how often do you ride in your big ring?

[tatormc]

Everyone has a different riding style. I have a double and most of the time in the small ring. I spin like crazy going up hill cause I can't stand to be in a big gear and my thighs on fire. I don't have much of a pain threshold! But there is a lady I ride with that's similar to me in weight and size and she is always in her big gear. We did a 45 mile organized ride and she is just mashing up the hills in her big gear. I think she's crazy but as I said everyone has a different riding style.

[skibum]

I have a double too. I'd guess that I'm in the big ring about half of the time. It really depends on the terrain. I tend to use my cadence to dictate what gear I'm in. For flats/rollers, I aim for 90-95. I can usually do that in the big ring. For climbs, I'm usually in the small ring maintaining a cadence in the 70s. Well, unless the climb is long & steep and I run out of gears. Then, I go with the cadence that allows me to maintain forward momentum

I always shift into the big ring as I come into a downhill. That way you can carry the speed of your descent into whatever comes up next.

[Grog]

Nearly never. I have a triple and use mostly the middle ring (40), excepted for downhills and tailwinds. Oh yeah I also use the big ring when I'm drafting in a paceline.

I'd rather spin 110 rpm than 80 so... The big gear is not really an option for me most of the time.

[ACG]

I have 3 rings. I used to have a tendency to use the big ring when I had a mountain bike (I only rode the bike on the road). Now with my road bike I have found that I use it less and less. I normally end my ride on the big ring and finish it on the big ring. The middle ring is the one I am now on 80% of the time.

[caligurl]

good question! for me it depends on the ride.... the wind... and how i'm feeling!

if it's a climb... and a long one.... i'll almost always end up in my baby (granny) gear! i do train on our local hill in the middle ring..... but my cadence is not as high as i'd like it to be....

naturally if i'm coming downhill or on a really flat, flat... i'm in the big gear.... i recently did a really flat century and was in my big gear 80-90% of the ride!

on our local ride.... there are times i'm in all three on one ride! especially if it's windy! i'll be in the big ring with a tail wind.... the small to attempt to keep my cadence up for the headwind.. and the middle for other parts of the ride!

i have no ego issues with having a baby (granny) ring either.... there is no way i would have been able to accomplish the rides/climbs i did within my first year of riding if i didn't have it! i'm only getting older so i'm not willing to give it up either! i've got it if i need and and don't have to use it if i don't need it!

[bluerider]

I would say 70% big ring but if I notice my cadence slipping I go small. I'm not ashamed either to say I use my "granny" gear but I use it also to gauge how I'm progressing. I have this brutal climb about 9% gradient that goes on for about a 1km and I "test" my strength by how often I have to suck it up and slip into "granny" mode.

[mtbdarby]

I have a hybrid bike for on the road with 3 rings. I found that I was maxed out at 20mph on my big ring on a flat and that was drafting - is that normal? Does that mean that's as fast as I can go on the flat with this type of bike? I was spinning like a mad woman - it felt great but I could only keep it up for a few miles cuz he's much faster than I am.

Just curious as I do more road riding...