Gearing Confusion...

VickyWoolley

Hello all,

After saving up for a fair while I've just bought myself a Specialized Secteur Sport 2011. I'm happy with the bike overall, but after just a few rides I'm really not getting on with the gearing.

This may sound a bit daft, but it seems too easy. I've been out for a few short rides so far and on the flat I'm easily topping out the highest gear, and even on considerable hills (I live in the Mendips) I've not had to move down onto even the central chainring. I promise I'm not hyper-fit or some sort of cycling prodigy!

The spec for the chainrings on Specialized's website is 50-39-30, which seems to match what is physically fitted to the bike. I've ridden several roadbikes before (all borrowed so I don't know the chainring sizes) and have never had this problem.

Is it just the case that 50-39-30 rings are going to be fairly low geared? I'm not awash with cash and am very worried I'm going to have to buy new chainrings to get anything like the ride I want

jim453

Possible a mixture of cross chaining and the hills not being quite as steep as you think.

Don't use the largest few sprockets with the big chainring. The gear will actually go quite low even on the large ring but this is not great for the transmission. Chain may become strained and snap or something.

When you say it's too easy, how fast are you going?

Wirral_paul

You're topping out the 50x12 easily all the time?? No problem - you just need a new bike. If you write to Mr David Brailsford and explain your issue, he'll sort you out a shiny new top spec Pinarello. He'll even sort you a new jersey too - free of charge.

VickyWoolley

The hills I've tried it on so far aren't especially steep, but they are hills I've done many times on other road bikes and would have expected to drop onto the central chainring. I'm sure that when I get out to Cheddar Gorge I will have to drop down further, but my point is more that top gear doesn't seem especially high. Is 50,39,30 a normal gearing for a road bike or would 52,42,30 (the gearing for the Secteur Triple) be more normal?

I'm not cross chaining as I've ridden triples before and am aware of that.

I don't have a cycling computer so can't tell you how fast I am going at any given point - certainly not fast enough for David Brailsford to be interested!

Bobbinogs

The recommended cadence (revolutions of one foot in one minute) is about 80...which for a 50x12 combo means 26mph. If you are achieving that on the flat or even spinning out (120 revs +) then you are going some.

If you really do need a higher gear then you can always simply change the cassette to include an 11 tooth but 50x11 is 120", which most people would struggle to get into on the flat, let alone turn at 80 revs/min.

My triple (Secteur 2010 btw) is 50/39/30 and I recently went from an 11-25 to a 12-25 at the back as I want to try closer ratios and have been working on my cadence. On an undulating ride the other day (110k, 1,700m of climbing) I probably used every usable gear on that bike, but without thinking I needed more gears. Hence, I think you will probably have the right gears available but just need to ride with someone who can see what is happening/wrong as I don't think your problem is how you describe it.

EDIT: thinking about this Vicky, and without wishing to insult your bikeability, when you are spinning out are you in the top gear? By top, I mean smallest cog on the cassette at the back and biggest chain ring on the front. Changing up/down the block (cassette) is done using the right hand. Apols if you think I am taking the piff.

VickyWoolley

Ha, I think I'm fine on how to use gears, thanks. I've just looked at the Cannondale R500 I'm used to riding and that's 52 42 30. I find a good proportion of the top ring pretty challenging on that and hardly ever find myself in top. I think I just prefer it that way for some reason. I'll stick with it as is for now and maybe invest in some bigger rings at some stage.

Bobbinogs

Good stuff, what cassette have you got at the back on your Spesh, by the way? I can't remember what the 2011 sport full spec was (my 2010 Elite is a 105 combo that came with a 12-27t...and 30x27 really is blinking low for an unladen bike so that went fairly sharpish).

jim453

Personally, I would work on improving my cadence rather than fitting larger chainrings. I understand it's a more economical way to ride anyway.

You've got plenty of gears on the bike you currently have.

daysofspeed

I was thinking this last week out on my 2011 Sectuer triple. The big ring did feel easier than I thought but that said I wasn't blasting along with my feet a blur. I just expected to use the highest gear as little as I would the lowest on the granny ring.

Don't get me wrong I couldn't ride in the top gear non-stop but I think I know what you mean about it not being as hard to pedal as you imagined.

I've not ridden anything else so have no comparison.

I'm sure I've not solved the issue by the way but I wanted to add that I'd had the same thoughts about my gearing (Shimano 2300 52 x 42 x 30T).

nferrar

Although I stay on my 50T chainring most of the time (not climbing though unless it's a short sprint up type climb) I don't hanker after a 52T (it would make very little difference anyway). That said on a triple I would have thought a 52 outer would have made sense - thing is though triples are more about giving you a good range of usable low gears. I still don't really get how you're topping out all the time, although I'm usually on the 50T at the front I'll be in 3rd or 4th (not sure what they are on a 12-27...) on the cassette most of the time and only use the 12 on pedally downhills.

Pross

There's something wrong here, even a good level racing cyclist wouldn't find riding 50 x 12? (i.e. your biggest gear) easy all the time on the flat let alone on hills. Or do you just mean you are using the biggest chainring all the time rather than the biggest gear? It could be that you have large sprockets on your cassette.

mamba80

Wind up post by Miss Vicky Pendleton

unless its a xxxx take, maybe the cadence is 30 or 40 revs/min?

Perhaps as Pross said, the Secteur is 2nd hand and has had a cassette fitted, like a Ultegra 14 25 or even a 16-27, otherwise its just not right, bear in mind that 50 x 12 is still higher than the 52 x 13 which was the racing std until 8sp + cassettes came along.

jim453

Agreed,

'topping out the highest gear, even on considerable hills'

No you're not.

Pross

Only thing I can think is if they think the largest sprocket on the rear is the 'biggest' gear. In which case, on a cassette with a 27 sprocket, the gear would be similar to riding a 39 x 23 which would make it more understandable.

daysofspeed

I certainly couldn't stay big ring only or 52 x 13. Just that I thought it would be insanely hard to use unless at speed/downhill and it's "doable".

Almost certainly more to do with me being greener than kermit rather than it being "easy" (which it isn't and no I can't attack a hill using it.

The cassette is Shimano HG-50, 8-speed, 13-26t BTW. (gears blow my mind, I can't fathom the differences but got a granny ring as I'd rather ignore it 90% and be thankful 10% of the time on my debut bike).

Bobbinogs

jim453 wrote:

Agreed,

'topping out the highest gear, even on considerable hills'

No you're not.

That was my view. I just cannot understand how anyone can be finding a 50 ring too easy and wanting a 52 instead ASSUMING that the cassette is a reasonable range (hence my unanswered question about that). At the end of the day, a 110" top gear is the same whether made up from a 50x12 or a 53x13, etc., and a reasonable (80) cadence at 110" should give a decent top speed (26mph). Upping the cadence to 100 will give over 33mph so if that is too easy on the flat (or going up hills!) then the OP needs to get an 11 sprocket and go for a pro license.

mamba80

VickyP.... no one here is trying to flame you, its just that with the info you ve given, it doesn't make sense at all, come back on and tell us some more info so we can have another... sorry.. give you some more pearls of wisdom.