gear ratio help
skinnydog1973
Posts: 114
Hi I have just got a bike and really am not 100% sure on the gear ratios on mine i think is 26-12 is that a good ratio for a beginner
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Where to start
Is it a single speed with 26 teeth on front and 12 on back?
Or does your rear cassette (if you have one)have a large cog with 26 on and the small cog with 12 on. If so how big are your rings up front.
How fit are you
What sort of bike is it
Ho many hills do you want to climb and if so, how steep0 -
the rear cassette is large 26 small 12 and the front is 50-34 i have never ridden before but would class myself as fairly fit , the bike is a bianchi monocoque 928 where i live is flat but also not far from some good hills which i will tackle eventually0
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You'll be fine, good starting point.0
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Yes as said above 50/34 compact coupled with a 12/26 cassette offers you enough scope for even very steep hills if you are 'fairly fit'. There is a difference between being 'fairly fit' and 'bike fit' though.0
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Just get out there and ride0
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The 12 is not the highest and the 26 not the lowest, but with a compact (the front combination you have) you should neither have trouble with hills nor 'spinning out'.
In time you might decide to change to a cassette with a 28 or 30 cog for some extra help on the hills, or conversely you might find that you don't need to go as low as 34x26 and opt for closer ratios, but this is pretty neutral gearing, and a lot of people seem to prefer compacts these days. Often, even generally, (but by no means always) racing types (professional and non) will use a standard double (53/39) with an 11-25 cassette for flat/non-mountainous races, but you don't have to if you don't want to.0 -
yes i am fit but as you say when i get out on the bike it will probably kill me, just cant wait to get out and get the miles on if it wasnt for this snow0
