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and braking traction and can lock up with less brake force. Moisture or dirt on the brake pads reduces their ability to grip. The way to maintain
control on loose or wet surfaces is to go more slowly.
D. Shifting gears
Your multi-speed bicycle will have a derailleur drivetrain (see 1. below), an internal gear hub drivetrain (see 2. below) or, in some special cases, a
combination of the two.
1. How a derailleur drivetrain works
If your bicycle has a derailleur drivetrain, the gear-changing mechanism will have:
• a rear cassette or freewheel sprocket cluster
• a rear derailleur
• usually a front derailleur
• one or two shifters
• one, two or three front sprockets called chainrings
• a drive chain
a. Shifting Gears
There are several different types and styles of shifting controls: levers, twist grips, triggers, combination shift/brake controls and push-buttons.
Ask your dealer to explain the type of shifting controls that are on your bike, and to show you how they work.
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