Granny gears.
Last week I went up the Cat and Fiddle road(A537) into a headwind and needed my bottom gear some of the way up (36/26) and felt ashamed as I know it's not a particularly steep climb. I am a re-starter,44,been at it 6 months,am not built for hills but by now I think I have got some basic fitness. What I kept chewing over all the way up was that the last time I remember doing this road my lowest gear was a 42/24 -albeit that was 20 years ago and we had no choice but to grind bigger gears as that was all there was.
But my question is, given the massive difference in fitness levels between people like me and the serious road race boys what gearing do their bikes have in the hills? Do the pros for example ever use a compact chainset in the hills,or do they stick with a 39 tooth inner ring so they then have the bigger gears for the flats?
But my question is, given the massive difference in fitness levels between people like me and the serious road race boys what gearing do their bikes have in the hills? Do the pros for example ever use a compact chainset in the hills,or do they stick with a 39 tooth inner ring so they then have the bigger gears for the flats?
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I read in Cycling Plus last month that Contador runs a 50/34 with a 12-32 MTB cassette on some of the really mountainous Italian races. Apparantly whilst everyone else was grinding their way up, he was happily spinning away and blowing them into the weeds. There was another rider as well but I can't remember who, now.
I'm pretty fit and ride the Pennines and prefer a 50/34 + 27/12 cassette. The only thing I've had to push up was Rosedale Chimney (33%) on the Rydale Rumble (85 dec C at time).
There is no shame in dropping to lowest gear. Grinding up in a big gear does your knees no favours. You'll feel fresher pushing a much lower gear on the hills. You have to go with how you feel. In the headwinds this week I've been on the 34 on the flat at times whereas I'd normally blat along on the 50.0 -
sturmey wrote:Last week I went up the Cat and Fiddle road(A537) into a headwind and needed my bottom gear some of the way up (36/26)
Perfectly normal - I treated myself to a 34/28 up a short 7 % gradient (after 30 miles) into a headwind today - lovely - (the 11/32's on for Cheshire Cat on Sunday - hence the 28 sprocket) - its not as if you're staying with that gear for long. And similar to NotAnotherHill, at times, I was using the 34 riding into 25mph headwinds today where I'm usually on the 50.0 -
A few years ago some pros used a triple in the Vuelta to climb the Angliru:
http://www.climbbybike.com/climb.asp?Co ... ntainID=180 -
Maybe it's my inexperience/naivety but I don't get why you'd feel ashamed using such a gear? If its that shameful using it, why put it on the bike in the first place? Why not take it off and then you can feel really shameful when you have to get off and push' coz you physically can't turn the cranks!?
My take: It's there to be used as and when the situation requires. As Mettan says, its not like you rode the entire route in that gear. I have some climbs around my area that I can get up using the 50T front ring if I hit it near the beginning of the ride. Do the same climb maybe 30-40 miles later and I won't hesitate to drop into the 34T.0 -
Ok.Perhaps ashamed was too strong a word. Disappointed maybe.
The dilemma for me is that I have four roadbikes only one of which has a compact chainset-and it isn't a particularly great bike. So now I'm wondering if compacts are the way to go generally for any roadbike. Incidentally, is it ok to run, say, a 12-28 rear cassette on a short Shimano derailleur?0 -
A 10-speed 12-23 or 12-25 triple will give closer gears than a 12-28 compact, so a compact isn't always best.
A short cage mech will work up to 27 and usually up to 28 if you adjust the B-screw.
However, a short cage mech will only take up the chain slack for up to a combined front and rear difference of 29 teeth. When your sprockets and chainrings have a combined difference of more than 29 teeth, check what gears to avoid when on the inner chainring. This is best done when the bike is on a work stand or upside down. Alternatively, and often best, fit a medium or long cage mech so that all the gear combinations can be used.0 -
After doing the Chishire cat this wekend I am thinking about getting a lower grear
I have a 10 speed 12-27 Shmano 105 tripple (I'am a big guy at 95 kg) could I increase it to a 32 ish?
If so what and where would I get the new cogs from.
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PROs use only 53-39 or bigger rings for TTs.
As for the cassette, on a flat or mixed race/stage 11-21 is the choice. The 23 sprocket is used for mountain stages and the 25 for particularly hard climbs, where it goes up 15% or more for more than just a hundred yards.
I do 6-7000 miles a year, mostly hilly, don't race, I prefer the compact 'cause it allows me to use all sprockets, otherwise the 11-13 would be unused with a 53.
My cassette is 11-23 for the Campagnolo and 12-23 for the Shimano. It covers pretty much every climb, with the exception of the 25% plus, where I would need a 25, but to be honest, I don't particularly fancy climbing at 25%, it's an exercise of survival rather than an aerobic elegant one.
If you are out of form, stick to the triple with a 12-23 cassette or to the compact with a 12-27 and avoid the 20% plus hills in the Peak until you are fitter. In your area the Snake Pass, with its 3 miles at a steady 7%, is probably the best climb to build fitness and consistency uphill, or, a bit north, Holme Moss.left the forum March 20230 -
PROs use only 53-39 or bigger rings for TTs.
As for the cassette, on a flat or mixed race/stage 11-21 is the choice. The 23 sprocket is used for mountain stages and the 25 for particularly hard climbs, where it goes up 15% or more for more than just a hundred yards.
Thanks. That's interesting. So a 41inch bottom gear at most.
I realise the less superfit amongst us need a bit more in reserve but in jthef's case above I would say if you need smaller gears than a triple gives you(especially with a 27 rear) then it might be better to get fitter on the flat first or avoid the big hills rather than search for even smaller gears.0 -
sturmey wrote:PROs use only 53-39 or bigger rings for TTs.
As for the cassette, on a flat or mixed race/stage 11-21 is the choice. The 23 sprocket is used for mountain stages and the 25 for particularly hard climbs, where it goes up 15% or more for more than just a hundred yards.
Thanks. That's interesting. So a 41inch bottom gear at most.
I realise the less superfit amongst us need a bit more in reserve but in jthef's case above I would say if you need smaller gears than a triple gives you(especially with a 27 rear) then it might be better to get fitter on the flat first or avoid the big hills rather than search for even smaller gears.
Well, the idea is that you should go step by step. It doesn't make sense to enter the Etape du Dales with 2 months of easy cycling in one's legs. If you enjoy climbing, as I do, in the Peak there are plenty of options, without going up Mam Tor or Winnats Pass.
And don't underestimate your effort, bear in mind that on a windy day even the Cat and Fiddle becomes a challenging climb, if the headwind is strong (as it was last week... but was it headwind?) you can easily double the steepness, as amount of effort required, hence a 6 miles at 4% becomes a 6 miles as 8%, which is not far from the Alpe d'Huez...left the forum March 20230 -
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I have a Shimano 11-32 9sp on the back and 48/34 at the front.The only time I use the 34/32 is to climb Holme Moss,which is now a lot easier.Works perfectly with a Veloce 10sp medium cage rear mech.0