Some advice for someone with little road bike experience.
Comments
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FoldingJoe wrote:OK, see, now you've got me scratching my head.
Should I go compact, or as ITB prefers, go standard up front and a 13-26 at the back.
I guess the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so they say!!!!
Cheers for all the comments thus far, chaps.
FJ
Erm, are you sure ITB is a good role model to base your selection on? Check out some of the ridiculous mileages he does on the Silly Commuter Stats thread.0 -
kelsen wrote:FoldingJoe wrote:OK, see, now you've got me scratching my head.
Should I go compact, or as ITB prefers, go standard up front and a 13-26 at the back.
I guess the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so they say!!!!
Cheers for all the comments thus far, chaps.
FJ
Erm, are you sure ITB is a good role model to base your selection on? Check out some of the ridiculous mileages he does on the Silly Commuter Stats thread.
And the number of times he has dreadful knee injuries... That said, I ride a standard double too, and I can't see myself going to a compact; I reckon if I'd had a compact first time round though, I wouldn't see myself going to s standard.0 -
kelsen wrote:FoldingJoe wrote:OK, see, now you've got me scratching my head.
Should I go compact, or as ITB prefers, go standard up front and a 13-26 at the back.
I guess the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so they say!!!!
Cheers for all the comments thus far, chaps.
FJ
Erm, are you sure ITB is a good role model to base your selection on? Check out some of the ridiculous mileages he does on the Silly Commuter Stats thread.
Yeah, and we all know why that is!!!Little boy to Obama: "My Dad says that you read all our emails"
Obama to little boy: "He's not your real Dad"
Kona Honky Tonk for sale: http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=40090&t=130008070 -
FoldingJoe wrote:OK, see, now you've got me scratching my head.
Should I go compact, or as ITB prefers, go standard up front and a 13-26 at the back.
I guess the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so they say!!!!
Cheers for all the comments thus far, chaps.
FJ
Compact.FCN 2-4.
"What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
"It stays down, Daddy."
"Exactly."0 -
Compact = the Devil's work [/baseless prejudice]1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
Pinnacle Monzonite
Part of the anti-growth coalition0 -
Old skool 52/42 on my Giant. Never ridden anything else and when I lived in Bristol it was fine for the hills there and up and down the Cotswold escarpment. On a recent trip to Bath, 42 x 25 got me up both sides of Lansdowne without too much trouble.1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
Pinnacle Monzonite
Part of the anti-growth coalition0 -
rjsterry wrote:Old skool 52/42 on my Giant. Never ridden anything else and when I lived in Bristol it was fine for the hills there and up and down the Cotswold escarpment. On a recent trip to Bath, 42 x 25 got me up both sides of Lansdowne without too much trouble.
Ah, but the OP is 16st, whereas you need a good meal. :PFCN 2-4.
"What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
"It stays down, Daddy."
"Exactly."0 -
Compact / Double - What's the difference?--
Chris
Genesis Equilibrium - FCN 3/4/50 -
Sketchley wrote:Compact / Double - What's the difference?
Compact is smaller: e.g. 50/34 or 50/46 combo (can be different for cross bikes e.g. 46/36), whereas a standard double is 53/39 (or 52/39).FCN 2-4.
"What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
"It stays down, Daddy."
"Exactly."0 -
rjsterry wrote:Old skool 52/42 on my Giant. Never ridden anything else and when I lived in Bristol it was fine for the hills there and up and down the Cotswold escarpment. On a recent trip to Bath, 42 x 25 got me up both sides of Lansdowne without too much trouble.
I don't think I'm too bad at climbing but there is no way I'd run 42 - 25 as my lowest gear in West Yorkshire; it would be bonkers. It's not about getting up both sides of Lansdowne but how many times you can get up and down Lansdowne!Faster than a tent.......0 -
Rolf F wrote:rjsterry wrote:Old skool 52/42 on my Giant. Never ridden anything else and when I lived in Bristol it was fine for the hills there and up and down the Cotswold escarpment. On a recent trip to Bath, 42 x 25 got me up both sides of Lansdowne without too much trouble.
I don't think I'm too bad at climbing but there is no way I'd run 42 - 25 as my lowest gear in West Yorkshire; it would be bonkers. It's not about getting up both sides of Lansdowne but how many times you can get up and down Lansdowne!0 -
cjcp wrote:Compact is smaller: e.g. 50/34 or 50/46 combo (can be different for cross bikes e.g. 46/36), whereas a standard double is 53/39 (or 52/39).
I hope you mean 50/34 or 50/36 combo - I'd want my money back if someone sold me a 50/46 compact! :shock:Faster than a tent.......0 -
Rolf F wrote:cjcp wrote:Compact is smaller: e.g. 50/34 or 50/46 combo (can be different for cross bikes e.g. 46/36), whereas a standard double is 53/39 (or 52/39).
I hope you mean 50/34 or 50/36 combo - I'd want my money back if someone sold me a 50/46 compact! :shock:
Quite correct - just spotted that.FCN 2-4.
"What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
"It stays down, Daddy."
"Exactly."0 -
cjcp wrote:rjsterry wrote:Old skool 52/42 on my Giant. Never ridden anything else and when I lived in Bristol it was fine for the hills there and up and down the Cotswold escarpment. On a recent trip to Bath, 42 x 25 got me up both sides of Lansdowne without too much trouble.
Ah, but the OP is 16st, whereas you need a good meal. :P
Fair point, forgot that bit.:oops:
@Sketchley
Old skool double - 52/42T
Standard double - 53/39T
Compact double - 50/34T
Triple - 50/40/30T or 52/39/30T
@Rolf F: Again fair comment if you are always climbing. When I lived in Bristol and Cardiff, most of my riding was hilly to some extent, although not West Yorks, but that was weekend rides, not commuting, so the mileage was a lot lower and I always had fresh legs.1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
Pinnacle Monzonite
Part of the anti-growth coalition0 -
cjcp wrote:Sketchley wrote:Compact / Double - What's the difference?
Compact is smaller: e.g. 50/34 or 50/46 combo (can be different for cross bikes e.g. 46/36), whereas a standard double is 53/39 (or 52/39).
My Hybrid is 50/39/30 and 11-28
When I buy a road bike what should I put on it?--
Chris
Genesis Equilibrium - FCN 3/4/50 -
Sketchley wrote:
My Hybrid is 50/39/30 and 11-28
When I buy a road bike what should I put on it?
If you go for standard 53/39 double the road bike lowest gear will be pretty similar to the middle ring/largest cog combo on your hybrid. If you go for a compact your lowest gear will be somewhere between the middle ring, largest cog & the small ring/largest cog combo's on your hybrid.0 -
mudcovered wrote:Sketchley wrote:
My Hybrid is 50/39/30 and 11-28
When I buy a road bike what should I put on it?
If you go for standard 53/39 double the road bike lowest gear will be pretty similar to the middle ring/largest cog combo on your hybrid. If you go for a compact your lowest gear will be somewhere between the middle ring, largest cog & the small ring/largest cog combo's on your hybrid.
Rarely, Dark Hill (about 4 gears from lowest) and Bloomfield Hill (2 from lowest).--
Chris
Genesis Equilibrium - FCN 3/4/50