Which Chain Ring to Use?

Marshall has a double chain set and wants to know which chain ring he should be using and what his cadence should be when he is riding. We suggest his pedal speed and how to know which gear to use

Question:

Can you address which chain ring I should be riding on? I only have two, and I know that some bikes have three. Also, what should my cadence be at when I ride?

Hi Marshall,

The correct chain ring to use is the one that gives you the pedal revs that you want and that on the flat should be around 80 to 90 revs. On a steep hard climb you will find that your pedaling will slow and the cadence will drop. If you look at the riding style of Lance Armstrong when he is climbing he keeps his revs at around 100, this he has proved gives more power and acceleration. The problem is that not every one can do this; you would have to train to be able to pedal at that rate, so go for around the 90 mark.

How to know which chain ring to use? That depends a lot on how fit you are, the gear ratios you have on your bike and the area you live in, I it is mostly flat or very hilly. In a flat area you would probably stay on the large chain ring, if it’s hilly then you will probably be changing from one to the other. It’s best if you use the rear gears to get the revs you want and then if it’s a big jump in gears then you will be changing between the front chain rings.

Bikes that have three chain rings have more hears, but the question is; do you need more? You find that with a triple chain set many of the gears are the same, you will probably have some smaller gears for climbing very steep hills, but you will not have higher gears and lots of middle gears that are the same. Triple chain sets are great for off-road riding or if you are carrying loads on a touring bike, a triple will give you the small gears needed for very difficult conditions. A compact chain set can give you a wider range of gears than a triple chain set or having a cassette with a small sprocket of 12 teeth and going up to a 28 or 32 tooth sprocket, of course for this you would need a long arm rear derailleur.

Does this explain what you need to know, Marshall?

Double Chain Set