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Road bikes and daft gearing ratios
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stevewhyteFree Member
Spinning is more efficient but out of the saddle in a bigger gear is faster. You generate more power out of the saddle than you do in the saddle.
Hence why keeping a high cadence is the best way. You lift you heart rate too much to do extended climbing out the saddle in a high gear, in the end staying in the saddle using a gear you can spin is faster over a long climb. Might not be too good for the bottom mind.
mrmoFree MemberHence why keeping a high cadence is the best way. You lift you heart rate too much to do extended climbing out the saddle in a high gear, in the end staying in the saddle using a gear you can spin is faster over a long climb. Might not be too good for the bottom mind.
and in most of the uk there aren’t that many long climbs, so climbing out of the saddle is possible, the extended period being less than the climb, time and place, the skill is knowing when to climb in the saddle and when not to.
jam-boFull MemberThe climb I tend to start a road ride with is 7 miles long and 1500ft up. Spinning works for me.
flippinhecklerFree MemberI put a 12-28 cassette on my compact that will get me up most climbs, unfortunately I failed to get up the steepest section of the Bwlch y Groes pass on the Wild Wales, my mate who has a triple and 3stone lighter cleaned it, maybe if I had a 12-32 I could of done it, I thought the 12-28 was the max I could get 🙁
JonEdwardsFree MemberJust because it is possible to get up something like winnats with a 25 at the back it does’t make it a good idea.
Agreed, and trust me 2/3rds the way up, it feels like a really, really, really, bad idea.
What I’m trying to suggest to the OP, is that if he doesn’t want to splash the cash on new bits, then he takes option B which is to stick with what he’s got and just get on with it – the existing gears are useable with the addition of some bloodymindedness.
FWIW, once I’ve killed the existing cassette, chain and rings, I will probably give compact a try, but until then, I’ll carry on as I am. Be interesting to see whether being “more efficient” does make me faster, or if having lower gears available means I can be lazy and back off the pace more than I currently do, thus making me slower.
(interesting note from the STW weekender. I was running a 1×10 setup, and with all the short sharp climbs, I was really having to beast myself to get up them. As a result I was passing loads of people who were sitting and spinning. If the race had been a lap or 2 longer, I suspect they would have reovertaken me when I no longer had the stamina to power the bigger gear.)
tpbikerFree MemberThanks for all the replies folks. I’m thinking of going for a compact and seeing how I get on with my existing cassette.
Before I bash on, would it be workable to just change the inner to a 34 ring. A quick look at Sheldon’s gear ratio calculator made it look feasible (ie theres overlap of ratios), but is the jump from a 53 – 34 far to big for the front mech to handle? I think I might know the answer to that already, but thought i’d ask the experts…
aracerFree MemberBefore I bash on, would it be workable to just change the inner to a 34 ring
No. Because a 34 tooth ring won’t fit on the chainset you have as the distance between the fixing bolts is too big. Assuming it’s Shimano, the smallest you can fit will be a 38. If you want a 34 you need to change the whole chainset.
(even if you could fit a 34, 53/34 would be a really bad idea for the reasons you identify).
aracerFree MemberOther hills are available.
Indeed – but most people live places where they can do plenty of nice road bike riding without having to go up steep hills. I mean round here there are plenty of climbs if I choose, but I could do plenty of riding with just a single 50T chainring (and a close ratio cassette) without killing myself. What’re more, a lot of people don’t want to spend all their time killing themselves going up hills. For all these people, normal road bike gearing isn’t all that unsuitable.
One thing to remember as you hurtle down a steep descent towards a 90 right, is that
no matter how well you set up the brakes on the road bike, it will not slow down as well as 8″ discs with M4 calipers.most mountain bikers on forums don’t have a clue how well properly set up road bike brakes can stop you.FTFY
NorthwindFull Memberaracer – Member
Indeed – but most people live places where they can do plenty of nice road bike riding without having to go up steep hills.
Steep is relative. To us, it needs to be pretty steep. To someone who saw a bit of the tour then popped into Halfords on the way home from work, not so steep.
TomBFull MemberWhen I moved to the Lakes I put a MTB 11-34 cassette and rear derailleur on my 53/39 road bike, worked fine and gave a very low gear for getting up 25% inclines (almost unavoidable on rides from here). I now have a new bike with a compact and 12-28, which I prefer as the rear shifts are closer together, slightly harder gear low gear but i got stronger.
deviantFree MemberI have a compact 34/50 chainring on my road bike, you get used to it is the only advice I can give….climbing is a bitch but clipped in and thinking of how much good its doing me has kept me going up most things so far….I say most, there was a comedy moment on an early road ride up a mild hill, I was determined to stay in the 50t ring….big mistake, halfway up both thighs simultaneously blew up and cramped….trying to unclip with cramping thighs was interesting and the jumping around on the side of the road must have amused a few drivers….I now swallow my pride and gladly drop onto the small ring on hills.
grahamgFree MemberYeah, compact.
I’ve got a full on race bike that came with full 9 speed dura ace and 7800 53/39 crankset – deciding that wasn’t anywhere near niche enough for me, I fitted campag 10 spd brifters (using shimergo cable clamp modge method) and whilst I’ve not had any call for easier gears with a 13-25, I have an 11-32 and XT mech ready to put on the rear the minute I do any proper hilly riding like the alps or UK national parks.
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