Road bike gears are getting smaller...is this a good thing?
04-28-19, 06:32 PM
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Road bike gears are getting smaller...is this a good thing?
See the video below from GCN. Seems like smaller chainrings is the new thing...
04-28-19, 06:39 PM
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SunTour tried that 25 years ago. The world wasn't ready.
Funny, I am now setting up my Mooney as a gravel bike. Need a 24-28 low. Found a Sugino 110-74 BCD crankset in my box. Had on it 48-38-28 rings. Swapped out the 28 and put it on. Rode it today. I think the 48 and 38 are staying. 48-13, not a high max!
Ben
Funny, I am now setting up my Mooney as a gravel bike. Need a 24-28 low. Found a Sugino 110-74 BCD crankset in my box. Had on it 48-38-28 rings. Swapped out the 28 and put it on. Rode it today. I think the 48 and 38 are staying. 48-13, not a high max!
Ben
04-29-19, 05:34 AM
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Having an increasing range is definitely a good thing. People need options. Fast people in Florida need different combinations than slow people in CO. Choice is always a good thing.
04-29-19, 05:58 AM
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If a 53t sees you on the big cogs of the cassette more than in the middle, why wouldn't you move to a smaller big ring? My FDs shift just fine, but they still don't compare to the RD shifting, so I want to minimize front shifts with a big ring that's as real-world usable for me, give my terrain and strengths/weaknesses, as possible.
04-29-19, 06:15 AM
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Chains running over smaller cogs and smaller gear combos, lose a little bit of efficiency compared to larger cogs, IMO. You don't see track riders running 10 or 11 tooth cogs much. Plus smaller cogs need to turn faster so they wear out quicker.
You would think if it were advantageous to go really small, that bike or car designers would have designed tiny transmissions the size of a cigarette box, in order to save weight. But they don't, for whatever reason, I suspect efficiency and premature wear.
You would think if it were advantageous to go really small, that bike or car designers would have designed tiny transmissions the size of a cigarette box, in order to save weight. But they don't, for whatever reason, I suspect efficiency and premature wear.
04-29-19, 06:21 AM
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Pick the gearing that suits your riding ability, terrain, and riding preferences.
Buikes used to come with the same gearing racers used .... and not a lot of people can make good use of a 53x11, while a 42x25 isn't much of a climbing gear, for ordinary riders.
I have a few chainset/cassette combinations, but mostly I ride 50/34x11-28---but one bike has a 50-34x12-28. I rarely spin out 50x12 ...
Buikes used to come with the same gearing racers used .... and not a lot of people can make good use of a 53x11, while a 42x25 isn't much of a climbing gear, for ordinary riders.
I have a few chainset/cassette combinations, but mostly I ride 50/34x11-28---but one bike has a 50-34x12-28. I rarely spin out 50x12 ...
Last edited by Maelochs; 04-29-19 at 06:29 AM.
04-29-19, 08:34 AM
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04-29-19, 10:10 AM
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I guess people have finally decided to tailor their bikes for where they want to ride instead of the other way around
04-29-19, 10:37 AM
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The biggest "acceptable" cogs are growing, today's "short-cage" rear derailleur is yesterday's "medium-cage", chainrings are incrementally shrinking, etc.
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04-29-19, 11:46 AM
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It's a good thing if you are a bicycle company trying to sell product. Wait till they come out with a revolutionary new crankset/chainrings called a triple! 3 rings on front so you can really customize your gearing. That is truly new and innovative.
04-29-19, 02:58 PM
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An SRAM commercial, nothing more. It's not surprizing SRAM had to re-design the front derailleur. They haven't designed one that works yet. That's why they are pushing 1x so hard.
Rohloff should get a commercial too. But then GCN would hemmorage sponsors. IGH's have only been around since when? Oh, the turn of the last century sounds about right.
Sturmey-Archer has a 3 speed IGH with a 8,9,10 speed cassette body. So 30 gears in just the wheel. Put a triple on that & you've got 90 gears!
Come on SRAM. Get with the program.
Rohloff should get a commercial too. But then GCN would hemmorage sponsors. IGH's have only been around since when? Oh, the turn of the last century sounds about right.
Sturmey-Archer has a 3 speed IGH with a 8,9,10 speed cassette body. So 30 gears in just the wheel. Put a triple on that & you've got 90 gears!
Come on SRAM. Get with the program.
Last edited by base2; 04-29-19 at 03:50 PM.
04-29-19, 03:26 PM
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Just think. In a few years they may add an extra chainring on the front and convince everyone its "new".
