In short: the Shimano gear shifter on your e-bike works with your thumb: the large lever changes to an easier gear for starting and climbing, the small lever changes to a harder gear for speed. Shift while you pedal lightly, change down before a hill, and combine the gears with the motor’s assist levels. With these simple habits, your gears stay smooth and your battery lasts longer.
Many new e-bike riders ignore the gears completely. After all, the motor helps anyway, so why bother? In reality, the right gear makes the ride smoother, saves battery and protects the motor and the chain. Here is everything you need to know.
Why Shengmilo uses a Shimano gear shifter
Shimano is the world’s best-known maker of bicycle gears, founded in Japan in 1921. Its parts are reliable, easy to adjust and available in bike shops all over Europe. That last point matters: if a cable or a part ever needs replacing, any local bike shop can help you.
The Shengmilo S600 PRO, the S700 PRO and the S900 PRO all use a Shimano 7-speed system with a thumb shifter on the right handlebar.
How the Shimano gear shifter works
Your thumb shifter has two levers and a small window:
- Large lever: push it with your thumb to shift to an easier gear. The chain moves to a bigger sprocket at the back, so pedalling gets lighter.
- Small lever: press it to shift to a harder gear. The chain moves to a smaller sprocket, so each pedal turn takes you further.
- Gear window: shows which gear you are in, from 1 (easiest) to 7 (hardest).
Behind the scenes, the shifter pulls or releases a steel cable. That cable moves the rear derailleur, which guides the chain from one sprocket to the next.
Which gear should you use?
- Low (1–2): pulling away, steep climbs, mud, sand and heavy loads.
- Middle (3–5): everyday riding on flat or rolling ground.
- High (6–7): higher speed on smooth, flat ground and gentle descents.
A good rule of thumb: you should pedal at a steady, comfortable rhythm, roughly 60–80 turns per minute. If your legs spin too fast, shift up. If you push hard and slowly, shift down.
Gears and assist levels: the perfect team
On an e-bike, you have two ways to make riding easier: the gears and the motor’s assist levels. Used together, they work best.
- Climbing: low gear plus a medium or high assist level.
- Cruising: middle gear plus a low or medium assist level – this saves the most battery.
- Fast and flat: high gear with a low assist level.
In fact, using a lower assist level and the right gear is one of the easiest ways to add range. Read how far you can go on a 1,200 Wh battery for real numbers.
7 tips for using the Shimano gear shifter
1. Shift while pedalling – but lightly
The chain only moves while the pedals turn. However, shifting under full force strains the chain. So ease off the pedals for half a second while you shift.
2. Change down before the hill
Shift into a low gear before the climb starts, not halfway up. Once the chain is under heavy load, shifting gets harder and noisier.
3. Shift down before you stop
Approaching a junction or a gate? Change to gear 2 or 3 before you stop. Then pulling away again is easy.
4. One gear at a time
Shift one or two gears at a time, especially on a climb. As a result, the change stays smooth and quiet.
5. Don’t shift with the throttle at full power
Release the throttle briefly while you change gear. This protects the chain and the sprockets.
6. Keep the chain clean and oiled
A dirty, dry chain shifts badly. Clean it and add a drop of oil every week or two. Our e-bike maintenance checklist explains how.
7. Listen to the bike
A clicking or rattling chain usually means a small adjustment is needed. Fix it early, and the parts last much longer.
How to adjust a Shimano gear shifter
New cables stretch a little in the first weeks. Because of this, the gears may start to skip or hesitate. Fortunately, the fix usually takes ten seconds.
- Find the small barrel adjuster where the cable enters the rear derailleur (or on the shifter itself).
- If the chain is slow to move to a bigger sprocket, turn the adjuster a quarter turn anti-clockwise.
- If the chain is slow to move to a smaller sprocket, turn it a quarter turn clockwise.
- Shift through all gears again and repeat until the changes are clean.
For more detailed guides, Shimano publishes free service instructions for all its parts. If the gears still skip, a local bike shop can adjust the derailleur limits in a few minutes.
Shimano gear shifter: common questions
Do I need gears on an e-bike with a throttle? Yes. Even with a throttle, the right gear lets you pedal comfortably at any speed and saves battery.
Why does the chain jump when I pedal hard? Usually the cable needs a small adjustment, or the chain is worn. Try the barrel adjuster first.
Are 7 gears enough? On an e-bike, yes. The motor fills the gaps, so 7 well-spaced gears cover everything from steep climbs to fast flats.
The bottom line
To sum up, the Shimano gear shifter on your e-bike is simple: large lever for easier, small lever for harder. Shift early, shift lightly and combine the gears with a sensible assist level. Your knees, your chain and your battery will thank you. Questions? Our support team is happy to help.
Comments (5)
HEI .. er det mulig og få kjøpt nytt frem gir til denne sykkelen ? sitter ved kranken ?? kjell
Haluan varmistaa Shengmilo MX06 sähköpyörästä ? onko pyörään jo vamiiksi asetettu 25 km ylittävälle tunopeudelle moottorintehonrajoitin. Sähköpyöräksi laki vaatii 25 km nopeusrajan ja alle 1000 W tehorajan.
Suche das Steuer Gerät für das mx 03
Nice shimano facts heh but i really remmebet this brand was already on my first bike when i was 10yo and not im over 30 this is still the best shifter congrats to shimano
Hello, thank you for your comment. We agree Shimano is simply the best! :) Have a nice day! Shengmilo