Big Chainring Size - What's your Preference?
09-16-19, 11:34 AM
#76
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I ride a 42 (x11) as my high gear on most of my bikes. Since I ride LARP (Less than Aerodynamic Riding Positions), I don't pedal through more than about 22-25 mph.
09-16-19, 12:20 PM
#77
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I’m running 49:18 (and sometimes 50:18) on my BMX race bike because the big gears feel smoother (and probably do make for less friction) than the standard 44:16. Folks tend to freak out when they see the “dinner plate” up front, thinking I’m running a hard gear...
I went the opposite way on my road bike (c. 1983 Merckx) last year, trading in the old Campy double (50x41) for the Velo Orange 50.4 BCD with 46x30 rings and a more compact 13x23 freewheel. I love having the lower gears but I’ve been frustrated with how little use I can get out of the chainring. Big to big on a derailleur is the opposite of smooth. Guess which bike I’m grabbing first?
I went the opposite way on my road bike (c. 1983 Merckx) last year, trading in the old Campy double (50x41) for the Velo Orange 50.4 BCD with 46x30 rings and a more compact 13x23 freewheel. I love having the lower gears but I’ve been frustrated with how little use I can get out of the chainring. Big to big on a derailleur is the opposite of smooth. Guess which bike I’m grabbing first?
09-16-19, 01:19 PM
#78
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I'm happy with my 52-13. No steep hills here but do have coastal winds.
52/40 paired with 13-15-17-19-21-23-26
09-16-19, 01:44 PM
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52-36
Hi, Guys,
I have found that a mid-compact set of 52T and 36T, paired with an 11-ring cassette of 32T to 11T, on my Bianchi carbon keeps me going just a little faster than my fellow riders without hurting me on the hills. I've been thinking about going to the same set-up on my steel-frame road bike.
However, my touring bike carries a triple with a top chain ring of 48T. The small ring of 28, coupled with a 32 on the cassette, means I can take any hill out there, as long as I'm not in a hurry.
I have found that a mid-compact set of 52T and 36T, paired with an 11-ring cassette of 32T to 11T, on my Bianchi carbon keeps me going just a little faster than my fellow riders without hurting me on the hills. I've been thinking about going to the same set-up on my steel-frame road bike.
However, my touring bike carries a triple with a top chain ring of 48T. The small ring of 28, coupled with a 32 on the cassette, means I can take any hill out there, as long as I'm not in a hurry.
09-16-19, 05:50 PM
#80
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Bike 1: 42-34 (WickWerks/Ultegra 8000) x 11-28 or 11-32 (SRAM 1170). Perfect for brevets & light touring. For heavy gravel or bike packing: 11-40 (Shimano XT)
Bike 2: 50-39-24 (105) x 14-28/32 (Shimano 6800 or Shimano 14-28 combined with 11-32). Good for pretty much anything.
Edit : By “combined with 11-32” I mean I make a 14-32 by using the larger cogs of an 11-32 cassette with the lower cogs of a 14-28. And as a matter of interest, I rarely use the 11 & 12 tooth cogs with a 42 tooth chainring but they’re there and are occasionally useful for balance on long descents when bike packing in Japan. But I’ve ridden my fastest brevets with a top gear in the range of 88-92 inches.).
Bike 2: 50-39-24 (105) x 14-28/32 (Shimano 6800 or Shimano 14-28 combined with 11-32). Good for pretty much anything.
Edit : By “combined with 11-32” I mean I make a 14-32 by using the larger cogs of an 11-32 cassette with the lower cogs of a 14-28. And as a matter of interest, I rarely use the 11 & 12 tooth cogs with a 42 tooth chainring but they’re there and are occasionally useful for balance on long descents when bike packing in Japan. But I’ve ridden my fastest brevets with a top gear in the range of 88-92 inches.).
Last edited by Big in Japan; 09-17-19 at 02:53 AM. Reason: To clarify
09-16-19, 11:54 PM
#81
Junior Member
I think you would enjoy a larger range of gears in back. Stay away from the common 11 tooth cog. It creates too much friction with the tight turn the chain has to make. A larger front chain ring is the solution. But if you don't have any long hills to go down the the large gear ratio won't do you much good. I use a compact 50-34 anything smaller than 50 just wouldn't do it for me. The cadence demand on the down hill would just be too high. I don't like turning above 120.
09-17-19, 03:20 AM
#82
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Having just returned from the Coppi event I would like to add something that has always been my opinion on gearing. As far as maximum gearing goes, I've never consider gearing for downhills; descending is a bike handling issue, not a gearing issue.
09-17-19, 06:39 AM
#83
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I think you would enjoy a larger range of gears in back. Stay away from the common 11 tooth cog. It creates too much friction with the tight turn the chain has to make. A larger front chain ring is the solution. But if you don't have any long hills to go down the the large gear ratio won't do you much good. I use a compact 50-34 anything smaller than 50 just wouldn't do it for me. The cadence demand on the down hill would just be too high. I don't like turning above 120.
09-17-19, 09:32 AM
#84
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the best combination I have ever tried was a 24-36-48 triple with a 6 speed 14-24 cassette at the rear. 3 separate ranges, small ring for hills , middle for flats, and large for down hill. very few overlaps . I am older and no racer and the bike is a 1980 Nishiki International. The bike has flat bars and friction thumbies and shifting is just a slight nudge on the lever without taking hands off the bars. The Shimano hyperglide freewheel pulls the chain up and down the gears with almost no effort.
