sloar 

12-18 freewheel, 53-42 rings. What was I thinking? I'm usually on the small ring and using the top 3 cogs. I have to change something. I live around flat terrain, but usually very windy. Any opinions?

eschlwc

14-28.

but i am rarely ever in my 14t cog anymore. if a dog or meth addict would just chase me once in a while .... B^)

Salamandrine 

+1 try 14-28

sloar 

I usually just use whats ever comes with the wheels, but this is the smallest group I've ever used.

fender1

46/30

12-28

Covers almost every contingecy.

Salamandrine 

I ran a 12-17 with 53/42 for a while when I was a teenager and regularly training with 1&2 types. I don't even remotely have time to be that fit anymore, and even then it was sort of a joke. Would have been OK if it was flat.

14-28 or even 14-24 should be fine for your needs.

nesteel 

Yikes. No way I could do that on anything but a rarely ridden bike. Most of my bikes that get ridden on a regular basis have either a compact or triple crankset, and a freewheel or cassette with a 26 tooth big cog at minimum. The reality of being out of shape I guess.

nashvillebill

Maybe Lance Armstrong could pull the OP's gearing, I sure can't. I'm running 28/38/48 on the front and a 11-32 on back (8 speed cassette) on my main bike. Even then I very rarely hit the 48/11 top gear combination, and there's a couple of hills around here that I'm slowly chugging my way up in granny gear.

Bottom line, I'm running the Tour de Moi, not the Tour de France. I am at the age now where I'm not trying to outdo anybody, so let other folks brag about how they can pull "X" gearing. These mid-50's legs and lungs of mine just aren't going to impress the cute 20-year-old young women anymore. And I have to try to ignore, rather than argue, the folks who write "well everybody should be able to go up a hill" with a certain gearing.

sloar 

I'm not claiming I can handle this gearing. The freewheel came on a set of wheels from one bike and the rings from another. I just built this bike from what I had. Now that it's done and properly adjusted, I need to make it more rider friendly. I have a friend who is going to give me a 52 Super Record ring, but my main problem is the freewheel. I've never paid much attention because like I said I usually just use what comes with the bike. But this one is way to small.

nesteel 

I might think about finding a 50 tooth big ring and a 14-26 freewheel if I were going to ride it frequently.

scozim 

I've gone to 39 or 38 tooth small ring up front and either a 21t for a big in the rear or 24. I'll grab a bike with a 24 tooth freewheel for the windy days (which is probably 60% of the time). My 52-42 bikes typically have a 26 or 28 tooth in the rear for a bigmring

sloar 

I thought about a 50t ring, but ebay prices are crazy. I want to keep it a Super Record.

Lascauxcaveman 

Except for when he's riding with a 30mph tailwind; he'll be all spun out before he hits 35mph. No fun.

sloar 

I should add this is on an Eddy Merckx and I still like to hammer it out when I ride, but I'm not a pro and do need to dial it down a bit. But I don't want to turn it into a touring bike.

Wildwood 

I spin out with 46. But I'm not quite 12.
OP has lately expressed need to keep SR - so no VeloOrange options.

Wildwood 

Not SR.
VO

plonz 

All depends on your speed and cadence. I ride mostly flat terrain and would hate a 14-28 that most are recommending. Way too much difference between shifts for me. On a 6 speed, I like a 13-23 because I get 2-3mph out of each shift. 23 rear is a 14-16 mph gear all day long and 13 can get you to 30+ when you have that strong flatland wind at your back. Granted there's no bailout gear but that's what the front derailleur is for!

due ruote 

I agree with most of what you're saying, but if you are on the 53 x 23 combo that's not a good chainline.

I like close range freewheels and also live where it's flat. With a 53/42 front, the ideal for me would be something like a 15-23, but freewheels like that don't seem to exist.

On my Davidson I use a 48/42 front with a 12-21 8 spd cassette. It has worked out very well.

Sunrace makes a 13-25 7 spd that might be a good choice for you if you have room for 7.

Bad Lag

+1


Even up here at 6,000 ft ASL, even going up a 5% grade, 14-24 (5 speed) X 42-52 works for me. Lower gearing would help a bit but would slow me down on the up hill sections. At my age and fitness level, that might prove to be a good thing.

eschlwc

i have a 16-22t pro-comp sittin around.

bradtx

Sloar, I ran 13-23 (8S) for years and it is quite good for flat land use. My project bike w/ 52-42 will use a 14-25 (9S) which is what I also run on my main roadie with a 52-42-30 triple. While a 6S won't have the close ratio the range of either is nice for the flat lands.

Brad

top506

Crank-53-38/39/40.
Rear cluster-13-23/24 for 6 cog, 13-25 for 7.
I have half a dozen bikes set up within these parameters. But I routinely re-gear for long, hilly rides.

Top

qcpmsame 

I have a 14-26 on back, 5-speed Regina Extra, and the front rings are 52-42. Our terrain is much like yours is, flat but prone to being windy, as its a coastal area here. This is a good choice or ratios for my riding, I have plenty of top end for my (lack of) abilitiy, and well enough low numbers with the 26 cog and the 42 ring, should a hill suddenly materialize, magically. The 14-26 isn't correct as far as how the Medici were fitted when it was still a new bike, but neither is the 52-42, as far as I know. A straight block/corn cob block might look the part, but my body doesn't look like it did when I was 22 (what I would have been when my bike was a new ride)

I still have the 11-28 with a 53-39, 11 speed, on my CAAD 10 if I want to push things, in the mashing department, but my nearly 60 y.o. legs are happier with the 14-26, by a long shot, too.

Bill

fender1

That is what coasting is for! Plus everyone knows the wind follows you and changes direction to always be a headwind and never a tailwind.......

sloar 

I had a 23 on hand so I threw it on there. Went from 7 to 6 speed, but it made a huge difference. Thanks.