gearing

danw2012
danw2012 Posts: 3
edited July 2012 in Road buying advice
just started road cycling
i currently have a giant defy 2 '12 with a 12 - 30 cassette and 50/34 on the front
on the downhill and flat i contently spin out the uphills are great but there's not many around my way
what is a better set up
not to sure with a 50/39 and a 11 -25 cassette

Comments

  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,100
    what cadence do you 'spin out' at? if it's below 100rpm then you'd do better to practice pedalling faster

    with 50/12, even at 90rpm you'd be doing nearly 48kph/30mph, at 100rpm you'd be doing about 53kph
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • sebbyp
    sebbyp Posts: 106
    If you went from 50/34 to 50/39 up front surely you just have more gear overlap?, so fairly pointless as far as I can tell.
    not sure if its worth going form 12-30 to 11-25 either, whats the calcs on that anyone? the gears would be closer together I guess so more changes for you.
    How can there be downhills and not uphills? lol.
    Sounds like its mostly flat your way, Norfolk by any chance?! so surely as sungod said 50/12 should be more than enough unless your Wiggins.
  • danw2012
    danw2012 Posts: 3
    sorry ment to say 54/39
    no im in newcastle
    i did say the uphills are great buts its pretty much flat all the way to work
    like i said new to all of this
    when im in my 12 AND 54 it reads as about 28 mph but i think i can get more out of it if i had a couple of more gears in there
    maybe my computer is wrong
  • snoopsmydogg
    snoopsmydogg Posts: 1,110
    if your in 12 & 54 doing 28mph it may be worth working on your cadence an 11 cassette will make little difference. get used to spinning your legs faster and you will see higher speeds and less spinning out.
  • DavidJB
    DavidJB Posts: 2,019
    You won't be spinning on at 50/12 unless 'spinning out' is 85RPM to you. If you're doing 35MPH+ then you've probably better off tucking and freewheeling down anyway.

    Ideal gearing setup for you if you want a bit more kick with a 50/34 is a 11/25 cassette. I race on it and find it gives me the extra umpfh down hill but still some options uphill and I don't really miss the gear in the middle I loose from changing from 12/25.
  • DavidJB
    DavidJB Posts: 2,019
    54 on the front would be ridiculous, you're not a time trialer.
  • JamesB
    JamesB Posts: 1,184
    play with this gear calculator to hearts content--helsp work out what gearing you may need given your riding style and terrain

    http://www.gear-calculator.com/#

    90 rpm on a 53 / 12 is 30 mph btw :)

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