Gearing!

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Comments

  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    Gussio wrote:
    oscarbudgie wrote:
    Isn't it better to triumph by the strength of your muscles than by the artifice of a derailer?

    Hear hear! Derailleurs were only allowed to be used in the Tour de France from 1937. Before then, the riders were on fixed gears*. An incredible achievement.




    * and other, erm....gear

    Nah it's all just pointless masochism! Gears are the way to go
    Do not write below this line. Office use only.
  • rinko
    rinko Posts: 45
    lost_in_thought wrote:
    All your gears are belong to us

    Damn - too many geeks on this forum already ... I was going to post that! :D
  • il_principe
    il_principe Posts: 9,155
    Gears for fears.
  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    The gear-drop explodes
    Do not write below this line. Office use only.
  • Feltup
    Feltup Posts: 1,340
    Don't gear the reaper
    Short hairy legged roadie FCN 4 or 5 in my baggies.

    Felt F55 - 2007
    Specialized Singlecross - 2008
    Marin Rift Zone - 1998
    Peugeot Tourmalet - 1983 - taken more hits than Mohammed Ali
  • lost_in_thought
    lost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    Gears of a clown

    (low GI, I reckon - they're spinny little blighters)
    FCN 7/1
    Viner Maxima, Tifosi CK7, Giant Bowery, Old commuter.
  • il_principe
    il_principe Posts: 9,155
    Gears of War.
  • Rockbuddy
    Rockbuddy Posts: 243
    Il Principe wrote:
    Gears of War.

    :lol: Now there's geek for you :wink:
  • blu3cat
    blu3cat Posts: 1,016
    Headhuunter wrote:
    Perhaps I should start dispensing gearing advice at red lights to those around me. I seriously think some commuters leave their bikes in the same gear for every journey they make. My advice would be, get a fixed gear and do away with the unnecessary weight of mechs, cassettes and chainrings!

    Go for it, I am sure you will be met with a cheery "oh thankyou very much" :wink:

    Maybe they are maximising the life of their cassette, rotate each sprocket a day at a time, so today 39 - 15, tomorrow 39, 17 etc. :lol:
    "Bed is for sleepy people.
    Let's get a kebab and go to a disco."

    FCN = 3 - 5
    Colnago World Cup 2
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    Scalped an MTB yesterday, running large wheel at the front and largest at the rear (9speed), horrible chain angles and you could hear the chain creaking in complaint, that and the fact his rear deraileur was twisted all out of shape anyway certainly wasn't helping him, and this was a high end MTB, all mud splattered for the real off road look in all the gear.....

    Simon
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • lost_in_thought
    lost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    Maybe it wouldn't shift if the rear derailleur was all duffed up...
    FCN 7/1
    Viner Maxima, Tifosi CK7, Giant Bowery, Old commuter.
  • Runoutofgears
    Runoutofgears Posts: 348
    Anyone know if an automatic gear box has every been marketed?
    I ache, therefore I am.
  • il_principe
    il_principe Posts: 9,155
    Runoutofgears wrote:
    Anyone know if an automatic gear box has every been marketed?

    We're getting there:

    http://reviews.roadbikereview.com/blog/shimano-announces-electronic-groupset-dura-ace-di2-7970-groupset-available-january-2009/
  • Runoutofgears
    Runoutofgears Posts: 348
    True, but I was thinking more of a product aimed at people who don't understand what the little levers are for.
    I ache, therefore I am.
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    lost_in_thought wrote:
    Maybe it wouldn't shift if the rear derailleur was all duffed up...
    Nope I watched him shifting down at the rear, it was only after getting onto the granny ring did he shift to the middle chainwheel.

    Maybe this thread should be called 'All the gearS and no idea'?

    Simon
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • CiB
    CiB Posts: 6,098
    Has anyone ever found / written a concise easy to understand web page that explains it all in simple terms, aimed at kids and therefore suitable for baffled adults? My lot* haven't got the first clue despite me showing them, explaining the reasoning for it etc on numerous occasons. And then you watch them set off for school and they're still in the granny ring / smallest cassette ring from home to wherever I mention it again. I'm now bored of it, but a nice easy web page with pics & single syllable words might help. Every web page I've ever seen either assumes knowledge up front, or starts off well but loses it after three paragraphs. If only we had a convenient domain that could host a couple of pages with such advice... <hmmm; working at home today; I sense a bit of homework / distraction coming on :) >

    *One's a teacher, the boys aren't but joyously the youngest seems to have grasped it, having just migrated to his brother's old bike that has gears.

    Cheesy gear related song title?

