Pushing a 56

Mac9

Afternoon all,

I was just wondering what is meant by the term "pushing a 52/54/56" etc... I take it that it refers to the gears, but what exactly? And what can we deduce from knowing what a rider is pushing? The higher the number, the bigger the gear?

Sorry if this is basic stuff! Just trying to learn and understand more and more about this great sport!

Thanks everyone.

rick_chasey

The number of teeth on the big chainring (the front one).

The bigger the number, the more teeth there are, so the bigger (and heavier) the gear.

nweststeyn

The bigger the ring on the front, the heavier gear to push.

The smaller on the back, the heavier gear to PULL.

So if you hear of someone riding 56/11 thats a pretty big gear.

TMR

nweststeyn wrote:

So if you hear of someone riding 56/11 thats a pretty big gear.

Bert Grabsch we are looking at you...

rick_chasey

Big Tone was pushing 58 today.

58, people!

It's a very very rare day that I run out of gears I need on a 52....

TMR

Rick Chasey wrote:

Big Tone was pushing 58 today.

58, people!

It's a very very rare day that I run out of gears I need on a 52....

You don't have legs the size of tree trunks though to be fair

MrTapir

Graeme Obree seems to be the don of having a huge chainring, I think on his training bike (the pink one) he had a 60 or a 65 tooth front.

here he is with a 67 tooth

dougzz

Rick Chasey wrote:

Big Tone was pushing 58 today.

58, people!

It's a very very rare day that I run out of gears I need on a 52....

Yeah but he had 34 on the back

inkyfingers

Rick Chasey wrote:

Big Tone was pushing 58 today.

58, people!

It's a very very rare day that I run out of gears I need on a 52....

Edit, cos i'm an idiot.