Do you enjoy a big ring?
essex-commuter
Posts: 2,188
Ahem.
My new Boardman CX commuter bike has a compact chainset (50x34) combined with a 11x32 cassette.
On my previous bike (52x39 - 12x26 I think) 90% of my commute was in the small ring, using only the big ring on the odd downhill or when I had a decent tailwind.
Now, with the compact chainset and 'megarange' chainset I find myself having to constantly chang big ring to small ring and vica versa, using the small ring to pull away from lights and then the big ring when I'm 'under way'.
Do you consider this ring changing as normal? If you were in my position and using only the bottom end of the cassette in the small ring and the top end in the big ring, what would you do?
I have three choices really, I think.
1) deal with what I have, MTFU and use the big ring blah blah (even though it would cause more chain wear when pulling away from the lights).
2) Buy a new inner ring, maybe a 39 and spend more time in that rather than the 50.
3) Buy a new cassette with a smaller range, I don't think that would help though.
What's your thought on a big ring? :shock:
My new Boardman CX commuter bike has a compact chainset (50x34) combined with a 11x32 cassette.
On my previous bike (52x39 - 12x26 I think) 90% of my commute was in the small ring, using only the big ring on the odd downhill or when I had a decent tailwind.
Now, with the compact chainset and 'megarange' chainset I find myself having to constantly chang big ring to small ring and vica versa, using the small ring to pull away from lights and then the big ring when I'm 'under way'.
Do you consider this ring changing as normal? If you were in my position and using only the bottom end of the cassette in the small ring and the top end in the big ring, what would you do?
I have three choices really, I think.
1) deal with what I have, MTFU and use the big ring blah blah (even though it would cause more chain wear when pulling away from the lights).
2) Buy a new inner ring, maybe a 39 and spend more time in that rather than the 50.
3) Buy a new cassette with a smaller range, I don't think that would help though.
What's your thought on a big ring? :shock:
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Comments
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MTFU and just use the big ring. Get a road cassette while your at it as well....... :-)Dolan Preffisio
2010 Cube Agree SL0 -
This is why I have doubles on all but the Trek which has a triple 50/39/32 8)
Compacts pah modern rubbish, invented to make you wear out your shifters more quickly I rec.Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.0 -
I have a Boardman and never need to use the small ring. The vast majority of my cruising is in gears 5-7. 4 to kick off at lights, 1-3 to climb hills, 8-10 on long downhills. Works beautifully.0
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My Tricross is a cross bike with a Triple (Ohhhh.... NOW I see
)
50 / 39 / 32 and I stay in the big ring all the time except for the proper hills. I can count the number of times I've been in the granny ring this year on the fingers of one foot.
I pull away in 50 / 24 and cruise in 50 / 21 - 50 / 18. I ca't actually see a need for a lower gear when on the flat, so I'm not sure what problem you're having. Unless you've got legs like a Lowry painting...Chunky Cyclists need your love too! :-)
2009 Specialized Tricross Sport
2011 Trek Madone 4.5
2012 Felt F65X
Proud CX Pervert and quiet roadie. 12 mile commuter0 -
Hardly. I have to use gear 1 sometimes. And if I went to Balham, I gather there is a massive hill there on a par with K2.
gear 1 is so easy, the maximum speed is about 5mph and for that you would have to pedal like Sarah Palin's dildo.0 -
Depends on how hilly your commute is, I suppose, but I only use the big ring and then adjust the gearing using only the sprockets.FCN 2-4.
"What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
"It stays down, Daddy."
"Exactly."0 -
I only use the big ring for decent flat sections or downhills, so anything around 30 or above.
Can get about 9-10mph on the smallest ring on my triple which isn't bad going on a a long steep incline with 12kg in my panniers!FCN: 60 -
Got a triple on the trusty commuter which for me is ideal. Could happily spend all day on just the middle ring if I wanted but got options if I need to climb cliffs, or get some serious speed.
Also got a 14 speed Rohloff geared bike - don't have to faff about with different rings on that. Nobody told me we had a communication problem0 -
On the road bike I have a 53/39, and mainly stay in the big ring, just changing down for 3 or 4 hills. One of those is a short 5mph grind in 39x26.
On the MTB, the granny is a ridiculous 22, but I still manage to need it once each way (off-road, so it's allowed).0 -
essex-commuter wrote:Ahem.
My new Boardman CX commuter bike has a compact chainset (50x34) combined with a 11x32 cassette.:
34x32 bottom gear would take you up a cliff face....
My 2p worth is to change the cassette over to something like a 11-25. Assuming the derraileur (sp?) is compatible that should be your cheapest option. Changing the chain ring seems a bit of an expensive faff.
Go see Sheldon Brown and 'do the math'“New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!0 -
TailWindHome wrote:essex-commuter wrote:Ahem.
My new Boardman CX commuter bike has a compact chainset (50x34) combined with a 11x32 cassette.:
34x32 bottom gear would take you up a cliff face....
