How many gears - 18 or 27?!!

antfly
antfly Posts: 3,276
edited February 2010 in Road beginners
You should get a compact 10 speed, it`s all the gears you should need.
Smarter than the average bear.

Comments

  • Lillywhite
    Lillywhite Posts: 742
    Many people opt for a triple front chain ring for a good range of gears although a double compact chainset is currently in vogue with a 50/34 front ring so running a rear cassette in the range 12-25 gives a good spread of options.

    I've got a triple 52/42/32 chainset with a seven speed cassette on my winter bike but I've recently gone for a 50/34 compact chainset with an 11 speed 12-25 cassette on my new carbon bike to be used in the summer.

    What is the front ring on on the Allez Sport, 53/39 or 50/34?
  • Lillywhite
    Lillywhite Posts: 742
    Stanley222 wrote:
    Thanks - the Allez 18 is 50/34

    That will be fine then and it possibly has a 12-25 cassette at the back so you'll have a good selection of gears and it will be lighter than a triple chainset which really is for tourists who sometimes need a granny gear at the front. :D
  • Ginjafro
    Ginjafro Posts: 572
    I would recommend a double compact chainset for a road bike.
    I ride triple ringed MTB's which is perfect for them but unnecessary for my road bike. I find the spread of gears from top to bottom, of a double compact, is perfect for the hilly terrain of Devon & Cornwall. Besides there is nothing wrong with that little bit of extra effort and grunt required to get up some of the most brutal climbs, its all part of the fun!
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  • Lillywhite
    Lillywhite Posts: 742
    Many road racers stick with the 53/39 option although the 50/34 compact chainset seems to be recommended for many sportifs such as the Fred Whitton up in the Lakes.
  • John C.
    John C. Posts: 2,113
    It's your first proper bike you say, so expect to push your self to going further than you have in the past, this may include hills. If in doubt buy a tripple, you don't have to use the granny ring but would you rather walk or ride up that last hill on the furthest ride you've ever done ?
    http://www.ripon-loiterers.org.uk/

    Fail to prepare, prepare to fail
    Hills are just a matter of pace
  • John C.
    John C. Posts: 2,113
    Lillywhite wrote:
    Many road racers stick with the 53/39 option although the 50/34 compact chainset seems to be recommended for many sportifs such as the Fred Whitton up in the Lakes.
    I past many people with doubles and compacts on the FW, they were all pushing up Hardknott. The fact is you get a lower gear with a triple and it's on the last climb of the day when it can make the difference betwean walking and pushing.
    http://www.ripon-loiterers.org.uk/

    Fail to prepare, prepare to fail
    Hills are just a matter of pace
  • teulk
    teulk Posts: 557
    I guess it all depends on what kind of riding your planning on doing. Ive just orderd my first road bike and i went through the same dilema, triple or compact - I currently have a Mountain Bike and i rarely use the middle and granny gear, so i thought well if thats the case and i tend to avoid big hills if i can then i dont need a triple on my road bike. Also from what ive read alot of the gears on a triple seem to be almost duplicated on a compact anyway........dont know how true that is
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  • STEFANOS4784
    STEFANOS4784 Posts: 4,109
    For what it's worth my C'dale, started off life as a 53-39 and 8 speed on the back (don't know the ratios) but changed to triple (through bargain hunting) and even though don't 'need' The small gear i use it, i think it's made me less fit :(
    winter beast: http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr34 ... uff016.jpg
    Summer beast; http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr34 ... uff015.jpg
  • wilshawk
    wilshawk Posts: 119
    I have 21 gears, seems to be more than enough for every scenario, and 18 is probably enough too, I cant be arsed with 27+ gears.
  • rickhotrod
    rickhotrod Posts: 181
    If a 36/23 bottom gear is low enough (it's about the same as 39/25), then fit a 9 speed 13-23 cassette and a 49/42/36 triple or 50/36 double.

    The triple will be better because you will be able to make a front shift and be in the right gear within about one second. Front shifting with widely spaced front rings such as 50/34 can take much longer than one second to get in the right gear.
  • Lillywhite
    Lillywhite Posts: 742
    John C. wrote:
    I past many people with doubles and compacts on the FW, they were all pushing up Hardknott. The fact is you get a lower gear with a triple and it's on the last climb of the day when it can make the difference betwean walking and pushing.

    I accept that you may need on a triple on Hardknott and Wrynose if you're not particularly fit, overweight or just knackered after 100 odd miles of demanding riding. :oops:

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