BestGears for a 18 gear mountain bike?

Question

What would be the best gears for riding around town on a moutain bike. This is my first bike with gears. I am 60 years old and a diabetic who needs exercise but not to wear myself out. Would like to know what the best gears would be. Thanks for any help.

Answer 1

Rather than thinking about gears or how fast the bike is going, think about effort in pedalling and the speed of pedalling (cadence).

A good all around cadence for a new rider is between 30 and 50 rotations per minute of the pedals. You should change to lower gears OR increase your pedalling effort if your cadence falls below that. If your pedalling exceeds that you can increase your gears or take it easier. Of course, for this to become second nature will take some time.

As time goes and you become more fit, increase your cadence number. To give you an idea, professional riders often have a cadence of 80 or more.

My mom is 72 and a mild diabetic- soon to be off meds altogether from her cycling activities. She now has a cadence of 60 to 70. She didn't learn to ride a bike until she was 68!