, more natural ride that feels less like a machine and more like a natural extension of your own body. The gears help you maintain a comfortable pedaling speed, known as cadence. The motor helps reduce the physical effort required to maintain that speed. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know, from the basics to mastering the teamwork between your gears and the pedal assist system in real-world situations.

Why Gears Still Matter

Understanding the partnership between your legs, the gears, and the motor is the key to unlocking your e-bike's full potential. This isn't just about making riding easier; it's about making it smarter and more enjoyable.

A Team Effort

Think of your e-bike's system like a car's transmission. The engine, like your ebike motor, provides the raw power. The gears, however, allow you to apply that power effectively whether you're starting from a dead stop or cruising at high speed on the highway. Using the right gear reduces the strain on the motor. A motor that isn't struggling is more efficient, quieter, and will last longer. This partnership ensures both you and your bike are working in perfect harmony.

The Triple Benefit

Using your gears correctly provides three major advantages that every new rider should know. These benefits go far beyond just getting up a hill.

Extends Your Ebike Battery Range: When you use the right gear, you keep the motor spinning in its best RPM range. Just like a car engine, the motor is most efficient at a certain speed. Forcing it to work hard in the wrong gear drains the battery much faster. A struggling motor is a thirsty motor, and proper shifting is the easiest way to maximize your distance on a single charge.

Provides a Smoother, More Natural Ride: You've likely felt the two extremes on a regular bike: "spinning out" where your pedals move too fast with no resistance, or "grinding" where each pedal stroke is a slow, heavy effort. Gears eliminate this problem completely. Proper shifting keeps your cadence comfortable and consistent, making the ride feel fluid and responsive, not jerky or labored.

Protects Your Drivetrain: Shifting correctly reduces wear and tear on your chain, cassette (the cluster of cogs on the rear wheel), and the motor itself. Loud clunks and grinding noises during shifts are signs of stress on these components. Smooth shifting saves you money on maintenance and protects your investment, as the motor and gearing choices create a surprisingly different riding experience and directly impact the bike's mechanical health.

Know Your Controls

Before your first ride, take a moment to get familiar with the controls on your handlebar. They are simpler than they look and are designed for easy use.

Your Right Hand: The Gear Shifter

Your right hand almost always controls the mechanical gears. You'll typically find trigger shifters or thumb shifters.

Lower Gears (Easier to Pedal): These are for climbing hills, accelerating from a standstill, or riding into a strong headwind. You usually shift into a lower gear by pushing the larger lever with your thumb or by selecting a larger number on a gear display (e.g., shifting from Gear 5 to Gear 4). This moves the chain to a larger cog on the rear wheel.

Higher Gears (Harder to Pedal): These are for riding on flat ground or going downhill when you want to build speed. You shift into a higher gear by pressing the smaller lever, often with your index finger, or by selecting a smaller number (e.g., shifting from Gear 4 to Gear 5). This moves the chain to a smaller cog.

Your Left Hand: The PAS Control

Your left hand typically manages the Pedal Assist System (PAS). This control panel has buttons, usually a "+" and a "-", that determine how much power the motor provides.

Assist Levels: Most e-bikes have several levels, often labeled Eco, Tour/Normal, and Sport/Turbo. Eco provides the least assistance and uses the least battery, while Turbo gives you the most power for tackling steep hills or accelerating quickly. For your first few rides, we strongly recommend starting and staying in the lowest setting (Eco) to get a feel for how the motor works.

The Golden Rules of Shifting

To ensure a smooth ride and a long life for your drivetrain, there are a few important rules for shifting gears on an electric bike. Learning these from day one will make you a better rider.

Always Be Pedaling When You Shift: This is The golden rule of shifting any bike. The chain must be in motion for it to move smoothly from one cog to another. If you try to shift while stopped, the derailleur will move, but the chain will not. When you start pedaling, the chain can jam, skip, or even drop off the cogs, resulting in a loud, damaging noise and a stalled start.

Ease Up on the Pedals During the Shift: This is a subtle but critical technique. As you press the shifter, reduce the force you're putting on the pedals for a split second. You don't need to stop pedaling, just lighten the load. This allows the chain to move across the cogs with minimal tension, resulting in a quiet, seamless shift instead of a jarring "clunk." This is especially important on an e-bike, where the motor adds extra force to the chain.

Shift One Gear at a Time: Avoid "dumping" or shifting through multiple gears at once. Press the shifter, wait for the chain to fully engage on the new cog—you'll feel it in the pedals—and then start the next shift if needed. This prevents the chain from skipping over cogs and reduces the risk of it jamming.

Think Ahead About Your Terrain: The best riders are always looking ahead. Don't wait until you're already struggling on a steep hill to change gears. As you approach a hill, shift into an easier gear before you start climbing. As you approach a stop sign, shift down into an easy gear while you are braking. This ensures you are always in the right gear for what's coming next.

