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Bucking The Trend:34/34?

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Bucking The Trend:34/34?

Old 01-14-21, 03:56 PM
  #26  
fattires
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Originally Posted by Classtime
Who is refusing to modify the gearing on their Road bike from what was normal--like low gears of 42/24 for old bikes and 39/23 for newer road bikes?

AND, how's it going for you?


Jeff.
I do not regret building my new steel frame with 46/33, 10-33, even though initially I thought it would be too low. I was in 33-33 going up my steepest incline yesterday and doing an easy 95ish RPM. Slow speed but I liked it better than a mashing grind.

The lowest gear on my old ride was 39-23; just not low enough for me.
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Old 01-14-21, 04:42 PM
  #27  
caloso
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It depends on whether you have low enough gears for the steepest part of the climb. I've done Haleakala on a 39x27 low gear. Sure it's 10K feet, but it's only 6%, same as your typical freeway overpass. It's a massively long grind, but there aren't any particularly steep pitches.
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Old 01-15-21, 05:31 PM
  #28  
sean.hwy
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For the hills around me I need a 1 to 1 ratio. front 30 rear 30. My bike came with 52/36 spider chainring. I special ordered a 46/30 spider chainring from England.
I am not any faster up the hill but my knees are a lot happier.


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Old 01-15-21, 08:55 PM
  #29  
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At 68 years I am still riding my vintage bikes with close to their vintage gearing for shorter rides.

This one with a low gear of 47/28




This one with a low gear of 46/28




But for any ride over 40 or 50 miles or with more than about 4,000 feet of climbing or with grades over 15% I'm on a bike with lower gears or the final miles will be a death march and I'll need half a week to recover.

Something like this with a 36/32 low gear.




If there's lots of dirt or gravel climbing involved I'm down to 28/30.




It's not that I'm experiencing more injuries on the higher gears. It's a matter of strength and endurance. If I push big gears for more than two or three hours I simply run out of gas. Also I no longer have the leg strength to grind my way up a 20% slope in the taller gears that I used even fifteen years ago.
I enjoy long rides, and lower gears allow me to keep enjoying them: I'm comfortable with that.
Brent
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