Gearing Question - Hills!

[SnappyPix]

Ridebikeme,

Thanks for the info.
Think I'm probably going to go for the cassette and chain.
I'm afraid Nashbar's not an option for me, as I'm not US based.

Kano,

Yes, spinning out basically means that your pedals begin to spin away, and you can't select a gear high enough to give resistence and pedal with it.
(Not very good at explanations, as you can tell - sure someone can do it more succinctly and eloquently than me!).

[Kano]

Kano,

Yes, spinning out basically means that your pedals begin to spin away, and you can't select a gear high enough to give resistence and pedal with it.
(Not very good at explanations, as you can tell - sure someone can do it more succinctly and eloquently than me!).

I'm pretty sure that was a perfect explanation! Thank you! Cool to know that there's a real name for the crazy pedaling! (now I won't sound quite so new!)

Karen in Boise

[Pedal Wench]

SP- difference at the top end could be 2mph. (The difference when spinning a 53/12 at 100rpm compared to 50/12 at 100 rpm is 2mph.) That's huge in a race.

For me, as a recreational rider, it's more important for me to be comfortable climbing. As a racer, it's probably more important to be able to go fast at all times!

For what it's worth, I have two bikes with compacts - one has a compact-specific FD and one has a standard FD. I can't tell the difference - they shift just fine. And, it's probably not ideal, but I swap my 12/26 and my 13/27 without changing chain length or RD.