SESKStuff Everyone Should Know
SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/bike-gears-flat-ground

On flat ground, where in your range of gears should you usually be?

In the middle of your gear range.

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  1. The very easiest gear
  2. The middle of your gear range ✔
  3. The very hardest gear

Why: Gears help keep your pedaling smooth and steady. On flat ground the League says to ride in the middle of your gears, then shift easier for hills and harder for downhills.

Huh, didn't know that: Most bikes have gears to keep your pedaling consistent uphill or down.

The dad joke
Why do gears like flat roads? They can finally find their middle ground.
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References

Answer: The middle of your gear range. Gears help keep your pedaling smooth and steady. On flat ground the League says to ride in the middle of your gears, then shift easier for hills and harder for downhills.

  1. League of American Bicyclists: Starting, Stopping, and Shifting bikeleague.org/videos/starting-stopping-and-shifting
    On flat ground, you’ll want to be in the middle of your range of gears.
    Checked 2026-10-12.

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