MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
Doing the Rough Ride again this year. Last year ran 1x9 on Soul which was fine. This year I've got a ti 29er currently ss. Can't decide whether to keep ss (and perhaps lower the gearing from 32:18 to 32:20?) or add 9 gears. I saw several people on RR last year ss. I'm loving ss on the Mendips but worry it will be too much on all day ride.
Any thoughts?
NO idea on that route but when I did the Selkirk Merida Marathon ss I kept the same gear (26" 2:1) which worked fine, I think I had to walk at one point as my back was killing me though.
i ride 2:1 everywhere (and equivalent 29er gear), be that for long rides, short rides, races, or just to the chip shop and back, and be that in lumpy Sussex, flat Norfolk, the pointy Peaks, pointier Scotland or a multitude of other places
ride the same gear, if you're going to change gears on a SS you might as well put gears on
Nowt wrong with changing the ratio. IIRC Shaggy changed SS ratio mid way through the trans Scotland. And he knows a little bit about riding long events on a SS.
ta - so what ratios was Shaggy using then?
I wouldn't have a clue how to gear a ss for the Rough Ride tbh.
The problem is, that most of it is either steep climbing or fast flat / DH sections.
A gear that would get me up most of the climbs would be useless for the rest of the ride.
I spent an awful lot of time in the granny ring when I rode the long route...
If you're a hardened sser and don't mind getting off a lot to push / carry, then perhaps just use your usual gearing.
I know what you mean about the hills! I think it starts on top of the moor this year which avoids the first climb (although you've still got to get there!). I did long last year - 32 ring and standard 11-32 cassette.
FWIW i did all three 10s solo 2 years ago on 32:18 on 29s .... finish quite high too. Most of my passing was done on the hills due to not being able to sit back and relax
did raasay rumble which had some real hills in on 32:21 again on 29s and found that tough going, I dont think the length affects gear choice if you are fit , but if there are 2-3 majorly steep and prolonged climbs in the route profile then lower gears. If its only the one then just jump off and run !
[i]ta - so what ratios was Shaggy using then?[/i]
55x11.
I ran 32:16 on my inbred for my solo effort at sleepless. I now find that having ridden gears for ages I prefer (and seem to be faster on...) a spinnier gear. I'm currently using 34:18.
I'd say ride what your used to and change your approach to stuff. At sleepless I paid the price for forgetting how long I'd be riding for and riding my second lap fairly quickly. Franki has said what worked for me - if you'll be riding for ages just push up some stuff rather than a macho grrr moment only to discover there's another five climbs just as bad, if not worse.
ta - so what ratios was Shaggy using then?
IIRC he was on a Trek 69er and went from 32:16 to 32:15 😯
if your not sure gear down, better to come home thinking you span out a bit too much than to come home needing knee surgery from grinding up to many hills
I used to ride 32:16 for everything. Now I ride 32:17, because there were no 16 sprockets in when I needed a new one. It's a bit spinnier, but you kind of get used to whatever you ride, so I don't really notice much of a difference.
Sorry, late for the party...
I ran 34:16 all the way through Trans Scotland. Matt ran a 32:16 then changed to a 15t sprocket when he found it in the bottom of his bag.
I tend to stick somewhere near 55" most of the time. If you need to change down for a big ride you are probably pushing too high a gear. As they say; Run what ya brung.
32-19 on hilly riders on my 29er and for the Whinlatter Challenge the other week.
I wish I'd gone 32-20 as it was a hilly barsteward.
32-18 or even 32-16 on flattish rides