My 2p worth is to change the cassette over to something like a 11-25. Assuming the derraileur (sp?) is compatible that should be your cheapest option. Changing the chain ring seems a bit of an expensive faff.
Go see Sheldon Brown and 'do the math'
My tricross has a 32 / 34
I can walk faster than when I spin out in that gear! Chunky Cyclists need your love too! :-)
2009 Specialized Tricross Sport
2011 Trek Madone 4.5
2012 Felt F65X
Proud CX Pervert and quiet roadie. 12 mile commuter0 -
Kieran_Burns wrote:TailWindHome wrote:essex-commuter wrote:Ahem.
My new Boardman CX commuter bike has a compact chainset (50x34) combined with a 11x32 cassette.:
34x32 bottom gear would take you up a cliff face....
My 2p worth is to change the cassette over to something like a 11-25. Assuming the derraileur (sp?) is compatible that should be your cheapest option. Changing the chain ring seems a bit of an expensive faff.
Go see Sheldon Brown and 'do the math'
My tricross has a 32 / 34 I can walk faster than when I spin out in that gear!
meh I used 22/34 today!
okay yes was off road where you do get some silly grades....0 -
Took me a while to get used to a compact, when going between rings I have to gain/lose 2 cogs or it gets all spinny or huge, can be off putting, even painful when you drop out of big and your legs hit warp speed.
Got a nice route near where I live that incorporates a couple of 16-18% climbs/decents, you should pop round; love to see you big ring them. I still hardly use the 12 on the back, even at 44mph+ on way back down.
Current set-up 50/34x12-23FCN16 - 1970 BSA Wayfarer
FCN4 - Fixie Inc0 -
Either you're a competive walker, or you're well mashy.Kieran_Burns wrote:TailWindHome wrote:34x32 bottom gear would take you up a cliff face....
My 2p worth is to change the cassette over to something like a 11-25. Assuming the derraileur (sp?) is compatible that should be your cheapest option. Changing the chain ring seems a bit of an expensive faff.
Go see Sheldon Brown and 'do the math'
My tricross has a 32 / 34 I can walk faster than when I spin out in that gear!
34F / 32R is 6.6mph at a slooow 80rpm on 23-622. You walk that fast ?
My 22F / 30R on 28-622 is 5.8mph at 100 rpm at a -moderately spinny*- 100rpm.
My best sustained power (which is not great really) is round about 100rpm, so I reckon I should be in bottom gear on anyting over about 7% gradient, so I'm not so tired at the top of the hill.
*: Anyone who thinks that 100rpm is "spinning like a hampster" should pay attention to the proper quick SS/FG folks.
Not really aimed at you, KB.
I think this is a better gear calculator: http://home.earthlink.net/~mike.sherman/shift.html0 -
Whack an 11-25 cassette on the back. Problem solved.0
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Kieran_Burns wrote:I can count the number of times I've been in the granny ring this year on the fingers of one foot.
you have fingers on your feet?!
:shock:Keeping it classy since '830 -
50/32 isn't much different from 39/26, so you should be able to pull away the same. Does 50/32 work ?essex-commuter wrote:My new Boardman CX commuter bike has a compact chainset (50x34) combined with a 11x32 cassette.
On my previous bike (52x39 - 12x26 I think) 90% of my commute was in the small ring, using only the big ring on the odd downhill or when I had a decent tailwind.
Now, with the compact chainset and 'megarange' chainset I find myself having to constantly chang big ring to small ring and vica versa, using the small ring to pull away from lights and then the big ring when I'm 'under way'.
Do you consider this ring changing as normal? If you were in my position and using only the bottom end of the cassette in the small ring and the top end in the big ring, what would you do?
Usually, I expect to set up the front mech so there's no rubbing on any gear on the big ring.
Then, you have a load of high gears that you don't use, and a slightly gappy midrange.
This is a 10-speed bike ?
Going down to a proper CX 46T big ring might help.
Then you could put 12-27 on the back and close up the gears, or even mash up a 13-25 with your 11-32 for 13-32, and maybe get corncob normal gears.
What's your normal gear, trundling along on the flat ?0 -
My commuter was running a 46T with a 11/34 cassette, but I never used anything lower than 3rd (26T), rarely lower than 4th (23T) which I used for pulling away and is a taller gear than 52/34 for sure.
MTFU and use the big ring dropping down to a lower gear on the cassette!
In fact on the basis I never used lower than 3rd I just fitted an 11/26 cassette to close up the gears.
SimonCurrently 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.0 -
It's a 10 speed. My 'crusing speed' would see me in the big ring and about halfway down the cassette. I can pull away in the big ring and a couple of cogs down the cassette, I just wanted to minimize chain wear.
I have a couple of steepish short hills on my commute and I carry a heavy pannier with a lap top in it most of the time, I have to drop out of the big ring now and then.
Happy to carry on the way I am, just wondered if putting a larger inner ring on would enable me to just use the middle 8 or so gears on the cassette.0
