Question on 10 speed or 27 speed?
 

Hi Everyone.

I'm completely new to biking. I recently purchased a cannondale quick cx 3 from REI. I've been doing a mix of bike paths, rail trails, and dirt trails (multi use hiking paths, and one single track place).

The Quick CX3 has been great, I really have no complaints. But a friend of mine was telling me I should get something geared more to MTB rather than hybrid, especially if I plan to continue doing dirt trails, single track, and rail trails. I was turned onto the Cannondale Trail 5. It's in my price range (don't want to go over $1k), has a 100mm rockshock front suspension over a 50mm suntour with a handlebar lockout instead of fork , and all deore components as opposed to a mix of acera, deore, and alivio.

With REI's return policy, I ordered the trail5 to test ride around some of the same trails I've been doing and see if there's a difference over the cx3 and figure out which one to keep.

I'm thinking I may lose too much speed and easy riding on paved or loose gravel bike paths going from the quick cx3, which is a 27 speed, to the trail 5, which is a 10 speed . But I'm a novice - so I'm not sure if it's going to be that much of a difference at all. Can you please advise on the two? Which would you choose/why? Thank you! =)

Based on your riding experience the CX 3 seems like a good fit for you. Your riding needs are similar to mine and that's the one I would pick. But until you've ridden both and can do your own comparison, it's just idle conversation. I like a lot of gear choices because I spend a lot of time in different terrains. Some asphalt, some trail, and on occasion even cross country or beach. Good luck

It's not the number of speeds but the gear range covered by the drive system that counts. If you are going to ride rough trails with steep hills (like you find in the Southwest) you will need low gears for climbing. That's the reason MTBs are geared lower than road bikes. If you take two bikes with the same gear range and one is a 10 speed and the other is 27, you have a better chance of finding a comfortable gear for all conditions you face for 27 compared to the 10 speed. You will also find that there is often some overlap in gears so that you really don't get 27 distinctly different gears with the 27 speed. You can use this gear calculator to find out exactly what gears are on each bike if you look at the specifications for the bikes: Mike Sherman's Bicycle Gear Calculator or Sheldon Brown's Bicycle Gear Calculator

Rail trails should never be a problem as you will never encounter steep hills on an old rail line. I remember the days when 10 speeds were all you could get so prefer a bike with more choices. You can go faster on the downhills and save your knees on the uphills.

Had a 27 speed, 3 by 3 by 3 , in 1957,
built it with parts put on my S-A 3 speed. JC Higgins..

before I got a 10 speed, 5 by 2, or an 18 speed 6 by 3..

The intent of the return policy is not for you to take a bike on a long term test ride to see if you like it better than your current bike and return it if you don't.

That use of return policies is exactly why so many retailers are making it tougher to legitimately return things today. Well spoken!

the trail 5, and all trails, were not in stock at the store when I was purchasing a bike. Also, just getting into biking, I did not know what kind I'd be into. The fact that they have the return policy meant I could buy the trail online and then be able to try it. Regardless of whether or not you or anyone else agrees with it, it IS the letter of the law on the return policy and is 100% within my right to do so. I even made it clear my intent to the people at the store when I purchased it and they said that was fine. So pound sand. Jerk. You didnt even answer my question. Of which I dont need anymore since I got to try both bikes and terrain. Good day to you *******.

If it's not, the people advertising the policy should state that.

My mistake. In that case, just keep buying and returning bikes until you find the one you like. Better yet, return them both at the end of the season and get new ones next year. You could get a fat bike for the winter and return it in the spring. So many options. Good luck!

Dude, you come here, ask for help, show at least questionable ethics, and follow up with calling the members names? In two whole posts?

Even if you were right, and I'm not suggesting you are, was that your thought on getting more help?

Ah well, thanks for showing this newbie what not to do in someone else's home.