Better to downshift for stops (shifter wear & tear) or not (chain strain)?

[HillAversion]

Riding a bike produces wear. The zero-wear option is to leave it in the garage.

But shifting more often produces much cheaper wear than lugging the motor. Cables, chains and cassettes are relatively inexpensive. It's all a matter of being reasonable, but I think downshifting will cause you less trouble and expense in the long run.

 

[HillAversion]

I push when I start cause it's fun. I don't drive so its my speed thrill.

Not to get into the Push/Don't Push debate, but I usually just give it a touch of throttle when riding from a standing start.
It makes the loss of momentum from stopping much less of an issue. It also makes me less inclined to blow through stop signs.

 

[fooferdoggie]

Not to get into the Push/Don't Push debate, but I usually just give it a touch of throttle when riding from a standing start.
It makes the loss of momentum from stopping much less of an issue. It also makes me less inclined to blow through stop signs.

in Oregon you don't hav to stop for stop signs and long as its clear. slow down yes but not stop.

 

[HillAversion]

Slow down and look signs?
I wanna live in Oregon!

 

[tomjasz]

Slow down and look signs?
I wanna live in Oregon!

Oops and I ride like it’s universal…

 

[fooferdoggie]

Oops and I ride like it’s universal…

I got a 250.00 ticket for going through ha stop sign once many years ago. the cops had a stakeout and were handing out tickets to cyclists and cars like Christmas bonus gifts.

 

[tomjasz]

I got a 250.00 ticket for going through ha stop sign once many years ago. the cops had a stakeout and were handing out tickets to cyclists and cars like Christmas bonus gifts.

Daily for a decade. So far so good...

 

[fooferdoggie]

Daily for a decade. So far so good...

I don't see any stakeouts anymore. neighbors were complaining so the cops did a sting operation.

 

[SC00CHB00CH]

Not down shifting with some mid drives is a sure way to kill and overheat a motor. There are exceptions but for long life, ride like you would have ridden without a motor. Few would take off from a dead stop with a 7 speed in 7th gear.

I watched a well known ebike reviewer start from a dead stop in 7th gear on a mid drive. Then once they got going shifted down to lower gears.
Made my eyes twitch a little.

 

[Gionnirocket]

That's where a throttle rules. I can be in whatever gear I choose when I come to a stop and then use a second or two of throttle to get rolling again. Pretty much the only reason to use one.

Try using a few seconds of throttle over a bumpy section when it's best to lift off the seat to save your ass and without losing speed/momentum.
Actually quite fun as well

 

[Gionnirocket]

I'm wondering which is the lower maintenance option. If I downshift at stops, lots more wear & tear on the shifter. If I don't downshift and start in a lower gear, lots more strain on the chain at those low speeds. Which is the better alternative? Mid-drive bike with a Bosch motor and Shimano 1X10 drivetrain.

I know no one that worries about shifter wear... and I shift a lot.

 

[harryS]

I wore out a twist shifter around 3000 miles. It got progressively stiffer but I persisted. Almost wore out my wrist, I did aggravate the karpal stuff. Sore for weeks, Should have upgraded to a $20 Shimano Rapidfire trigger unit before all of this, but too many bikes to feed.




.

 

[SC00CHB00CH]

I'm wondering which is the lower maintenance option. If I downshift at stops, lots more wear & tear on the shifter. If I don't downshift and start in a lower gear, lots more strain on the chain at those low speeds. Which is the better alternative? Mid-drive bike with a Bosch motor and Shimano 1X10 drivetrain.

If you don't shift down and start off in lower gears from a standstill your causing excess strain on the motor. Let alone the shifter. The cassette , the chain are what I considered wear and tear items. Mainly the chain and cassette.
The motor is not a wear and tear item like tires , brake pads , chain and cassette and even the shifter. Ideally like on a car you'd prefer the motor to last the entire life of the car , unlike like tires, brake pads , struts, clutch , etc.


Starting off from a standstill or stoplight in higher gears will cause excess strain on your motor causing it to possibly get too hot and overheat. So by not downshifting , yes you may reduce wear on your shifter , although IMO inconsequential at best the damage reduced, but your in turn causing excess strain on the mid-drive motor by not using lower gears from a stop or climbing hills.

A rear hub motor by contrast does not utilize the rear cassette for propulsion so the rider can start from a dead stop in 7th gear and the motor is not strained. Not that a rear hub is better or a mid-drive is better. They both serve the bike in two very different ways.

Like in a 5spd manual car you don't start from 5th gear at a stop sign/stop light. It bogs down the motor and transmission may stutter. While the mechanism in a car is different than a bike you still want to be continually in a manual mindset when driving a mid-drive powered ebike.

So you need to think to yourself, "Do I want to replace the motor first or the shifter first." If you want to replace the motor first then YES don't worry about down shifting.

 

[tomjasz]

I know no one that worries about shifter wear... and I shift a lot.

Shifty bastard that you are…

 

[tomjasz]

I watched a well known ebike reviewer start from a dead stop in 7th gear on a mid drive.

Name names or it didn’t happen.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Like in a 5spd manual car you don't start from 5th gear at a stop sign/stop light. It bogs down the motor and transmission may stutter. While the mechanism in a car is different than a bike you still want to be continually in a manual mindset when driving a mid-drive powered ebike.

This is clear for anybody who ever drove a manual gearbox car. (Try to start the car in the 3rd gear and the engine will stop). Not clear for so many North Americans who typically drive the automatic gearbox vehicles.
However, I would say the drivetrain (especially the chain) will always wear faster when started in high gears (disregarding if it is the mid-drive or hub-drive motor). Only the strain with the mid-drive motor will be significantly higher.

A general remark: It is unusual that the click-shifter ever wears. You would rather expect the shifter cable wear (and even that is rare).

Starting in a low gear and gradually upshifting allows the e-bike not only start easier but also it gives great acceleration. An example: It is the manual gearbox car running at pretty high speed on a road. Whenever the driver needs to quicky overtake another car, they downshift to get more of acceleration, then upshift to maintain the constant crusing speed.

 

[tomjasz]

Not clear for so many North Americans who typically drive the automatic gearbox vehicles.

Once again proving you don’t know s*it from Shinola.

It is unusual that the click-shifter ever wears

Again an opinion based on what? Three years and two bikes?

Maybe just too much Lukasowa?

 

[Stefan Mikes]

What's kicking here Stefan?

Every European cyclist knows how to shift and what the shifting is for. Why do many North Americans ask questions such as "it is better to downshift for stops"?
Shifting is essential. It is not an option.

 

[Gionnirocket]

Every European cyclist knows how to shift and what the shifting is for. Why do many North Americans ask questions such as "it is better to downshift for stops"?
Shifting is essential. It is not an option.

"Every"?.
Like every Pol' picks green tomatoes to make room for the red ones.
Or perhaps the handful of Europeans on here smart enough to read/write English know something the majority of illiterate Europeans don't know to ask?

 

[tomjasz]

Question: If you're American when you go in the bathroom, and you're American when you come out of the bathroom, what are you while you're in the bathroom?

Answer: European