Granny Gear??

[ny biker]

For me, the granny gear is the easiest gear combination - smallest chain ring and largest cog.

[Kalidurga]

For me, the granny gear is the easiest gear combination - smallest chain ring and largest cog.

That's what I've always understood, too. In which case, every bike with more than one gear has a granny.

[Crankin]

I've always had a triple and make liberal use of my granny gear combinations. Sure, as the season goes on, I use harder and harder gears on some small hills, but I don't see why I should be mashing and struggling just to say I didn't use the granny. Besides, I am old enough to be a granny .
Indigoiis, you can tell your DH that my DH, who is a very strong rider, has gone from a double, to a compact, to a triple. He could care less what others think. We ride some big hills and the fact that every time we come home, we climb a 10-15% grade had quite a bit to do with him getting a triple on his current bike.

[SadieKate]

That's what I've always understood, too. In which case, every bike with more than one gear has a granny.

Huh. I think if I walked into a bike shop (or talked to someone who tours with a load) and referred to a low gear of 39x23 as a granny, they'd either fall down laughing or be struck speechless.

In 25 years of pretty serious bikie-dom, I've never heard anyone call the lowest gear on a double crankset a granny.

Just my experience.

[OakLeaf]

+1. I always heard the term to refer to the smallest chainring in a triple.

I never thought about how sexist AND ageist the term is until recently. Now, I'll say "puppy gear" or "baby chainring" or just "smallest chainring" when I don't feel like being cute.

[SadieKate]

Cliff climber??

[shootingstar]

never thought about how sexist AND ageist the term is until recently. Now, I'll say "puppy gear" or "baby chainring" or just "smallest chainring" when I don't feel like being cute.

I love puppy gear or baby chainring. TE should start a movement to change the language..one word at a time!

Indigio- I hope your hubby one day will adjust to the idea in the future, that he may need the "puppy gear". And that he will have no hesitation to tell you when the time comes.

[Grog]

Why not baby ring, since the expression is already out there?

[MomOnBike]

The three rings on my crankset are "Granny," "Crusing" and "YEE HAW." Named, obviously, for the function of each. Feel free to use the terminology.

I kind of understand that some people may think that "Granny" is sexist & ageist, but it puts me in mind of my Granny Hazel who lived in the Colorado mountains and could outwalk most other people on those uphills - including some macho-type men. Thus, it's a compliment, meaning unstoppable, if a tad slow.

I bought my bike for touring, so I need all the help I can get when struggling up steep hills. If that help comes from a female ancester, so much the better.

[hilldweller]

Huh. I think if I walked into a bike shop (or talked to someone who tours with a load) and referred to a low gear of 39x23 as a granny, they'd either fall down laughing or be struck speechless.

In 25 years of pretty serious bikie-dom, I've never heard anyone call the lowest gear on a double crankset a granny.

Just my experience.

But they do with compacts, which are still nowhere as low as a triple. Or at least the shop I talked to does. My bike has a lowest gear of 34x25 and I'm debating whether I'm going to need some proper granny (or even great-great-granny ) gears.