Granny Gear??

[Kalidurga]

But, I'm with MomOnBike and don't see granny gear as offensive. Not just unstoppable, albeit perhaps a tad slow, but also always there to support you when you need her, just waiting for you to ask.

My 34x25 granny gear's not as supportive as I'd like her to be. I want a new granny who'll not only be more unstoppable on hills, but also bake me some cookies.

[ny biker]

Well I guess I was wrong. I defer to Sheldon Brown:

Granny Gear

Slang term for the smallest chainwheel on a triple crank set.

Note that this term is not a general term for the lowest gear of a bicycle, but specifically refers to just the smallest chainwheel on a crankset with more than two chainwheels.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gloss_g.html

[hilldweller]

My 34x25 granny gear's not as supportive as I'd like her to be. I want a new granny who'll not only be more unstoppable on hills, but also bake me some cookies.

LOL. Sounds like we have the same granny Does that make us cousins or something?

[TrekTheKaty]

My DH tried to discourage me from buying a road bike with a triple, but I insisted--not embarassed at all (thought he would crawl under a rock when I refused to even test ride a double at the LBS). Rather have a "granny" gear than walk my bike up a hill. I learned it from a Joe Kurmaskie book--he tours with one. This summer I'm trying to graduate--not use it on hills, and I haven't yet. But it's there like my "blankey", in case I need it.

My BIL didn't realize I had it. Halfway through a century, he was taking a poll of the gears other riders were using--and everyone was in their small chain ring. I said, "I'm in my middle ring." He said, "YOU HAVE THREE. NOT FAIR. I gotta get one of those." Ha ha. Who looks silly NOW