Gearing for Roadies

[KTeach]

Just wondering what kind of gear set ups you use & recommend. I have a triple & love that granny gear but could probably get away without one maybe even 2? of my lowest gears... and I could use one ... maybe even 2 higher gears. Any thoughts from you tech savvy types out there?!

[Veronica]

I think a lot depends on the type of riding you do and how you like to ride. I have a pretty small triple with a 24 on the front and I go up to a 28 on the back. But I don't like to stand on long climbs and I can stay in the saddle on an 18% grade and just spin away with that. I like to do long rides with lots of climbing and this set up works for me. It's better for my knees too.

My big ring is only a 48, but I can go plenty fast enough. I've pushed the bike up to 32 MPH on a slight downhill with a tailwind. On the flat I typically average around 18 but there's not much flat around here without a wind in one direction or the other or hills so my rides tend to average out around 15 mph give or take a half a mile. I almost never use the 48 and my 12 together. I like to spin and just can't push those gears fast enough to feel comfortable under most circumstances.

So what kind of riding are you doing? What are you hoping to gain from changing your set up?

Veronica

[Surlygirl]

Hey KTeach,
Try Peterwhitecycles.com and under products go to Chainrings. He has a short article on them and gearing. I am in the process of changing over my chainrings also. I have hills where I live and bad knees so it just doesn't make sense for me to push the 52-42-30. You can also call him on the phone and he'll tell you what you might need to swap out.

[KTeach]

Love that Peter White website! Also found Hostelshoppe.com has great info and charts on gearing (they even give the related mph for several cadences at each gear!). I was able to put in several chainring/cogset combos and printed them out. So now i am in the process of comparing them. I want to see if I can sacrifice a couple of high gears and gain a few low gears... wanna get stronger and go faster!

[jobob]

Originally posted by KTeach
Just wondering what kind of gear set ups you use & recommend. I have a triple & love that granny gear but could probably get away without one maybe even 2? of my lowest gears... and I could use one ... maybe even 2 higher gears. Any thoughts from you tech savvy types out there?!

Plan on riding up any mountains?

Dusty came with a 52/42/30 front and 12-28 rear. I swapped out the 30t front ring for a 24t (I suppose you could call it a "great-granny gear" ). I can get away with that since I'm friction shifting the front derailer.

I rode partway up Mt. Diablo today (altho it was only part way, I am told it amounted to about 2000 feet of climbing!) and I'm ever so grateful I had that 24t ring, I spent some quality time in that lowest 24/28 gear !

The 52t did come into play on the way down.... wheeeee!

[Veronica]

My HRM says total climb for us today was 2201 and don't forget that section that kicks up tp 9%.

V