PeteHski

Now you have just moved the goalposts. You said it was better to use a bigger chainring to get the same top gear with a 14T rear as you had with an 11T because it's more "efficient". But now you appear to be saying that it's actually okay just to have a lower top gear with the same chainrings, which is not a like-for-like comparison. Sure you might be okay with a 50/13 top gear, but in that case you could also run a 42/11 and then have even more low end range available. The efficiency argument is pretty dumb unless you are in a competitive TT riding flat out in the 11T. Only then does a bigger chainring and a 14T rear make sense.

PeteHski

So why do you think that gear exists on a large number of road bikes?

livedarklions

Show me where I recommended anyone else do what I do or said anything that indicated I don't understand or approve of other people's gear choices.

You're trying to be a guru here, and no one is buying. BTW, your cadence isn't really much faster than mine, so basically you're just slow-pedalling a lower gear. My legs are a lot stronger than yours, get over it.

Oh, and BTW, my credibility isn't the issue, you just stated that you're the person to determine what's safely fast and what's "dangerous". What exactly makes you qualified to judge that?

Moisture

"My legs are stronger than yours, get over it"

I bet I can smoke you... road, gravel, singletrack, you name it

shelbyfv

Just keep the "race" under 30 miles, right?

mschwett 

and neither downhill nor uphill, clearly!

Ironfish653

Old freewheels had a 13/14 small cog, because that's the smallest that fits on the carrier. Any smaller, and the freewheel won't clear the cone nuts on the axle.
Cassette freehubs, being integrated into the hub, are smaller diameter, and allow the smaller 11/12t cogs to fit.

Half - step was a way to get a wide spread of closely spaced gears, when you only have 5 or maybe 6-sp on the rear. Usually seen in touring or rando applications along with a granny gear, the big drawback is that every other shift, you shift both the front and rear. That's a lot of extra shifting, particularly front shifts, which diminish it's appeal as a performance option.
​​​​​​With 7 speeds, half -step ends up with a lot of duplicate gears, so you're better off with a conventional triple; that's why half-step died in the late 80's

Ironfish653

Don't forget the mandatory wheel change! You guys are carrying your spare wheels, right?

wolfchild

I hope they carrying extra cassettes and chainrings.

mschwett 

i just ride folders with different gearing and have an extra one or two on my back all the time. because no one bike could possibly need a wide range of gearing!

shelbyfv

And don't forget the extra chain in case it falls off and gets run over by a semi. Ooops, maybe that's under a different bridge.

livedarklions

Pretty sure you're smoking something.

livedarklions

I've actually rigged my bike with variable crank lengths in anticipation.

Branko D

​​​​
52 x 13?!? That's 60.6 km/hr at 120 rpm on a standard road tire size and 50.5 km/hr at the (more comfortable, I can only spin like a hamster on meth for so long) 100 rpm. You are giving up at 60 km/hr? 😱
​​​​​​
​​​​​As for the whole efficiency talk, the differences have been measured and published and the difference due to chainring and cog size alone between a 53-11 and a 53-12 is 0.5W of losses at 250W input. Difference between a 53-12 and a 53-13 is 0.25W. Actual differences are slightly greater because the chain is additionally laterally skewed when in 11t and 12t cogs (straighter in the 14t cog). ​​​Since realistically you spend little time in the 12 and 11t cogs (but when you need it, you need it) their slightly lower efficiency isn't a problem.

wolfchild

I bet he is smoking chain lube.

indyfabz

Nom nom. Hungry troll has ample food supply.

Miele Man

I always find it quite amusing when someone a LONG way away from a poster can tell that poster what's wrong with their gearing choices when the respondent knows nothing about the poster's strength, age, experience, terrain, weather conditions or any other data.

I have an old Sachs *-speed FREEWHEEL that is a corncob 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 teeth and I like using it on certain rides. As a matter of fact I also have a rigid frame/fork MTB with 26" x 1.5" smooth tires on it and a 28-38-48 triple crankset up front. I think my rear 9-speed cassette is a bit unusual. Why? Because it's a corncob too but 11-19 teeth. It's a real joy to ride on the gently rolling hills because the gearing is so close that I don't slow down or spin out when shifting gears when going up t hose hills.

What works for me may not work for someone else and vice versa.

Cheers

Maelochs

Moisture is amusing and fairly good-natured. The fact that he doesn't have a clue how little of a clue he has isn't so annoying because he isn't obnoxious about it. If he can learn as life goes on, he will be an interesting addition to the BF cast. He has already provided much mild conflict and amusement.

Let's keep him on for a while, see how he works out.

Moisture

You guys are just too much, I can't 🤣

shelbyfv

Little chance of it being otherwise. Drip, drip, drip us into submission. FWIW, the new road bike isn't bizarre at all, actually has potential.

Moisture

🤣🤣🤣

Actually yes, im super happy about it! You know that she's fast when you can actually climb some hills in 39x25 AND pull in the outer 53t ring without much effort...

ZHVelo

50-34 and 11-32, ride in the alps.

You do theoretically spin out going downhill on 50-11, however, the speeds at which this happen are quite sufficient for me. I have never actually properly spun out either, but rather, once I hit 110-120 rpm, it feels too fast for me and I just leave it there. On the other hand, the 34-32 is crucial on extended climbs at gradients 8% plus. Particularly if you do several climbs and at some point you exerted too much and need to ride (high) zone 2 because you have nothing left, then you'd be in hell without that. At least for me and the watts I can put out.

mschwett 

very similar to my riding experience with 42:10 and 42:42 as my range, even though i only wish i was riding in the alps!! (california hills seems to have similar grades though.) i can’t do the climbs without something close to 1:1, which thankfully is achievable with both compact 2x and “gravel” 1x.

Moisture

34/32 is a good useful gear and should get you up most hills.

i have 39/53 and 12-25 on my road bike. I find that anything higher than 53/13 isn't necessary for my needs as I'm already going about 55km/h.

39/25 actually isn't as bad as it sounds; i can climb some fairly decent hills with this gear and don't mind walking the rest of the way up if it is just too steep/long.

my 12-25 cassette is in good shape - would it be a good idea (for my needs at least) to change to a 34/50? I've used 34 before; its useful for climbs, but I hate spinning out in 34t and then needing to face too big of a jump at 50t when riding on flat pavement. Im thinking 36/50 should solve this? I can order a 36/52 from my supplier.

If I'm using a 52t, I'd likely end up using a 13 or even 14t final gear cassette.

veganbikes

Best gearing ever 66x13 perfect for all conditions all the time unless you are just a puddle of weakness. If you cannot push that gearing up a hill you should literally not be allowed to ride a bike. Also I will crush shelbyfv in race even ole' drippy won't be able to catch up heck put them both on a tandem with a motor and 8 derailleurs and I will smoke them like Snoop Dogg and Tommy Chong smoke weed. There is only one answer for gearing threads it is HTFU.