Bicycle gearing
Overview
 
A bicycle
Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....

 gear or gear ratio refers to the rate at which the rider's legs turn compared to the rate at which the wheels turn. Bicycle gearing refers to how the gear ratio is set or changed. On some bicycles, there is only one gear so the ratio is fixed. Most modern bicycles have multiple gears, so multiple gear ratios are possible. Different gears and ranges of gears are appropriate for different people and styles of cycling.

Multi-speed bicycles allow selection of the appropriate gear ratio for optimum efficiency or comfort, and to suit the circumstances, e.g.
 
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