    Gear Me Some A Lovin'
    Wake Me Up Before Yer Gears Go
    Etc
  • Rockbuddy
    Rockbuddy Posts: 243
    Thought this thread was a bit harsh, as I hadn't really noticed people in the wrong gears etc.

    That was until last night, going up hill (not spinning and not really grinding, seemed to be the right gear) a bus overtakes me then he has to brake (causing me to nearly stop) for an mtb who has been spinning to the top of the hill made the top and hasn't bothered changing gear so is now nearly spinning out and going no-where. It was so annoying I was very tempted to shout change gear ya bloody edgit!!!! But as I was turning off I decided better of it....rant over :)
  • Cafewanda
    Cafewanda Posts: 2,788
    Actually, I think a quick lesson on gears/usage would be a great idea. When I bought my first bike at the grand young age of 42, I had no idea what they were for so consequently struggled . Fortunately, my lovely cycling instructor enlighted me and compared it to driving a (manual!!!) car, so I got the hang of it after that. At least, I think I have :oops: Need to consult with Sheldon/Cyclecraft again

    Now that I'm a (slightly) better cyclist I sometimes see other cyclists not using the right gears. Come to think of it, I also want to tell some of them their seat post should be higher. I just don't have the nerve.
  • roger_merriman
    roger_merriman Posts: 6,165
    one problem is bikes are quite often called 27 speed or what not, when really they are 9 with 3 ratios low/middle/high with a large overlap.

    ie there is a lot of marketing speak and fuff.
  • Cafewanda
    Cafewanda Posts: 2,788
    roger merriman wrote:
    one problem is bikes are quite often called 27 speed or what not, when really they are 9 with 3 ratios low/middle/high with a large overlap.

    ie there is a lot of marketing speak and fuff.

    All designed to make us newbies feel inadequate :(
  • roger_merriman
    roger_merriman Posts: 6,165
    Cafewanda wrote:
    roger merriman wrote:
    one problem is bikes are quite often called 27 speed or what not, when really they are 9 with 3 ratios low/middle/high with a large overlap.

    ie there is a lot of marketing speak and fuff.

    All designed to make us newbies feel inadequate :(

    blinded with science exept it's mostly just babble...
  • CiB
    CiB Posts: 6,098
    It's more that people don't understand the idea of ratios, and get confused with the front & rear ring combinations & what goes where. (I'm sure most of us have made that mistake once in our lives...)

    That, and the business of knowing which lever to push / pull to go up & down through the gears, & whether that will put it into a higher or lower gear, that's the confusion IME.

    Isla Bikes don't do multiple front rings for kids' bikes, specifically because it adds to the confusion and means that in the end kids ignore the front changer anyway. Makes sense to me.
  • blu3cat
    blu3cat Posts: 1,016
    Rockbuddy wrote:
    Thought this thread was a bit harsh, as I hadn't really noticed people in the wrong gears etc.

    That was until last night, going up hill (not spinning and not really grinding, seemed to be the right gear) a bus overtakes me then he has to brake (causing me to nearly stop) for an mtb who has been spinning to the top of the hill made the top and hasn't bothered changing gear so is now nearly spinning out and going no-where. It was so annoying I was very tempted to shout change gear ya bloody edgit!!!! But as I was turning off I decided better of it....rant over :)

    Could be that they are in that dead space when they have just managed to get to the top using all of their energy, and they are too knackered to put any extra power to their legs just yet and get a move on.
    "Bed is for sleepy people.
    Let's get a kebab and go to a disco."

    FCN = 3 - 5
    Colnago World Cup 2
  • Rockbuddy
    Rockbuddy Posts: 243
    blu3cat wrote:
    Could be that they are in that dead space when they have just managed to get to the top using all of their energy, and they are too knackered to put any extra power to their legs just yet and get a move on.

    Maybe, but if they were that knackered surely they'd slow the spinning not try to spin out on the flat, isn't that more knackering? To tell ya the truth I was more hacked off with the bus that over took me (fairly closely) then slammed on his brakes. Having said that I wouldn't have wanted him to closely overtake the mtb aswell :? Just frustrating is all...
  • pst88
    pst88 Posts: 621
    Follow these simple rules-
    Legs hurt: change gear down & spin faster
    Lungs hurt: change gear up & spin slower
    Both hurt: stop/collapse
    Legs moving very fast but going nowhere: change gear up & spin slower
    Bianchi Via Nirone Veloce/Centaur 2010
  • jimmypippa
    jimmypippa Posts: 1,712
    At the school fete last Saturday, one of my 10-yr old daughter's friends asked for help getting the chain on the front chainset. I suggested that you don't want the chain too out of line, and a moderate size for the total of front and back cogs, so noy to frint and back both large or small.

    She seemed to understand that.
    http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=6404

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