Which ring is for better cadence?

[Bethany1]

If I can do 10 mph in the biggest ring up front at 90 cadence and 10 mph in the second ring at 90 cadence, which is better? Does it depend on what you are doing?

For efficiency, I can see the 2nd ring working, but you'd spend forever getting there. However; you'd get there faster with the larger ring, do more work, but would't that save lots of time in the end so you wouldn't need to be so efficient?

Or is it more of a short distance/long distance thing?

[ny biker]

For me it's how much do my knees hurt and how much do my legs hurt and how much farther do I need to ride.

I only use the big ring for long flat stretches and even then it tends to bother my knee. At some point I will probably talk to the LBS about getting a smaller one so I can use it more without pain.

[OakLeaf]

I'm not quite sure what you're describing, but I'm assuming that you mean there's some overlap in your gearing, so that (just for example), in your big ring and second lowest rear cog you have a gear ratio that's very close to what you have in your small ring and fourth highest rear cog.

Since you're at the same cadence regardless, neither ring is "better for cadence." The gear that's better is the one that gives you a straighter chainline, which puts less lateral stress on the chain and less rubbing on the teeth. Look down at your chain and see which way is closer to parallel to your frame (not the chainstay, the main triangle).

[Eden]

If I can do 10 mph in the biggest ring up front at 90 cadence and 10 mph in the second ring at 90 cadence, which is better? Does it depend on what you are doing?

For efficiency, I can see the 2nd ring working, but you'd spend forever getting there. However; you'd get there faster with the larger ring, do more work, but would't that save lots of time in the end so you wouldn't need to be so efficient?

Or is it more of a short distance/long distance thing?

If you are going the same speed at the same cadence then you must be using the same gear ratio (so doing the exact same amount of work) via using a different gear on your rear cassette...... The only thing that would be "better" or "worse" about the use of one over the other would be the mechanical working of the bike- whether or not you are cross chained using one combination or the other.

[Jiffer]

I agree with the replies so far. However, another consideration is how much you want to exert yourself. In your scenario you mentioned being in the big ring, same cadence, but getting their faster. If the goal is go faster (a reasonable goal ;) ), then go with the big ring. If the goal is to keep your heart rate in a certain range, while still spinning at a high cadence, then that is another consideration.

I have to keep my heart rate fairly low these days for health reasons, yet I'm trying to spin faster at the same time, so I'm constantly watching the HR, as well as cadence, as well as my speed . . . trying to determine which gear I need to be in to go the fastest while keeping my HR down and cadence high. It can be mentally exhausting!!!

[Dogmama]

Depends on terrain & weather as well. If you're going uphill, you may opt for the smaller chainring so that your knees are spared. Ditto if you're going into a headwind. Remember the phrase, "spin, spin,spin in the wind!"

In the end, it depends on the health of your knees, hips and lower back. If any of these start to bother you, it's a warning that you need to get into a more comfortable (easier) gear.

[shootingstar]

I've never cycled in my biggest ring --what for? I get enough of a workout and especially with a prairie headwind, you really don't need to be in a biggest ring or 2nd biggest ring, there's already a significant workout by pushing into the wind.

Watch your knees for pushing yourself too hard and especially too long on a much bigger ring. That's how beginners hurt themselves.

[lph]

I've never cycled in my biggest ring --what for?

.. for pedalling efficiently on flats, especially with a headwind, or on downhills. With the gear set-up on my bike, if I didn't use my biggest ring I'd have to stop pedalling and coast regularly, which gets me wherever I'm going slower. It's not necessarily for getting a better workout, or wrecking ones knees :)

[Bethany1]

My understanding is the larger chain ring is for going downhill, middle was basic and the smallest was for wind/going uphill. Sometimes I just feel like you are spinning and going nowhere on the 2nd chainring at a set speed and if you go into the highest and keep the same cadence and speed you feel so much faster. But then are you working too hard on your knees and legs?

I find myself in the largest gear a lot of the time as the middle seems like I'm spinning and going nowhere. Just wondered if in reality I'm mashing w/o realizing it on the 3rd ring even if I'm keeping cadence.

Are you able to customize the front rings to accommodate for your needs?

[OakLeaf]

The definition of mashing is pedaling at too low a cadence. If you know your cadence (and 90 is plenty high), then there's no way you could be mashing without realizing it.

The purpose of gearing is to keep your RPM in a defined range while varying your speed. That's all. If you have two cog combinations that give you the same or similar gear ratio (and it's very normal to have some overlap at the upper and lower ends of each ring), then they're identical to your body. The only difference is the wear on your drivetrain.

[lph]

If you shift to a bigger ring in front without shifting in back and keep the same cadence, ie. turn the pedals as fast as before, you will experience more effort and go faster. Handy whenever downhills, a tailwind (sorry, said headwind in the last post, that must have been confusing) or whatever makes you feel that you're expending too little effort and could expend more. It's like taking longer strides when you're running.

Vice versa if you shift to a smaller ring without shifting in back, and keep the same cadence, you will experience less effort and go slower. Good for uphills, a headwind or any time you feel that you need to go easy. It's like taking shorter strides when you're running.

Expending too much effort at a low cadence can be hard on your knees, expending too little at a high cadence can cause you to bounce around and not really get anywhere. You just have to try and see what feels comfortable. And yes, you can customize the rings to a certain extent, and get a larger largest ring if you feel you're constantly "running out of gears" downhill and have to coast a lot.

[goldfinch]

I've never cycled in my biggest ring --what for? I get enough of a workout and especially with a prairie headwind, you really don't need to be in a biggest ring or 2nd biggest ring, there's already a significant workout by pushing into the wind.

Watch your knees for pushing yourself too hard and especially too long on a much bigger ring. That's how beginners hurt themselves.

Only on the downhill do I use the biggest ring on the bike with the triple. And often even then I use the middle ring. I can go for weeks without using the big ring.

On my double I use the big ring more often, for some downhills or big tailwinds. Otherwise, I can spin up to around 19mph in the small ring. So, even with the double I don't use the big ring a lot.

[shootingstar]

Have only geared up to 2nd biggest ring when sweeping downhill. Or less. Biggest ring works best when you know there is no traffic light stop /busy intersection at the bottom of a steep hill or it's a really long mountain descent.

I don't go into my biggest ring with a stiff headwind in my face for the next hr. or so. You mean, a tailwind, lph?

Sorry, I was only thinking about pros and cons of big ring on flats or going uphill.

Going downhill doesn't require much effort which obviously didn't stick in my memory.

[lph]

Yes, sorry, I meant tailwind.

[malkin]

Yes, sorry, I meant tailwind.


I knew what'cha meant!

[Catrin]

Only on the downhill do I use the biggest ring on the bike with the triple. And often even then I use the middle ring. I can go for weeks without using the big ring...

I will use the big ring on my triple on flat ground if there isn't much of a headwind. I've been working on becoming more efficient and I've learned that if I am in the big ring, and drop the rear to 6 or 7 (with 9 being the highest) I go faster than if I were in the middle ring and in gear 8 or 9. Of course this is all relative to how my body feels that day and so forth. I have learned that just because a particular gear combination works on x stretch of road the other day doesn't mean that I will like it the next day, just too many variables.

I've a goal of becoming more efficient at shifting, and I suspect this is a goal with an ever-moving target. For some reason I don't even think about shifting the front going downhill, though I will shift the rear...