Which gear ratio?

phillarrow
phillarrow Posts: 15
edited July 2008 in Road beginners
In the next couple of weeks I will be ordering my first road bike from Ribble cycles. The trouble is I have no idea which gear combination to get. The bike will be used for year round commuting. The journey is only 6 miles each way and has one short but steep hill each way. I am reasonably fit but not very strong and would like to also use the bike for longer leisure rides but do not intend to join a club or ride sportives at this moment in my life. Any advice on which front and rear gear combo I should be looking for? (The default bike comes with 12-25 rear and 34/50 front but can be changed to almost anything)
P.S. What does compact mean?

Comments

  • John C.
    John C. Posts: 2,113
    No bullshit here, If you are in any doubt, get a triple chainset, that extra lower gear will always be there and there will be a time when you need it.
    http://www.ripon-loiterers.org.uk/

    Fail to prepare, prepare to fail
    Hills are just a matter of pace
  • John C.
    John C. Posts: 2,113
    A copact is a way of getting low gears with only 2 front chain rings, as a beginner don't go down this road as it has higher gearing and you will be limited to how you can change the gearing in the future if you so wish.
    http://www.ripon-loiterers.org.uk/

    Fail to prepare, prepare to fail
    Hills are just a matter of pace
  • willbevan
    willbevan Posts: 1,241
    John C. wrote:
    A copact is a way of getting low gears with only 2 front chain rings, as a beginner don't go down this road as it has higher gearing and you will be limited to how you can change the gearing in the future if you so wish.

    +1 to that.

    I didn't really know what i was doin when i bought my first road bike and got a double...

    Double (52/42), with a 28 rear

    Now i switched it almost straight away to a compact as i couldnt get up a lot of the hills round near me with a 42 :S

    Wish i had got a triple though (was the next bike up for 100quid).... as on longer rides having the granny ring would of got me doing longer rides earlier on...

    as if i want one on the bike now, need to change the left shifter, front mech, chainrings... expensive!
    Road - BTwin Sport 2 16s
    MTB - Trek Fuel 80
    TT - Echelon

    http://www.rossonwye.cyclists.co.uk/
  • phillarrow
    phillarrow Posts: 15
    Thanks for those replies. As it happens the triple is only £20 extra on the same spec bike so I now have no doubt at all!
    Cheers.

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