Gearing question, for a new bike buy.

CrankyGuy89

Hi all.

I'm after advice and some knowledge about gearing setups. I'm looking at buying a CX bike for road/off road/touring (This bike http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/bike/rose-pr ... aid:721780).

I get the option of choosing my components, and I'm unsure how to gear it. I want speed on the road when it's stripped of the rack ect, but I want the ability to climb when it's fully laden or even towing. With no knowledge I'm tempted to go for the 3 speed 50/39/30 up front and the 11-28 at the rear, I feel this will give me maximum options. I'm also tempted by the 52/39 up front and 11-28 at the rear, which I think will give me a better top speed down hills, but no granny gear for climbing fully laden back up. I live in hilly Devon, on the border of even hillier Cornwall, and my proposed tour will take me across the Alps and Himalayas and last a year. And I do want a road type touring bike, not a touring bike, otherwise I would be getting a Thorn Nomad.

Any advice on the options available is gratefully recieved.

Also, as a side question. What is a compact, and how is it different to, say, the 52/39?

chrisgal

A compact is 50/34.

arthur_scrimshaw

For starters I'd put the 52/39 to one side, if you're going to load it up then this will be too highly geared for you I expect. Triples are a bit out of fashion but I think this would be your ideal setup given the wide parameters you're expecting the bike to deal with. Of course if you've got legs like Hoy then disregard all of the above and go for a fixie.

CrankyGuy89

Arthur Scrimshaw wrote:

For starters I'd put the 52/39 to one side, if you're going to load it up then this will be too highly geared for you I expect. Triples are a bit out of fashion but I think this would be your ideal setup given the wide parameters you're expecting the bike to deal with. Of course if you've got legs like Hoy then disregard all of the above and go for a fixie.

Cheers for the reply. Unfortunately I don't have legs like Hoy, but maybe after my trip...! I'm not really bothered with fashion for the chain ring, it looks better cycling up a mountain than pushing a bike! So I'm thinking the triple is the way to go, and you've confirmed that.

And thank you educating me as to what a compact is.

Dippydog2

I always love gearing questions.

You may not be Mr Hoy but you could be anything from Chris Froome to Barbara Windsor (no offense intended).

Bottom line is it depends on your strength. 50/39/30 for you may produce the same speed, based on effort, as 48/36/26 does for someone else. Same issue with the rear. You may be able to ride a 30/28 combination at 80rpm up a 15% hill but someone else needs a 30/32 to get the same speed.

So, have a test ride, find a steep hill, load up the bike and see if you are happy with the gearing. If you can't ride it in those conditions the being able to zoom down hill is irrelevant.

And remember, it's quite easy to swap the rear cassette for those days when you want to be really fast.

k-dog

If you're going to be touring you want the triple - you'll be thankful when carrying a load up hills day after day.

Don't worry about the 50/11 52/11 either - at 90rpm 50/11 will get you about 32mph and 52/11 will get you just over 33 - not even worth worrying about (rough calculations - depends on tyre size etc but you get the idea).

I have a 12-25 on the back and like that - again the difference between 11 or 12 isn't much and it closes a gap in the middle which is more useful.