{"id":13435,"date":"2023-10-15T14:15:48","date_gmt":"2023-10-15T12:15:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyclingdestination.cc\/?p=13435"},"modified":"2026-10-05T07:44:08","modified_gmt":"2026-10-05T07:44:08","slug":"gear-shifting-and-gear-groups-explained","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cyclingdestination.cc\/en\/materiaal\/tandje-erbij-een-uitleg-over-schakelen-en-schakelgroepen","title":{"rendered":"Need a little help? An explanation about switching and switching groups"},"content":{"rendered":"

Suppose you\u2019re going to ride a race bike, gravel bike, or mountain bike for the first time. When you go out with a group of experienced cyclists, the terms will quickly become confusing to you. Because what is it really about? \u2018Which group do you belong to?\u2019 Group? I\u2019m not at school anymore, am I? When it comes to gears, you quickly get lost. Not to mention the labels and brands. That\u2019s not a big deal. Everyone has to start somewhere. Add to that the fact that half of the people have no idea why this person is riding the bike and the gear they\u2019re using. Worse yet, no one really knows why you should choose a Shimano Ultegra over a SRAM Force. We\u2019ll explain how to change gears and which groupset to choose. Hopefully it helps a little!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Level up a little<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It is therefore useful to provide some additional information about shifting and gear groups. What those are, we explain here. But we can also explain why shifting is useful on a bike ride. In that case, we can also set up a tree over it. In any case, at the end of this article you will know more about shifting, the differences between the gear groups, the brands, and the difference between electric and mechanical shifting. A whole new world will open up for you. Although you will probably have already been helped half way with the knowledge. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is a Switching Group?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s start with the basics. What is a gear group? A gear group, also called a groupset, is the collection of parts on a bike that are responsible for shifting gears, the drivetrain (i.e. the pedals, chain), and braking the bike. You also often hear references to 8-9-10-11-12 or 13 speeds. That\u2019s the number of gears\/rings you have on your rear wheel. A Shimano 12-speed groupset therefore has twelve options for shifting at the rear and often also two at the front. So you have 24 options. Why isn\u2019t it called 24 then? No idea. There are also two options on your front derailleur, sometimes you have a single front sprocket and in the past there was also a \u2019triple\u2019. With three front sprockets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Components<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A complete switching group consists of several components:<\/p>\n\n\n\n