Comments on: Which Gearing?

By: Yves

Yves — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 22:32:47 +0000

I ride a Specialized Roubaix Expert with a triple crankset (53-39-30) and a 12-27 10 speed cassette. At 51 years of age, I ride about 6000 km per year and on a 50 km mostly flat ride, I maintain 28 km/h average speed, well below a Tour de France pace but OK for my knees. On steep hills (13% for 5 km – Cabot Trail; 12-19% for 10 km – Smuggler’s Notch; 10-15% for 5 km – Jay Peak; 18% for 0.8 km St-Joseph-de-la-Rive) the 30 front gear is great for my knees and the 53 great for reaching 80 km/h downhill. I use the 39 front gear most of the time unless I ride above 35 km/h or below 15 km/h. I realize that a triple crankset would not be useful for all the powerful racers but I am most happy with it as an amateur “performance” cyclist.

By: Greg

Greg — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 04:16:45 +0000

Just got a new bike with a compact crankset, 11-26 cassette, so far this is fine here in Colorado, I have some 16-18 % grades on some of my rides and this seems to work all right so far, I am not a small climber but large guy 6’2″ 180 lbs. and 54 years old. I could do this with my old set with a 39 inner but knees paid the price later since I couldn’t spin as fast as needed on the steepest parts.
There is a big gap when going from the large to small rings, and usually when I do I add one or two to the cassette unless on a steep hill. This seems to help with the gap. I shift alot more but my knees are happier.
Hope this gives you some help.
Greg

By: Lashan

Lashan — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 01:04:03 +0000

I use a 53/39 with a 7 speed 11-28 rear cassette. I have thought of running a 50/38 chainring but in two minds if the 50T large wud be sufficiant if I need to sprint.

By: sandy

sandy — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 23:21:44 +0000

hI Nigel Schuster, I’m having a new bike delivered here sept 2nd (2010 model bottecchia carbon fiber rd bike dura-ace for 1695)that has the fsa sl-k light hollow carbon 50x34T crank. Where I live there are tons of hills, and my knees are crunchie. I’m having the bike built on thurs. do you think i should have them add an granny ring if they can even do that to make steep hill climbing easier? thxxxxxx. for all replies.

By: Nigel Schuster

Nigel Schuster — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 17:42:41 +0000

I recently went from compact 50+34 x 12 – 27 for riding in Spain (the driveway was 16%!) to 52+39 x 12 – 25. Now that I’m back in Ontario the gearing is OK but I do miss the light pedaling on a steep hill at the end of a ride. Shifting from ring to ring has less of a jump in ratios for the 52+39. With the compact set up you have to pre plan shifting rings because of the extreme ratio jump 50 to 34. I believe you can keep the same chain when changing inner rings but you may need a new chain when increasing the size of the biggest sprocket on your cassette. Please get 2nd opinion.