Electric Bike Gear Systems Explained for Beginners

As an electric bike rider, you have two main electric bike gear systems options: Hub and Mid-Drive Gears. Hub gears are the traditional option and are found on most electric bikes. However, Mid-Drive gears are the newer option and becoming increasingly popular. Both hub and mid-drive gears have their pros and cons.

Hub gears are typically cheaper and more straightforward, but mid-drive offer better hill-climbing and a more natural riding feel. Which option would be best for you? It depends on your personal preferences. But whichever option you choose, you can be sure that electric bike gear systems will make your riding experience more enjoyable.

How to Add Gears to Your Bike?

If you’re new to this, don’t worry – they’re not as complicated as they first appear. This article will show you how to add gears to a bike step-by-step.

How to Add Gears to Your Bike
  1. Firstly, you’ll need to identify which gear you need for your bike. There are two main types of bike gears – internal and external. Internal are found inside the rear hub of your bike, while external are located outside the rear wheel.
  2. Once you’ve identified which gear you need, the next step is to remove the rear wheel from your bike. It is so you can access the gears and add them on.
  3. To remove the rear wheel, loosen the axle nuts or quick-release skewer. Once these are reduced, you should be able to pull the wheel out.
  4. With the wheel out, you can now add your gears. If you’re adding an internal gear, thread it onto the rear axle. For an external gear, you’ll need to attach the gear cluster to the wheel first and then thread the axle through the cluster.
  5. Once the gear is in place, you can replace the rear wheel and tighten the axle nuts or quick-release skewer.
  6. And that’s it! You’ve now successfully added gears to your bike.

Before adding them to your bike, understanding the electric bike gear systems is necessary. It would help you to use them properly without any problem.

How many Types of Gearing Systems are there for Bicycles?

The most common are derailleur systems, which use a chain to move the chain between different-sized sprockets. Other common types include hub gears and mid-drive gears.

What are the Benefits of an Electric Bike Gear System?

There are many benefits to an electric bike gear system. One obvious benefit is that it makes riding an electric bike much easier and more comfortable. By having a range of gears to choose from, you can more easily find the right gear for the terrain and conditions, making it easier to pedal and helping to reduce fatigue.

What is the Best Electric Bike Gear System for me?

The most crucial factor in choosing the right electric bike gear system is the type of terrain you’ll be riding on. A single-speed system will be fine depending on flat, paved surfaces. However, if you’ll be riding on hilly or off-road terrain, you’ll need a multi-speed system to help you power up hills and make it easier to pedal.

What is Best Gear Ratio for eBike?

The best gear ratio for an E-Bike depends on several factors, including the terrain, the rider’s weight, and the rider’s desired speed. The perfect gear ratio allows the rider to go at their desired speed while still being able to pedal comfortably.

Quantity of Gears You Need on Your E-Bike

When you’re new to E-bike riding, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the different options. One of the most critical choices you’ll make is how many gears do I need on an ebike? Several factors determine the answer to this question, including:

Quantity of Gears You Need on Your E-Bike
  • The terrain you’ll be riding on
  • Your riding style
  • The amount of effort you want to put into pedaling

You can get away with fewer gears if you’re doing mostly flat riding on paved surfaces. Moreover, you’ll want more for hilly terrain or off-road riding to make pedaling easier. For riders who like to go fast, you’ll also need more gear to help you accelerate.

Ultimately, the decision of how many gears to get on your E-bike is a personal one. The best way to figure out what’s right for you is to take a few different bikes out for a test ride and see what feels best.

Working of Gears on an Electric Bike

When you ride an electric bike, you’ll notice that it feels slightly different from a regular bike. That’s because electric bicycle gears help make pedaling easier. Here’s a look at how do the gears work on an electric bike. How they can help you ride well?

A pedal-driven E-bike is powered by pedals that turn a crank. The crank is connected to the chainring, which is a large gear. Its connected to the cassette, which is a smaller gear. The cassette is attached to the rear wheel. When you pedal faster, the chainring turns the cassette faster, which makes the rear wheel turn faster.

These are also crucial because they help you control the amount of power that you use. When you pedal an electric bike, you’re also powering the battery. The battery powers the motor, which is what propels the bike forward.

If you pedal too hard, you’ll use the battery power too quickly. But if you pedal too slowly, you won’t go as fast. They help you find the perfect balance between speed and battery power.

It can also help you climb hills, you want to use a lower gear to pedal more slowly and still make it to the top. If you try to pedal too fast, you’ll run out of steam and have to stop.

This can also help you go downhill. Going downhill, you want to use a higher gear to pedal faster and take advantage of gravity. They are an essential part of how the bike works. It helps you pedal more efficiently and find the perfect balance between speed and battery power. You’ll be able to ride better than ever with the electric bike gear systems once you get used to them.

Convert From Grip Shift to Trigger Shifters
Credit: RJ The Bike Guy

Gears Shifting On an E-Bike for Dummies

Assuming you’ve read the article above and already know how to ride a bike, and its gears working. Now, how do you shift gears on a eBike for dummies?

If you’re a beginner and not familiar with this system, they’re essentially what makes your bike go faster or slower. The bigger the gear, the faster you’ll go. The smaller the gear, the slower you’ll go.

Most E-Bikes have two or three gears. They are located on the handlebars and are usually labeled with numbers. The numbers indicate the size of the gear, with the more significant numbers being the more giant gears.

You’ll need to use the shifter to shift gears. The shifter is usually located on the right side of the handlebars. You’ll need to push the shifter up to shift up to a bigger gear. A smaller gear can be changed by pulling the shifter down. It’s important to note that you can only shift gears when pedaling. You can’t shift while you’re coasting.

When you’re shifting them, you’ll need to pedal a bit slower than usual. The chain needs to move from one gear to the other. If you pedal too fast, the chain could come off the gears. Now that you know how to shift gears let’s talk about when to shift gears. You’ll generally want to shift gears when going up or downhill.

If you’re going up a hill, you’ll want to shift to a lower gear. This will make it easier to pedal. If you’re going downhill, you need to shift to higher gear. This will make it easier to go faster.

There are a few other times when you might want to shift gears. For example, if you’re pedaling along and feel like you’re pedaling too fast, you can shift to a lower gear. It will help you slow down or if you’re pedaling along and feel like you’re pedaling too slow, you can shift to a higher gear. This will help you go faster.

Finally, if you’re pedaling and you come to a stop, you’ll want to shift to a lower gear. This will make it easier to start pedaling again.

Now that you know how to shift gears, you should have no problem shifting gears on your E-Bike. Just remember to pedal a bit slower when you’re shifting and shift to a lower gear when you’re going up a hill and to a higher gear when you’re going downhill.

In conclusion, I believe that electric bike gear systems are a great way to improve your cycling experience. They provide a more efficient way to pedal and help you go faster and farther than you would be without them. More importantly, I’ll emphasize on they are an excellent way for beginners to get into cycling. They offer a more comfortable and efficient ride and can help you get up hills effortlessly. As a beginner, it is essential to do your research and ask questions to make sure you are getting the best system for your needs. This guide helped you find the perfect electric bike gear system.

Mark Andrew

Hello riders! I'm Mark, the passionate voice behind this thrilling world of electric rides. As a devoted enthusiast of electric mobility, my journey began with a fascination for the silent hum of electric engines and the freedom they offer. I'm on a mission to bring you the latest insights, reviews, and guides on electric rides – from e-bikes to electric scooters, hoverboards, cars and more.

Ride On Electric
Logo