simplybao

I've always been afraid that I couldn't get home because I didn't have low enough gearing. I always wondered how could these riders ride with 11-25 cassettes. I was afraid that if I went to a cassette with a cog that small, I'd have to walk my bike up that last 5 miles to my house which is only classified as a cat 5 hill. So for all of my bikes, I'd put a mixture of parts on there to get to a 34 or 36 large cog.

This weekend, I thought, the hell with it. I think that my fear has been keeping me back. So this past weekend on 2 rides, I decided that I would go no higher than the 28 and guess what? I made it home! YAY! It made me feel like I just conquered the alps. I know, it's silly because my hill isn't that bad, but after 5 miles up all up hill going home, I felt like it was an accomplishment.

I guess the reason I decided to do this is because of my new bike. I just got a used Madone and it has an 11-28 on there now. I'm in the middle of doing some TLC on it before I ride it and was going to swap out the 11-28 for an 11-34 but now, I'm seriously debating whether I should do a 11-30 or 11-32. I did make it up my hill with the 28, but my legs were tired at the end of it. But I think if I keep at it, I'll be able to ride with the 28 easily in a few weeks.

Anyway, just sharing because I was so excited to be able to do it....so let's hear your stories. Anyone else conquer any biking demons?

OldTryGuy

Went for a ride with friends. We came to a climb and they all disappeared with the bad thing being I never rode the area before. I came to a Y in the road and didn't know which way to go. Went left and seemed to climb forever with no sign of the guys. Finally came to the top and there they were. Vowed to never get dropped again.

Shortly after that ride I began to reach the top of climbs then turn around to go back down to meet the slow pokes and ride back to the top with them.

Easy gears makes for reaching the top, a bit harder gear makes for a greater feeling when the top is crested. Keep the big one there for emergency but use a harder one to improve. Good luck and have fun.

obed7

cool, way to go.

ShortLegCyclist

Yes, but not at the expense of knee strain -- better IMO to spin up without having to mash to save your knees so you can still be riding 20 years from now.

OldTryGuy

That's the reason for keeping the cassette with the big cog on the bike so when the going gets too hard, gear down and spin..

simplybao

I understand knee strain. For me, this was a fear thing and thinking that I "needed" a 36 to get up the hill. There is only 1 place in town that I need such a low gear and that's on my ride home. In fact, for most of my riding, I don't need anything bigger than a 25. That means on my 12-36 10 sp. cassette, 3 of my cogs are useless most of the time. I wanted to see what I could get by with for getting home. Otherwise, I'd mount the bike on the rack and go 5 miles down the hill and always start there.

ShortLegCyclist

I used to think the same thing about my bottom 3 gears, until I pulled a calf muscle horsing around with my 6 year old nephew.

It hurt to walk, but riding caused no pain, so I kept riding, HOWEVER, having those three gears came in very handy while I was recovering from that.

Based on that experience I would advise you not to base what you want for lowest gear on how you are right now, healthy and in good condition.

The day after a double century you may not have quite the legs you do now. Or, if you go bike touring and are carrying 70 pounds of gear on the bike, you will bless each of those three lowly granny gears.