Which gears please?!
dennisn
Posts: 10,601
12-25 cassette gives you a very nice range of gears(11 tooth rear sprockets are basically useless). 170 compact(34-50) will be more than adequate for your needs.
39-53 crank sets are almost becoming old school these days. 170 crank length is pretty much standard unless you have overly short or long legs.
39-53 crank sets are almost becoming old school these days. 170 crank length is pretty much standard unless you have overly short or long legs.
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11-25, 11-23, 12-25, 13-25, 14-25
Means number of teeth on each sprocket of the rear cassette. Eg an 11-25 has cogs that range in size from the smallest,11, to the biggest, 25.
Tiagra Double
Compact 165 34/50, Compact 170 34/50, 170 39/52, Compact 175 34/50 & 175 39/52
The first figure, 165, 170 etc, gives the length of the cranks in mm. Which one you choose is mainly determined by how long your legs are. The second tells you that it has two chainrings and gives the number of teeth on both, eg 34 teeth on the smallest, 50 on the largest.
If you're rubbish at hills, get a 34/50 chainset. A 12-25 cassette will be sufficient gearing for most folk. If you have massive leg power, get the 52/39 and 11/23 cassette.
And do some research into gearing.
The first set of figures are explained as follows:
you have 9 speeds (that is nine cogs) fitted to the back wheel. The numbers are the number of teeth on the cogs - so in the case 0f 11-25, the smallest cog has 11 teeth, and the largest one has 25 teeth. The other seven cogs will be more or less evenly distributed between.
The other numbers refer to the "big cogs" at the front - the chainset - , to which the pedals are attached.
The first number eg 165, is the length in millimeters, of the crank arm. Which you choose is down to personal preference, and the length of your legs. 170 is the most common. The other numbers refer, as at the back, to the number of teeth on the chain wheel.
Which "gear" you are in means "which cog am I on at the front" combined with "which cog am I on at the back" So, for example, if you are on the biggest ring at the front, eg 53 teeth, and the smallest at the back - eg 11 teeth - that's the highest gear, and the hardest to pedal. Vice-versa - if you are on the smallest one at the front, and the largest at the back - that's easiest - and where you would be on a hill. So - which to choose? Depends how fit you are and how hilly it is where you live. A combination of 50/34 and 11-25 will give you a good range of gears, and be OK if it is a bit hilly. If it's dead flat where you live, maybe look at some other combination. Hope this isn't too simplistic an explanation - but it helps to make the decision if you have the background and reasoning!
http://garstangcyclingclub.net
if you're under 5' go for 165mm cranks 5'-6' 170 and over 6' go for the 175 cranks. Unless you are really fit I'd go for the 34/50 chain rings and I feel the 12/25 is a good compromise cassette,ie reasonably tight but with a 25 bail out gear and high enough to fly down hills. By what you say there isn't a triple option, shame, because I'd recommend that as it offers a lower gear which you may appreciate on the big hills.
Fail to prepare, prepare to fail
Hills are just a matter of pace
Other than the occasional downhill what can YOU(and 99% of the cycling world) use it for?
I'm also building up a new bike and going through the whole compact/standard/ratios conundrum...
Would an 11t sprocket still be too high geared even on a compact setup then?
Is it higher geared than a 53-12?
a 50-11 is 1/2 gear higher than a 53-12.
try downloading gear calc pro (32bit) its free.
http://www.machinehead-software.co.uk/b ... lator.html
http://garstangcyclingclub.net
Sorry about that response. Bad day at work. Yes, an 11 tooth is to high of a gear for even a compact(50-34). Lots of claims by people that they CAN use them but I have my doubts. It won't hurt anything but you probably won't ever use it either, so a 12 makes much more sense. A 50-11 IS higher than a 53-12(by a little bit).
http://garstangcyclingclub.net
Sheldon Brown on gears. http://sheldonbrown.com/gearing/index.html
Sheldon Brown home page. http://www.sheldonbrown.com/ Bookmark this one. Most questions are answered here.
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When do you USE this 50-11?
Not trying to act macho or anything, i use it on just about any decent length of flat/slope and downhills. Different people have different priorities. I'm still young so maybe less risk-averse than yourself, i love going as fast as possible down hills, and i prefer the feel of actually pushing a gear for as long as possible rather than just spinning fresh air.
So for me, i'm happier with that. And to be fair, i'm running 10speed so i still have a 14t sprocket, forgot OP only has 9sp available.
Just out riding around and pushing a 50-11 on "ANY DECENT LENGTH OF FLAT" ....road???? :roll: :roll: :roll:
just dont get campig gears they explode apparently.
I can only conclude that you are weak =']
I live in close proximity to some valleys. So yes, on every ride i am reguarly travelling at 30mph+ and also going up hills at under 10mph.
are you a wannabe troll?
i live under a bridge.
Fail to prepare, prepare to fail
Hills are just a matter of pace
When I acquired a new bike with a compact (and much lighter too), I suddenly found that I was struggling to keep up the speed downhill - what I had been doing at 45 was a push at 35 in 50/12.
Of course the high gear isn't necessary, but I use it and in the circumstances I'm talking about here it's the gear I'm most comfortable in - just 'cos I can't push it on the flat doesn't make it useless.
Good one.