I like playing around with gear shifts on my hybrid, but I'm probably doing something wrong. When shifting to an easier gear, the sudden loss of weight/resistance and momentum surprises me and I usually freeze/coast for a bit until the resistance returns to the pedals. This is not a problem on flats, but it usually bites me back on hills and inclines. The pedal resistance and cadence is just right at the first quarter of the incline, but become very heavy by mid-hill.

What does a proper gear shift-down feel like? How does it feel being in the proper gear on a hill climb?