Gearing

kerryscoob

Have 53/39 11/23.

Tough on hills, what's my options cassette wise.

SomeFool

12-27 is about as easy as you can get afaik, or 12-25, or you could go compact.

CheGuedara

11-28 assuming 10spd Shimano *should* allow you to cycle up the North face

Lumen

In races my cadence averages 90-95rpm and never drops below 75rpm, so this must be the fastest/least tiring range for me.

I did some gearing experimentation on Saturday by taking my race bike with a 12-23 to a hilly Wicklow ride. Not having lots of gears I was sometimes forced to climb in the 39x23 at much lower cadence than I naturally select. I was occasionally dropping to 50rpm. Whatever about potential future knee problems, it felt pretty unpleasant.

I reckon for non-racing purposes you can afford to lose 10rpm because the intensity is lower, which means 65rpm is a sensible minimum for me.

Unfortunately this means I should probably be using a 39-30 or 34-26 for hilly non-racing spins.

So I think I'll stick with compact 12-25 for non-racing use until (if) I get much faster.

Not sure if this helps your question, but thought I'd share anyway.

I do think that 12-27 is annoying gappy so 12-25 would be better if you can get away with it.

leftism

Lumen wrote: »

I do think that 12-27 is annoying gappy so 12-25 would be better if you can get away with it.

+1

Plastik

Can one of you guys tell me what xx-xx is usually found on a standard 8-speed double? And how I measure it? I'm still new to all this ...

niceonetom

Plastik wrote: »

Can one of you guys tell me what xx-xx is usually found on a standard 8-speed double? And how I measure it? I'm still new to all this ...

It's usually written on the rings. Standards usually have 52 or 53 on the big ring and 39 (or 42 on older sets) on the inner ring. If it's not written on the rings just count the teeth.

cdaly_

A double chainset is typically 53/39 while a compact double is 50/34. The typical 8sp cassette would be 12-27 or thereabouts.

kerryscoob wrote:

Have 53/39

Tough on hills

52/39/30...

kerryscoob

12/25 it is then.