Newspaper puzzle

The 3 front gears on my bicycle have 28,38 and 48 teeth
the seven rear gears have 12,14,16,18,21,24 and 28
This gives me 20 possible gear ratios(28/14 and 48/24 are the same)
How do I change from 5th gear to 6th gear?
Personally,I haven'rt a clue!!

@venda said
The 3 front gears on my bicycle have 28,38 and 48 teeth
the seven rear gears have 12,14,16,18,21,24 and 28
This gives me 20 possible gear ratios(28/14 and 48/24 are the same)
How do I change from 5th gear to 6th gear?
Personally,I haven'rt a clue!!

So the smallest gear is 28/28 or 1

The smallest gear of the second front gear is 38/28 or 1.357 We find that 28/21 is 1.33, so 38/28 is a higher gear than that, but lower than 28/18 (1.55) the next gear is 38/24 (1.583).

The series is thus: (first egar o 6th gear): 28/28, 28/24 , 28/21, 38/28, 28/18, 38/24

Switching from fifth to sicth would require to chnage from the smal to the middle gear in front and from the 4th to the 2nd wheel in the back.

(And normally nobody would use the "4th" and probably would swith from 4th to third back and then from small to medium front, skipping some "gears".

@ponderable said
So the smallest gear is 28/28 or 1

The smallest gear of the second front gear is 38/28 or 1.357 We find that 28/21 is 1.33, so 38/28 is a higher gear than that, but lower than 28/18 (1.55) the next gear is 38/24 (1.583).

The series is thus: (first egar o 6th gear): 28/28, 28/24 , 28/21, 38/28, 28/18, 38/24

Switching from fifth to sicth would require to chnage from ...[text shortened]... bably would swith from 4th to third back and then from small to medium front, skipping some "gears".

Wonderful Pondy.
Bang on as usual.
At least I understood the question!
In the paper ,which is the Saturday times there's always a "listener crossword" puzzle on the same page.
I can never understand how to even fill it in!
This weeks looks like a numerical one(ish).
It's far too laborious to type here, but if you google "the listener crossword no. 4738 even odder by ploy" I expect it will be published there