Road bikes: Compact and 53/39 gearing

[pooks]

Gearing is all new to me, so I have a lot to learn.

Our terrain is generally what I'd consider "flat prairie," since Dallas was built on prairie farmland. But there are creeks and streams in our neighborhood, and that means a lot of streets with relatively steep hills where they drop down to the water. So I can devise routes that are very hilly or flat.

When I start riding longer distances and have to get out on the highways ... Hmm, I think it's pretty flat around here, but I also intend to drive to East Texas to do some riding where it's pretty hilly in some areas.

So how do I know what kind of gearing to get? (Oh wait, ask at the LBS?)

[RoadRaven]

Hi BatBike... I have two road bikes at the moment - both racing bikes. I want another for training but that is in the future.

My road race bike is a compact and it is good in bunch racing.

My TT bike is a "normal" double... I don't need low gears and in fact I could probably ride TTs with just one, because I rarely use the small chain ring.

My EMC came with a compact, but that wasn't THE reason I bought it.

My Giant came with a "normal" double, and we have swapped the big chain ring for a bigger one so I could have bigger gears to get on top of in a TT...

Dunno if thats useful at all, but thats me and my bikes.

[Batbike]

Hi BatBike... I have two road bikes at the moment - both racing bikes. I want another for training but that is in the future.

My road race bike is a compact and it is good in bunch racing.

My TT bike is a "normal" double... I don't need low gears and in fact I could probably ride TTs with just one, because I rarely use the small chain ring.

My EMC came with a compact, but that wasn't THE reason I bought it.

My Giant came with a "normal" double, and we have swapped the big chain ring for a bigger one so I could have bigger gears to get on top of in a TT...

Dunno if thats useful at all, but thats me and my bikes.

RoadRaven -- if you didn't do TT, which is VERY specific riding -- high gear/high cadenance -- would you only have 1 road bike and keep it compact or would you still have 2 bikes with different gearing ... what will your training bike be when you purchase it?!

[jobob]

Gearing is all new to me, so I have a lot to learn.
[...]
So how do I know what kind of gearing to get? (Oh wait, ask at the LBS?)

Hi pooks, and anyone else -

It's time for a plug for the lovely Sheldon Brown

Much of what I know I learned from the articles on his most excellent website.

Pour yourself a cup of coffee (or a cuppa tea), settle in, take yourself here, and learn many good things.

Here's a good one for starters - the top article on this page, Gear Shifting: Everything You Wanted To Know About Shifting Your Bicycle's Gears, But Were Afraid To Ask might be very helpful.

http://sheldonbrown.com/beginners/index.html