Question

When riding my bike on the 7th gear at high speed, especially when slightly downhill, I encounter a situation where I can't pedal to go faster. The pedal simply spins, and there's no effect on the wheel. What could be the potential reasons for this issue, and how can it be addressed to optimize biking performance?

Answer 1

The issue of the pedal spinning without affecting wheel speed in 7th gear at high speeds downhill is due to the gearing ratio of the bicycle, causing 'freewheeling.' It can be addressed by changing to a bike with higher gear ratios or waiting to pedal until the bike slows down.

Step-by-step explanation:

When you're riding a bike in the 7th gear at a high speed and find that pedaling no longer accelerates the bike, particularly on a downhill, it's likely due to the gearing ratio. In the highest gear, the front chainring is large, and the rear cog is small, meaning for each pedal rotation, the wheel turns many times. Once your speed exceeds the point where your pedaling can keep up with the wheel's rotation, the pedals will spin freely without affecting the wheel speed. This is known as "freewheeling" or "over-spinning" the gears. To address this, you could either switch to a bike with a higher gear ratio, enabling higher speeds before reaching the spin-out point, or simply use the current momentum and pedal again when the bike slows to a speed that matches your pedaling capability.