The correct gear
Sutton_Rider
Posts: 493
What's the difference from the riders point of view if riding at a constant speed between using the big ring and say the 2nd largest gear at the back and the small ring and the 5th largest gear. I couldn't keep up with the group this morning going into a headwind. Someone suggested using a smaller ring that would make it easier to maintain the same speed. Were they right?
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Comments
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If the gear inch/cadence is the same, then there is no practical difference. If you couldn't keep up with your group, then the issue most likely relates to your fitness, not your gear choice.0
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As above with the following comments.
Although the gear is the same, the big ring gear will seem to roll better and the small ring gear will accelerate better. Although this is marginal. Track sprinters are aware of this.
http://www.bikecalc.com/gear_inches0 -
Perhaps it is my lack of knowledge............ The performance of the bike in the same gear is affected by if it is a small chainring on a small cog or a large chainring on a big cog.cadseen wrote:As above with the following comments.
Although the gear is the same, the big ring gear will seem to roll better and the small ring gear will accelerate better. Although this is marginal. Track sprinters are aware of this.
http://www.bikecalc.com/gear_inches
I just can't see it..... Is it just me?????0 -
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SoloSuperia wrote:
Perhaps it is my lack of knowledge............ The performance of the bike in the same gear is affected by if it is a small chainring on a small cog or a large chainring on a big cog.cadseen wrote:As above with the following comments.
Although the gear is the same, the big ring gear will seem to roll better and the small ring gear will accelerate better. Although this is marginal. Track sprinters are aware of this.
http://www.bikecalc.com/gear_inches
I just can't see it..... Is it just me?????
Theoretically 2 small chainwheels have more mechanical resistance then bigger ones, the chain moves more.0 -
SoloSuperia wrote:
Perhaps it is my lack of knowledge............ The performance of the bike in the same gear is affected by if it is a small chainring on a small cog or a large chainring on a big cog.cadseen wrote:As above with the following comments.
Although the gear is the same, the big ring gear will seem to roll better and the small ring gear will accelerate better. Although this is marginal. Track sprinters are aware of this.
http://www.bikecalc.com/gear_inches
I just can't see it..... Is it just me?????
No, SoloSuperia, it is not just you. May be Cadseen or Keezx can expand on their theories and enlighten us.0 -
lesfirth wrote:SoloSuperia wrote:
Perhaps it is my lack of knowledge............ The performance of the bike in the same gear is affected by if it is a small chainring on a small cog or a large chainring on a big cog.cadseen wrote:As above with the following comments.
Although the gear is the same, the big ring gear will seem to roll better and the small ring gear will accelerate better. Although this is marginal. Track sprinters are aware of this.
http://www.bikecalc.com/gear_inches
I just can't see it..... Is it just me?????
No, SoloSuperia, it is not just you. May be Cadseen or Keezx can expand on their theories and enlighten us.
Bigger ring combinations offer less friction...0 -
There is no magic gear potion - just learn to pedal faster and by the time you have managed to learn that skill, you might have the fitness issue sorted. What was being suggsted to you by more experienced cyclists is to get that faster rhythm but it takes a lot of practice.0
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lesfirth wrote:SoloSuperia wrote:
Perhaps it is my lack of knowledge............ The performance of the bike in the same gear is affected by if it is a small chainring on a small cog or a large chainring on a big cog.cadseen wrote:As above with the following comments.
Although the gear is the same, the big ring gear will seem to roll better and the small ring gear will accelerate better. Although this is marginal. Track sprinters are aware of this.
http://www.bikecalc.com/gear_inches
I just can't see it..... Is it just me?????
No, SoloSuperia, it is not just you. May be Cadseen or Keezx can expand on their theories and enlighten us.
It's not my theory, just simple mechanics.
The mechanical resistance of a chain is determined by 2 parameters;
1 The torque performed by the engine (the cyclist)
2 The amount of movement in the links.
Clearly the chainlinks move more with small sprockets...
A practice case:
Top time trialists have huge chainwheels in front so the can ride 50-55 km/h on the 12 and 13 in stead of the 11.
Better chainline too.....0 -
There is also additional mechanical loss due to 'cross chaining' - meaning that the chain 'runs' in a less straight line when using the BIG ring and a BIG gear, than when using the SMALL ring and a CENTER gear. Cross chaining forces the chain to run in a Z shape which is the problem.
Although the gear inches might calculate to be the same, using the ring/gear that allows the chain to run in the straightest line will usually give less friction and easier gear changes. Plus it causes less wear to the chain and gears.
Jay Kosta
Endwell NY USA0 -
It depends on the details of your setup, but into a head wind at a relatively modest speed the little ring and the middle of the block gives you a range of close gears, the big ring and the fat end gives you big jumps. When there are gusts, or minor road surface or gradient changes, up or down a close gear set keeps you in the zone. In the big ring this is harder. Perhaps that's all there is to it.
So it's not that the little ring/big ring gears aren't equivalent, it's that the adjacent ones are more convenient.
Paul0 -
Taking it back to basics..... I find it hard to believe that, if blindfolded!!!!!! I could tell the difference between riding 42 chainring 14 rear cog and a 54 chainring and an 18 rear cog.
Lets not cloud the issue with close gears and chain run, It is on the track.0 -
No, you can't tell, but it is measurable.
A chain has by far the most mechanical resistance of all bike parts.0 -
Thanks for all the replies, it's interesting to get the different points of view. So it looks like on a like for like basis there is no difference, however, it might be better if shuffling between adjacent gears to be on the small ring, with a slight friction benefit as well.0
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Sounds to me like they're saying you are in too big a gear. Look at the cadence the stringer riders are pedalling. I bet you are pedalling much slower. Use an easier gear but spin faster.0
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Sutton Rider wrote:it might be better if shuffling between adjacent gears to be on the small ring.
I'd go for that. If you're nearly at the top of the cassette you've nowhere to go to maintain cadence, except for dropping rings and several sprockets. If you're halfway up the cassette you've got the adjacent gears sprockets to work up and down to maintain a steady cadence.
While two separate combinations might give you the same gear inches, you're better off using the one that gives you the most flexibility for the terrain you're riding.0