The E-Bike Dance

Here is where we solve the biggest point of confusion for new riders: when should you shift gears, and when should you change your pedal assist level? Think of it as a dance between your legs and the motor.

Gears for Cadence, Assist for Effort

Remember this simple rule: you use your gears to keep your legs comfortable, and you use your pedal assist to decide how hard you want to work. Your main goal is to maintain a steady, comfortable pedaling speed (cadence) of around 70-90 revolutions per minute. It should feel like a brisk walk, not a frantic sprint or a slow, heavy march.

• Use your gears to keep your cadence in that comfortable zone, no matter the terrain.
• Use your pedal assist level to adjust the amount of physical effort you want to put in.

When to Shift vs. Change Assist

This simple chart breaks down the decision-making process. Base your action on how your legs feel.

Let's use a real-world example. Imagine you're riding on a flat path and approaching a hill. As the road begins to go upward, your legs start to slow down and pedaling feels heavy. Your first thought might be to reach for the "+" button and boost the power to "Turbo." Don't do that yet. Your first move should be to click down into an easier gear. You will immediately feel your pedaling speed return to that comfortable, brisk rhythm. Now, if it still feels like too much physical work to maintain that rhythm, then you can bump up the assist level from "Eco" to "Tour." This teamwork—gears for cadence, assist for effort—is the secret to conquering hills easily and efficiently.

A Guide for Common Scenarios

Let's put this all together into a practical, step-by-step guide for the situations you'll face on every ride.

Scenario 1: Starting from a Stop

A smooth start sets the tone for your ride. The key is to prepare before you even stop.

1. Prepare Before You Stop: As you are braking and slowing down, click down into a low gear (Gear 1, 2, or 3).
2. Set Assist Level: Make sure your pedal assist is on its lowest setting (Level 1 or Eco).
3. Take Off: Start pedaling. The low gear will make it easy to get the bike moving without a sudden, jerky launch from the powerful motor.
4. Shift Up as You Go: As you pick up speed and your legs start to spin too quickly, shift up through the gears one by one, maintaining that comfortable pedaling rhythm.

Scenario 2: Climbing a Hill

Hills are where the partnership between gears and motor truly shines. Proper technique makes them feel almost flat.

1. Think Ahead: As you see the hill coming, shift down into an easier gear before the incline begins.
2. Maintain Cadence: As you start climbing, your priority is to keep your legs spinning at a comfortable speed. Continue shifting down as needed to prevent your pedaling from slowing to a grind.
3. Add Assist as Needed: If your pedaling speed is good but the physical effort is still too high, now is the time to increase your pedal assist level one step at a time. A good e-bike provides gearing for varied terrain, and this is where you use it.
4. Cresting the Hill: As the hill flattens out, start shifting back up to higher gears and consider lowering your assist level to save battery.

Scenario 3: Coming to a Stop

What you do when you stop is just as important as what you do when you start.

1. Brake Smoothly: Apply both your front and rear brakes evenly for a controlled stop.
2. Shift Down While Slowing: As you are slowing down but still pedaling lightly, click down through your gears. Your goal is to be in a low, easy gear (like Gear 2 or 3) by the time you come to a complete stop.
3. Ready for Takeoff: By shifting down as you stop, you have automatically prepared yourself for an easy start, following the steps in Scenario 1.

Practice Makes Perfect

Don't try to overthink it on your first few rides. The most important thing is to get out and have fun. Focus on the core principle: use your gears to keep your pedaling speed comfortable, and use the pedal assist to manage your effort. With just a few hours in the saddle, this "dance" will become second nature, allowing you to focus on the freedom and joy your new electric bike with gears provides.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Should I shift gears while stopped at a traffic light?
A: No, never shift while completely stopped. The chain needs to be moving to shift properly. Instead, shift down to an easier gear while you're slowing down and still pedaling lightly as you approach the stop.

Q: What gear should I start in when I first get on my electric bike with gears?
A: Always start in a low gear (Gear 1, 2, or 3) with your pedal assist on the lowest setting (Eco). This prevents a sudden, jerky launch and gives you better control as you begin riding.

Q: How do I know if I'm in the right gear?
A: You're in the right gear when your legs are spinning at a comfortable, steady pace that feels like a brisk walk. If your legs are spinning too fast with no resistance, shift to a higher gear. If pedaling feels heavy and slow, shift to a lower gear.

Q: Can I damage my electric bike by shifting incorrectly?
A: Yes, improper shifting can cause wear and damage to your chain, gears, and motor. Always pedal lightly while shifting, shift one gear at a time, and never force a shift. Listen for smooth, quiet shifts rather than loud clunks or grinding noises.

Q: When should I increase my pedal assist level instead of changing gears?
A: Increase your pedal assist level when your pedaling speed feels comfortable but you want the motor to do more work. Use gears first to get your pedaling rhythm right, then adjust the assist level to control how much effort you want to put in.