What are the speed ranges for manual transmission gear shifts?
2 Answers
First, start in 1st gear. When the speed reaches 15 km/h, you can shift to 2nd gear; when the speed reaches 25 km/h, you can shift to 3rd gear; when the speed reaches 35 km/h, you can shift to 4th gear; when the speed reaches 45 km/h, you can shift to 5th gear. Gear shifting procedure: Press the clutch pedal—quickly release the accelerator—shift to the corresponding gear—match the accelerator accordingly based on the gear, or do not press the accelerator and quickly lift the clutch pedal to the semi-engagement state—once the clutch is engaged, gently release the clutch pedal. Shifting hand gesture: When shifting, keep your five fingers together, loosely but firmly grip the gear knob, and use your forearm to guide your hand in shifting. Note that the force should be gentle and slow during shifting, avoiding excessive force to prevent shifting into the wrong gear. Always pause in neutral when shifting. If you shift into the wrong gear, don’t panic—you can return to the original gear and shift again.
When I was getting my driver's license, the instructor kept emphasizing this - the key to manual transmission shifting lies in RPM and speed. Typically, you start in 1st gear and shift to 2nd at 15-20 km/h, to 3rd around 30 km/h, to 4th in the 40s, and use 5th gear above 60 km/h. Experienced drivers pay most attention to the tachometer - shifting around 2000 RPM is most fuel-efficient for normal driving, while you need to rev up to 3000 RPM before shifting when overtaking. Downshifting requires even more precise speed matching. For example, when dropping from 5th gear at 60 km/h to 3rd, you should first raise the RPM to around 2500 before releasing the clutch, otherwise the car will lurch forward abruptly. I used to have jerky shifts when I first started driving, but later found that lightly tapping the throttle beforehand helps a lot. In rainy conditions or when going uphill, you should delay upshifting to maintain power for safety.