chainset advice - giant tcx 2

boocat

Hi,

i have a giant tcx 2 which has, i believe, a 36/42 chainrings. I use it for commuting over rough ground and country lanes.

If I put race tyres on my bike, would the gears be too small/ too low?

Previously I had a Giant Defy 3 and I always felt that the top gear was too small so my legs would spin when i feel I could have pedalled.

If the gears are too low, what size would you recomend for triathlon racing (my budget means I can't have a second road bike so i would have to convert my crosser)

Thanks

cooper.michael1

It is almost impossible for anyone to answer this, because it depends on your riding style, fitness and the terrain you ride in. When for example when in pan flat Manchester I can use a 53/39 chainset, but when I was living in much hillier Yorkshire a 50/34 compact was better.

The cassette naturally has a big impact on gearing and swapping a cassette with a 12t smallest sprocket to a 11t one has a bigger impact than moving up several teeth on your chainset and its much cheaper too.

I now find a compact 50/34 with a 11-25t cassette is the most versatile set up for me, but it is all dependant upon circumstances.

Monty Dog

On the occassions I've ridden a cross bike in the road with 36/46 chainrings i was under-geared for long, fast downhills and the odd 50kph 'sprints' - everything else was fine. If planning to use if for fast road work (with suitable tyres) I'd simply fit a 50 tooth chainring - +an 11 tooth sprocket is more than adequate for most. For most races apart from the 'hilly' ones I find the 50 tooth chainring ideal - means it just stays there for the whole ride. If you want to go faster, learn to pedal quicker!