112 inches

iPete

Is that a big gear?

My gear cable to the rear snapped and I've been running 34-12 and 50-12, only last night the small ring started slipping and spent a good part of my 20 mile ride home in 50-12; 112 inches apparently!

This got me thinking, do people intentionally ride the big gear for training? Is there a benefit?

dhope

It's what you do with it that matters, I've never had any complaints about my 70-something inches.

Right, obvious joke aside, yeah that's pretty huge to do an entire commute on.
Benefits, improved strength I assume but your knees wont thank you for it and pretty sure LiT tore her ACL after pushing a big gear around everywhere.

Rich158

wwoooahhhh that's a huge gearing, well into track gearing :shock:

There is a benefit from training in that sort of gear, low cadence high gear work does wonders for your leg strength but will kill your legs and knees.

rolf_f

Of course, you could have just adjusted your limit screws to put the bike in a slightly more sensible gear........

Clever Pun

that's pretty massive, my track bike is 94 and riding it up some pathetic hills after the training session wrecked me. stopping and starting was a little tough

it's fine when you're up and spinning it's good, but that never really lasts on a commute

iPete

never fear, its going in to be fixed on Monday, only have to get it the 20 miles into London, best be a tail wind!

Just got me curious about the benefits of throwing it into the big ring every now and then.

shm_uk

Top gear on my commuter is 48-11

No idea what that is in inches though

iPete

According to this, you have a lot of inches... 117

http://www.inlandempirecycling.com/Cycl ... _chart.htm

rick_chasey

Are you Bert Grabsch?

Bassjunkieuk

I'm currently using 52x15 for all my commutes now. Became a lot easier to use that gearing since I moved and don't have to occasionally go via Crystal Palace :-)

Yes it's a bit of an effort to get going and my front mech is in serious need of adjustment (won't shift back to the big ring if it gets knocked into middle ring...) When it happened the other day I was left in 42x15 for the last 3/4 mile and it was great fun, spinny but bloody rapid acceleration - can only assume the leg strength has improved!

Did the whole Bikeathon with some workmates in that gear and the next one up (52x13, occasionally deployed on the commute for shifting proper SCR competition....) which was 52 miles including Sawyers Hill :-D Although on that I was using minimal effort as I was meant to be along for moral support, not crushing their spirits :evil:

Ride hard

Rick Chasey wrote:

Are you Bert Grabsch?

That dude was insane. He looked like he was out on a leisurely sunday ride his cadence was so low, but in reality he was flying.

As mentioned above pulling a big gear builds up leg strength and makes you look hard as nails while others are spinning like hamsters on a wheel, but doing it for too long could lead to DOMS. I got it bad a few months ago and am only just reovering. You live and you learn I guess.