spinning and big ring
radiation man
Posts: 446
i use to use the big 50 teeth ring a lot, but now find to be able to spin i need to use the middle ring all the time 39 teeth, does every one spin in the middle ring?
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Comments
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depends on how fast you're going isn't it!
I find myself in the big ring most of the time when on anything other than a climb. Middle of the cassette + big ring = only spinning comfortably at about 90rpm.0 -
Kinda depends on the terrain too.0
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I spend most of the time on the 39 ring, i only go on the big 52 ring on long downhills or with a good tailwind on the straights,i know i would go a bit faster using the big ring more but i feel more comfortable on the small ring most of the time.0
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Ive started to use the smaller ring to encourage better spinning... Im too tempted to select a too high a gear on the big ring, but when the conditions are right for some speed, I shift up and honk the crap out of it
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I'm the same as Matt....i have started using the small 34 tooth ring on mine to encourage faster cadence in my legs and get me used to it....
I did notice a dramatic increase is speed and ease on my last ride out....did 25 miles out in the 34 and 25 miles back in the 50 and it was a doddle......very quick return leg too!0 -
In reply to your question, I would sprint in the big ring (50 teeth) and in the middle of the block (11-25 cassette) on a flat final straight in a race. Even with a headwind its unlikely I'd come out of the big ring.
Like the others have suggested, it depends on the terrain your "sprint finish" is based on. In a race with the finish line at the top of a steep climb, you're probably going to want to use the small ring. Without meaning to be patronising (if you already know this), good technique during a sprint relies on a high cadence to allow rapid acceleration- this isn't possible when you're in too high a gear to start with.
It's up to your intuition to decide which ring you're going to start in. The downside of initiating your sprint in the little ring is that you're probably going to run out of upward gears - you'll almost always going to need to shift up the rear mech several times during a sprint. In the majority of cases (unless you're sprinting up a steep hill), you're better off being in the big ring, and in a low gear on the cassette block initially. Shifting rings during a sprint is a big no-no as there a high forces being applied to the drivechain which could result in you losing your chain.
Aim to initiate your sprint at approx 90rpm and bring it up to approx 150rpm during the sprint. Some people can get the cadence up to 180rpm but personally, I find this too high. These values are to a point, down to personal preference.0 -
Used to do most of my training rides on the little ring (42t) back in the days of 7 speed cassettes but now that 9 / 10 speed has allowed the more widespread use of bigger sprockets at the rear a lot of my flat riding is spent on the 53t at around 90rpm so not exactly spinning. There's quite a lot of crossover so you can actually be on the big ring but riding a lower gear than you might have selected in the smaller ring.0
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In reply to your question, I would sprint in the big ring (50 teeth) and in the middle of the block (11-25 cassette) on a flat final straight in a race. Even with a headwind its unlikely I'd come out of the big ring.
Like the others have suggested, it depends on the terrain your "sprint finish" is based on. In a race with the finish line at the top of a steep climb, you're probably going to want to use the small ring. Without meaning to be patronising (if you already know this), good technique during a sprint relies on a high cadence to allow rapid acceleration- this isn't possible when you're in too high a gear to start with.
It's up to your intuition to decide which ring you're going to start in. The downside of initiating your sprint in the little ring is that you're probably going to run out of upward gears - you'll almost always going to need to shift up the rear mech several times during a sprint. In the majority of cases (unless you're sprinting up a steep hill), you're better off being in the big ring, and in a low gear on the cassette block initially. Shifting rings during a sprint is a big no-no as there a high forces being applied to the drivechain which could result in you losing your chain.
Aim to initiate your sprint at approx 90rpm and bring it up to approx 150rpm during the sprint. Some people can get the cadence up to 180rpm but personally, I find this too high. These values are to a point, down to personal preference.
I totally read that as "sprinting". My bad. :oops:0 -
does it not tire your muscles out more in the big ring, also being on the big ring is ok but i tend to keep using the biggest 3 rear cogs which wears the chain a lot0
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It isn't really a case of big ring or small ring just use a gear that is comfortable. I would say for most that would be riding at a cadence of between 80 and 90 or thereabouts but everyone differs. A higher gear will probably fatigue your muscles quicker whilst a very high cadence on a low gear will probably leave your HR higher for any given speed.0
