How many gears is too many?
11-18-21, 08:12 PM
#151
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The "Overlap" horse has been pounded to jelly .....
As for number of gears---have any of you been either carrying a load, climbing a hill, or fighting a fierce wind--or any two or three of those at once---and wished for a gear a tiny bit lower than the one you were using after having tired the next step down---not in order but in ratio---and found it too big by the tiniest of margins?
I remember a day coming out of Colorado into Kansas where we had nonstop hills and a 20-25 mph headwind ... I would have loved a CVT or a 3x33 on that day -- quarter-tooth margins?
Anyway ... at some point this approaches the Rydabent Theorem--"if I don't need it it doesn't need to exist." Indyfabz likes that set-up, and that is all the justification he needs, and the rest of us are just audience members talking during the performance.
As for number of gears---have any of you been either carrying a load, climbing a hill, or fighting a fierce wind--or any two or three of those at once---and wished for a gear a tiny bit lower than the one you were using after having tired the next step down---not in order but in ratio---and found it too big by the tiniest of margins?
I remember a day coming out of Colorado into Kansas where we had nonstop hills and a 20-25 mph headwind ... I would have loved a CVT or a 3x33 on that day -- quarter-tooth margins?
Anyway ... at some point this approaches the Rydabent Theorem--"if I don't need it it doesn't need to exist." Indyfabz likes that set-up, and that is all the justification he needs, and the rest of us are just audience members talking during the performance.
11-18-21, 08:17 PM
#152
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Gear escalation, 117 years ago:
Likes For tcs:
11-18-21, 08:29 PM
#153
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So a 3x11 is 44 times better than a 2x11?
11-19-21, 03:50 AM
#154
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The "Overlap" horse has been pounded to jelly .....
As for number of gears---have any of you been either carrying a load, climbing a hill, or fighting a fierce wind--or any two or three of those at once---and wished for a gear a tiny bit lower than the one you were using after having tired the next step down---not in order but in ratio---and found it too big by the tiniest of margins?
I remember a day coming out of Colorado into Kansas where we had nonstop hills and a 20-25 mph headwind ... I would have loved a CVT or a 3x33 on that day -- quarter-tooth margins?
Anyway ... at some point this approaches the Rydabent Theorem--"if I don't need it it doesn't need to exist." Indyfabz likes that set-up, and that is all the justification he needs, and the rest of us are just audience members talking during the performance.
As for number of gears---have any of you been either carrying a load, climbing a hill, or fighting a fierce wind--or any two or three of those at once---and wished for a gear a tiny bit lower than the one you were using after having tired the next step down---not in order but in ratio---and found it too big by the tiniest of margins?
I remember a day coming out of Colorado into Kansas where we had nonstop hills and a 20-25 mph headwind ... I would have loved a CVT or a 3x33 on that day -- quarter-tooth margins?
Anyway ... at some point this approaches the Rydabent Theorem--"if I don't need it it doesn't need to exist." Indyfabz likes that set-up, and that is all the justification he needs, and the rest of us are just audience members talking during the performance.
But I was just responding to the claim that there was very little overlap. Not suggesting overlap is a bad thing, just that it exists.
To get to Rydabent's level I would need to state that something I don't use or properly understand is useless and some sort of sales/marketing scam.
11-19-21, 04:09 AM
#155
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The "Overlap" horse has been pounded to jelly .....
As for number of gears---have any of you been either carrying a load, climbing a hill, or fighting a fierce wind--or any two or three of those at once---and wished for a gear a tiny bit lower than the one you were using after having tired the next step down---not in order but in ratio---and found it too big by the tiniest of margins?
I remember a day coming out of Colorado into Kansas where we had nonstop hills and a 20-25 mph headwind ... I would have loved a CVT or a 3x33 on that day -- quarter-tooth margins?
Anyway ... at some point this approaches the Rydabent Theorem--"if I don't need it it doesn't need to exist." Indyfabz likes that set-up, and that is all the justification he needs, and the rest of us are just audience members talking during the performance.
As for number of gears---have any of you been either carrying a load, climbing a hill, or fighting a fierce wind--or any two or three of those at once---and wished for a gear a tiny bit lower than the one you were using after having tired the next step down---not in order but in ratio---and found it too big by the tiniest of margins?
I remember a day coming out of Colorado into Kansas where we had nonstop hills and a 20-25 mph headwind ... I would have loved a CVT or a 3x33 on that day -- quarter-tooth margins?
Anyway ... at some point this approaches the Rydabent Theorem--"if I don't need it it doesn't need to exist." Indyfabz likes that set-up, and that is all the justification he needs, and the rest of us are just audience members talking during the performance.
From Dubois, Wyoming all the way to Canon City, Co, I fought a 30-50 mph headwind. When I am TT at 30 mph. When I am touring heavily loaded and there is a headwind, my full loaded touring bike still has half step gearing in the 40-80 inch range for just that reason.
11-19-21, 05:51 AM
#156
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39x42 chainrings and a 9 speed 12-36 cassette. This works out to 29.7 to 95.8 GI and 18 unduplicated gears using 35mm 700c wheels and tires.
11-19-21, 09:57 AM
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TWO gears is the right answer. One for the flats at 80 rpm (at endurance output of 80% of FTP), and one for steepest uphill YOU will encounter at 80rpm (at endurance output). Anything more than TWO is just for ease or speed. If there's no hills (aka Florida), then ONE is the right answer.
11-19-21, 10:58 AM
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I did not read all 7 pages of this thread, so I am likely repeating someone by pointing out that we do not have more gears now than we did 20 years ago.
More cogs, fewer rings, fewer gear combos.
btw, I am not aware of any tests that indicate that chain life has on the whole decreased with more gears in the back. But they have gotten more expensive.
More cogs, fewer rings, fewer gear combos.
btw, I am not aware of any tests that indicate that chain life has on the whole decreased with more gears in the back. But they have gotten more expensive.
Last edited by Kapusta; 11-19-21 at 06:02 PM.
11-19-21, 05:50 PM
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many will say 2.
1 gear beauty
1 gear beauty
11-19-21, 06:04 PM
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