I have an audax bike for winter riding and it does the job nicely but the gearing is far lower than my summer bike, to the point where I’m not using anything in the upper half of the rear cassette and run out of top end early.

So I’m thinking about replacing the groupset but not sure whether to go for same gearing as my summer bike (carbon so superlight and efficient) or slightly lower to allow for lower winter fitness, and the fact it’s a heavier and less efficient (ally) frame.

So what’s the usual practice with this? Personal preference?

I have a 53/39 and 11-25 on my summer bike, and 50/34 and 12-27 on my winter bike. Every time I change (ie twice a year!) I tend to spend the first few rides wanting the ‘old’ gearing, then get used to it, unless you’re often running out at the extremes I don’t really think it’s an issue.

However… Seeing as that’s relevant for you I’d go for a slightly lower option on the Audax bike – that being the point after all! Can’t make recommendations without knowing what you’ve got!

I must say as well, this summer made me think that actually a compact does make more sense and I’ll probably go that way when I replace the summer bike.

I run 50/36 and 11-26 on my summer bike.

On my Audax/winter bike I run 50/34 and 11-28.

New groupset? Cassette/rings or crankset only needed Shirley?

I do run lower gears on my winter/commuter bike, becuase it’s more for solo riding, the summer bike needs bigger gears for chaingangs.

Used to be that I had 53/39 on the summer bike, and 50/39 on the winter bike. Now wussed out and got a compact on the winter bike as you’re dealing with stronger headwinds, wet and dirty roads, bigger and heavier puncture resistant tyres and a heavier bike laden with mudguards. 11-25 all round though.

@brooess – what gearing do you have now?
My summer (read normal road) bike has normal-ish road bike gearing – 53/39 and 12-25 cassette
The bike for everything else – commuting, touring, pootling, ride to pub, shopping, winter with mudguards & rack has 46/34 and 12-27 cassette.
As above, just a change of cassette or chainrings would probably suffice, assuming the rear mech has capacity.

Winter bike is different, to be honest not sure what it is actually running, know it’s a 53/39 up front but no idea at the rear.

Summer bike is 54/39 and 11/25.

Got to say recently I have been spinning out quite a bit on the winter bike, so as it needs a new drivetrain i’ll probably up the gearing a little at the back.

Surely the winter bike is meant to be for long low-intensity rides (that’s what mine is for) so the lower gearing makes sense. Really you want to be pootling along with grannies passing you.

I’ll be the first tosser to reply ‘fixed in winter’…. 😉

Gearing on your winter road bike – same as summer?

Yep, largely because it’s the same bike 🙂

36 & 11-32

54/42 & 12-25 summer and 53/39 & 14-27 winter.

Past couple of winters I’ve focused on spinning steadily, to the extent that I keep in the wee ring as much as possible.

52/39 + 12/27 summer bike.

50/39/30 + 12/15 on the now defunct winter bike. Crosser will replace it (no racing this year – boo), so 50/34 and 12-28 (I think)*.

TBH, I live somewhere very flat, so ideal winter gearing would either be fixed (see grahamg^^^) or 52/42 + 12/25.

Actually, I’ve got a 42 ring somewhere….

*Made more complicated by the summer bike being Shimano, old winter bike drivetrain also Shimano and cross bike Campag.

50/34 on the summer/race bike.
53/39/30 triple on the winter bike – I sit in the middle ring most of the winter spinning away. The winter bike was my first/main road bike so I got a triple just in case I struggled.

Thinking of having a new winter bike for next winter, I’ll probably go with the new 52/36 Campag Centaur stuff.