Dialing In My Driveline
08-31-20, 07:40 PM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Dialing In My Driveline
Hi All - I am getting in the miles on the Litespeed Arenberg I bought a few months ago and really enjoying it. While I am riding my bike I am also tweaking and dialing it in and one thing that doesn't set well with me are the chainrings. My bike has the Campy Centaur 10 speed set up and the current chainrings are 39 x 53. The cogset is 12 - 26 10 speed. I am spending the vast majority of my time on the 39 tooth chain ring because the 53 tooth is just too big for the riding I do. On the occassions when I am on the 53 tooth chainring I am generally on either the 21 or 23 tooth cog on the back and I want to bring my cog usage more towards the middle of the cogset. Through some suggestions here I have been able to locate 135mm bolt circle Campy compatible chainrings. I was thinking originally that I was going to get a 50 tooth chainring but the source also has 48 tooth chainrings and I find myself wondering if maybe the 48 tooth chainring is the better pick for the riding I do.
My ridings typically consist of 10 to 15 miles rides 3 to 4 times a week. My current average speed is 13 to 15 mph and I am working to bring that average speed up. With this said any thoughts on my choice of chainring either 48 tooth or 50 tooth will be appreciated. Thanks all.
** Edit: I forgot to say that where I live is 90% flat terrain. I actually have to get into my car with my bike on the rack and drive to find any sort of hills and they are minimal; few and far between **
My ridings typically consist of 10 to 15 miles rides 3 to 4 times a week. My current average speed is 13 to 15 mph and I am working to bring that average speed up. With this said any thoughts on my choice of chainring either 48 tooth or 50 tooth will be appreciated. Thanks all.
** Edit: I forgot to say that where I live is 90% flat terrain. I actually have to get into my car with my bike on the rack and drive to find any sort of hills and they are minimal; few and far between **
Last edited by Roadies_Rok; 08-31-20 at 07:48 PM.
08-31-20, 07:46 PM
#2
On Your Left
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Long Island, New York, USA
Posts: 8,373
Bikes: Trek Emonda SLR, Sram eTap, Zipp 303
Mentioned: 34 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3004 Post(s)
Liked 2,433 Times
in
1,187 Posts
How much money are we talking?
08-31-20, 08:06 PM
#3
Senior Member
Probably a bit weird but you could pull the large ring and replace the 39t with a 40t or 42t. Remove front derailleur.
Seeing its pretty flat where you ride, that should work fine.
My 2x is normally 40/24 with a 12-27. On the flats I tend to sit near the middle of the cassette (15,16,17t).
Climbing is ok until things start getting steep, then I dump into the small ring.
Don't care if I have to coast downhill, once I reach a certain speed.
Seeing its pretty flat where you ride, that should work fine.
My 2x is normally 40/24 with a 12-27. On the flats I tend to sit near the middle of the cassette (15,16,17t).
Climbing is ok until things start getting steep, then I dump into the small ring.
Don't care if I have to coast downhill, once I reach a certain speed.
Last edited by tangerineowl; 08-31-20 at 08:07 PM. Reason: txt
Likes For tangerineowl:
09-01-20, 10:04 AM
#4
Junior Member
Thread Starter
The chainrings I am looking at are $63 each plus shipping.
Interesting enough I did the math last night on gear inches and my current 53/39 chainrings are not as bad as I thought they were. I normally shift up to my big ring when I get to the 13 tooth cog on the back. According to gear inches the next faster combination is my 53 x 17 or 53 x 19 so it is not as cross chained as I thought it was. I may just keep the 53 tooth chainring and learn to use it better.
Interesting enough I did the math last night on gear inches and my current 53/39 chainrings are not as bad as I thought they were. I normally shift up to my big ring when I get to the 13 tooth cog on the back. According to gear inches the next faster combination is my 53 x 17 or 53 x 19 so it is not as cross chained as I thought it was. I may just keep the 53 tooth chainring and learn to use it better.
09-01-20, 10:05 AM
#5
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Probably a bit weird but you could pull the large ring and replace the 39t with a 40t or 42t. Remove front derailleur.
Seeing its pretty flat where you ride, that should work fine.
My 2x is normally 40/24 with a 12-27. On the flats I tend to sit near the middle of the cassette (15,16,17t).
Climbing is ok until things start getting steep, then I dump into the small ring.
Don't care if I have to coast downhill, once I reach a certain speed.
Seeing its pretty flat where you ride, that should work fine.
My 2x is normally 40/24 with a 12-27. On the flats I tend to sit near the middle of the cassette (15,16,17t).
Climbing is ok until things start getting steep, then I dump into the small ring.
Don't care if I have to coast downhill, once I reach a certain speed.
09-01-20, 11:04 AM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 356
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 325 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 109 Times
in
72 Posts
OP, here's some math to think about with your current setup:
Bicycle Gear Calculator
According to your first post, the highest gear you are capable of turning is 53x21, which would mean even in the little ring, you are not capable of using the 12-14t cogs (because those are bigger gears). Is this actually true, or are you able to turn the 39x13 or 39x14 gears? If you can turn those gears, then you can turn the 53x19 and probably the 53x17. That leaves you with 5 gear combinations (all in the 53t chainring) that you are currently unable to use, but as you said, you are working on gaining fitness on the bike.
You could certainly reduce the size of your big ring, or you could keep your gears as they are and set some fitness goals for yourself to begin using those last 5 cogs with your big ring. If you work progressively and put in the work, there is no reason to think that you'll never use those gears. Are you currently tracking your cadence as you pedal? One of the best ways to train is to set a target cadence between 85-95 rpm and change gears as you ride to keep yourself at target cadence. As you gain fitness, it will become easier to use those bigger gears.
