eli5 What do the nobs(friction/Speed) on mountain bike handles do?
In: 3
The knobs on mountain bike handles are called shifters. Typically, there is one shifter on the left handlebar and one shifter on the right handlebar. Each shifter is connected with a long thin metal cable to a derailleur. There is one derailleur by the front set of gears (near the pedals) and the other derailleur is by the back set of gears (near the center of the rear wheel).
When you click the shifters it lengthens or shortens the metal cable. Since they are connected, this changes the position of the derailleurs. The bike chain is threaded through the derailleurs and this will change the position of the chain to be on different gears. By switching up which gears the chain is on, this makes the bike easier or harder to pedal. If you are going uphill and it is too hard to pedal, you can shift the gears to make it easier. If you are going downhill and it is too easy to pedal (you are pedaling very fast but you are not getting any speed) you can shift the gears to make it harder.
Latest Answers