I searched but couldn't find any recent threads on technique of shifting from big to small FRONT chain ring. I know it's probably been covered ad nauseum.

I'm a newbie. My bike is fitted with 11 speed, a compact crankset with 50/34 front chain rings.

The bulk of my riding is done on the large ring, only needing the smaller for big hills. When shifting, should I go all the way across to a cross chain situation on the big ring BEFORE going to the smaller front ring? I don't typically go all the way to the biggest back chain ring but when I shift to smaller front gear I have to shift the rear sprockets immediately as my cadence is too high and find myself spinning like mad.

Help?
Sorry I know you guys are tired of questions like this.

It would be better to shift to the small ring prior to when you will be using it. So basically once you can hold a good cadence with the small ring and like in the 13 or 12 rear, go ahead and change up front then you can shift larger in the rear as you need. You can also shift both front and rear at the same time. But when climbing you are better off not shifting because that interrupts your pedaling just when you need the most power

I drop to the small chainring, and shift 2-3 cogs on the back at the same time so that my cadence stays about the same.

As you suggest in your post, OP, you should not progress through gears on one ring then move to another as necessity dictates, but rather move to one or the other ring in response to general conditions. The rings overlap, and this allows you to use one or the other to move into a riding situation as well as while you are in it. So preparing for an uphill leg you get on the small ring and stay there through the whole climb. As you crest the hill, shift to the big ring. Don't wait to move to the small until you have exhausted all the options on the large and similarly for moving to the large. Do it in advance because of the general riding situation you are facing. Downwind, you should already be on the large ring. Making a U-turn upwind, immediately move to the large. Preparing for a race ending sprint, definitely be on the large ring in advance. You can't top out the small ring in the middle of a sprint and hope to be able to shift under those conditions.

Part of the answer depends on your particular gearing. If you look at the ratios for your chainrings/cassette combination, there typically will be a logical crossover point.

This is a good graphic aid: https://www.gear-calculator.com/#

As other have mentioned, when you shift in the front, you also typically want to shift a couple of cogs on the back, to prevent making a big jump in the ratio. This is particularly true on a compact, given the wider difference that is typical between the chainrings (i.e.16 teeth instead of 13)

Also, if you do wait until you're completely cross chained to shift to the small ring, you're much more likely to drop the chain because of the angle the chain is at.

With a compact setup, unless I'm hitting a really short, steep rise, I rarely shift the front without also shifting the back. I wouldn't work my way up to the largest cog in the back with the intent of THEN shifting the front. I only work up to big cog on back if it looks like I will be coming back down shortly. If I needed a lower gear than I get with the big cog in the back, I would have shifted the front well before that, and moved the chain back to the middle-ish of the cassette.

If that makes sense.

It's not like a manual transmission in a car where you normally progress though the gears.

Hopefully you aren't starting off in the big chainring from a dead stop. You're better off starting off in the small chainring and somewhere in the middle of the cassette in the back.

When you start spinning too fast, you either shift to a smaller gear on the cassette or up to the big chainring or both. You should only be in the biggest and smallest gears on the cassette at the extremes such as climbing a steep hill or spinning down the other side of that hill.

When slowing and in the big chainring, shift to easier gears on the back first and to the small chainring in front just before stopping. You can even shift front and back at the same time if you spin the pedals easily.

What you want to avoid is cross-chaining. You don't want to be in big-big or small-small or even a gear or two next to it. It tends to wear out the chain faster. Of course a bike set up properly can operate correctly in those gears, but it's just unnecessarily hard on the chain and gears.

This is great information guys, thanks so much!! I most def. need to practice shifting simultaneously, have never tried that.

Also need to alter my mindset a bit as I've been shifting like it's a car in that I go all the way thru the gears with the big ring and then go to the small ring.

the other thing, I tend to upshift thru the gears during the climb to keep my cadence up, is this not correct?

Great info and gives me some good learning tools!
Thanks!

Yes, shift as needed to keep a steady cadence. Look up ahead to plan your shifts.

Have a plan in mind when you start the hill. IMO, what makes hills fun is having a plan and executing it.

If you plan to stay in the big ring for the hill, then leave yourself room to shed gear as you go up the hill, and use the full cassette as needed. Cross chaining big big is not a cardinal sin in this case, but I save it for last resort. I find climbing easier knowing I have always saved one bailout gear.

If you plan to use the little ring, shift into it early. When you drop big to little, especially on a compact, do it when chain is middle of cassette. Drop to smaller cogs right after the chain drops in front, usually three bangs smaller. Then shed gear as needed to climb the hill. Double shifting is your friend, escpecially with a compact.

excellent info, thanks very much!!


Thanks to all here who helped me on this subject!!

Don't get too used to it. We're normally a bunch of arrogant, condescending, bickering opinionated pin heads. (especially BDop )