If you convert your bike to a 1x system with a 42t chainring as someone else suggested, I think you'll find yourself running out of gears on flat land after a few months of training. My advice here would be to reduce the size of your big chainring, but don't get rid of it. Your last 5 cogs will be more accessible sooner with a smaller big ring (48-50t), and you can always re-mount your 53t if you ever feel like it. Good luck!
Bicycle Gear Calculator
According to your first post, the highest gear you are capable of turning is 53x21, which would mean even in the little ring, you are not capable of using the 12-14t cogs (because those are bigger gears). Is this actually true, or are you able to turn the 39x13 or 39x14 gears? If you can turn those gears, then you can turn the 53x19 and probably the 53x17. That leaves you with 5 gear combinations (all in the 53t chainring) that you are currently unable to use, but as you said, you are working on gaining fitness on the bike.
You could certainly reduce the size of your big ring, or you could keep your gears as they are and set some fitness goals for yourself to begin using those last 5 cogs with your big ring. If you work progressively and put in the work, there is no reason to think that you'll never use those gears. Are you currently tracking your cadence as you pedal? One of the best ways to train is to set a target cadence between 85-95 rpm and change gears as you ride to keep yourself at target cadence. As you gain fitness, it will become easier to use those bigger gears.
If you convert your bike to a 1x system with a 42t chainring as someone else suggested, I think you'll find yourself running out of gears on flat land after a few months of training. My advice here would be to reduce the size of your big chainring, but don't get rid of it. Your last 5 cogs will be more accessible sooner with a smaller big ring (48-50t), and you can always re-mount your 53t if you ever feel like it. Good luck!
09-01-20, 11:10 AM
#7
Senior Member
Hi All - I am getting in the miles on the Litespeed Arenberg I bought a few months ago and really enjoying it. While I am riding my bike I am also tweaking and dialing it in and one thing that doesn't set well with me are the chainrings. My bike has the Campy Centaur 10 speed set up and the current chainrings are 39 x 53. The cogset is 12 - 26 10 speed. I am spending the vast majority of my time on the 39 tooth chain ring because the 53 tooth is just too big for the riding I do. On the occassions when I am on the 53 tooth chainring I am generally on either the 21 or 23 tooth cog on the back and I want to bring my cog usage more towards the middle of the cogset. Through some suggestions here I have been able to locate 135mm bolt circle Campy compatible chainrings. I was thinking originally that I was going to get a 50 tooth chainring but the source also has 48 tooth chainrings and I find myself wondering if maybe the 48 tooth chainring is the better pick for the riding I do.
My ridings typically consist of 10 to 15 miles rides 3 to 4 times a week. My current average speed is 13 to 15 mph and I am working to bring that average speed up. With this said any thoughts on my choice of chainring either 48 tooth or 50 tooth will be appreciated. Thanks all.
** Edit: I forgot to say that where I live is 90% flat terrain. I actually have to get into my car with my bike on the rack and drive to find any sort of hills and they are minimal; few and far between **
My ridings typically consist of 10 to 15 miles rides 3 to 4 times a week. My current average speed is 13 to 15 mph and I am working to bring that average speed up. With this said any thoughts on my choice of chainring either 48 tooth or 50 tooth will be appreciated. Thanks all.
** Edit: I forgot to say that where I live is 90% flat terrain. I actually have to get into my car with my bike on the rack and drive to find any sort of hills and they are minimal; few and far between **
When it's worn out, you'll probably be ready to just ride in the big chain ring. Seems like a perfect approach to me.
09-01-20, 01:31 PM
#8
I'm good to go!
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 14,949
Bikes: Tarmac Disc Comp Di2 - 2020
Mentioned: 51 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6177 Post(s)
Liked 4,794 Times
in
3,306 Posts
How long have you been riding a road bike? Just the few months you've had this current bike?
I'll agree that maybe the 53/39 chainwheels are a little strong for a 12-26 cassette and a newb. Being in the flat lands, you might just wait and ride a few more months and see how you are doing then. I'd also recommend you ride longer if possible. 30 to 40 miles at a time and 3 to 4 days a week is to me a more normal riding regimen.
I live in a fairly rolling terrain and used to ride a 53/39 with a seven speed 14 - 28 on the rear. My only real complaint on it was it didn't have a low enough ratio for the few really steep grades over 11% that we very occasionally rode.
But it would be better if you have a gearing that allows you to ride the bigger ring more often that not, IMO. And toward that I think if you feel your cycling fitness won't increase fast enough for you, then get a 50/34 or 48/something. An entire crankset sometimes is sometimes as cheap as two chainrings. So consider both.
But if you do change something out, make sure to run the number on your front and rear cogs and make certain your rear derailleur can handle that change. As well, some front DR's won't handle going to smaller chainwheels and that might require a few more buck for a front DR.
I'll agree that maybe the 53/39 chainwheels are a little strong for a 12-26 cassette and a newb. Being in the flat lands, you might just wait and ride a few more months and see how you are doing then. I'd also recommend you ride longer if possible. 30 to 40 miles at a time and 3 to 4 days a week is to me a more normal riding regimen.
I live in a fairly rolling terrain and used to ride a 53/39 with a seven speed 14 - 28 on the rear. My only real complaint on it was it didn't have a low enough ratio for the few really steep grades over 11% that we very occasionally rode.
But it would be better if you have a gearing that allows you to ride the bigger ring more often that not, IMO. And toward that I think if you feel your cycling fitness won't increase fast enough for you, then get a 50/34 or 48/something. An entire crankset sometimes is sometimes as cheap as two chainrings. So consider both.
But if you do change something out, make sure to run the number on your front and rear cogs and make certain your rear derailleur can handle that change. As well, some front DR's won't handle going to smaller chainwheels and that might require a few more buck for a front DR.
