High gear - low gear

velomelo

Can anyone explain which is which in the cassette ?

Is low gear - the biggest sprocket (the highest amount of teeth) and the lowest speed it gives. Or am I confusing things here ?

Raam

Low is the big sprocket at the back and small ring at the front.

topper75

Or- the low gears are nearest your bike. High gears are nearest your foot.

doozerie

There is far too much clarity in this thread so time to introduce some confusion:

Q: When someone tells you to "go up a gear" do they mean go to a higher gear (i.e. move down to a smaller cog at the back = higher gear) or do they mean to move the chain higher on the cassette (i.e. move to a bigger cog at the back = lower gear)?

A: I dunno, it depends on how literal the person is that is talking to you. Literally. It's probably best to just ignore them.

marathont

The higher the number gear, the lower the gear ratio (i think) so can be confusing.

Paul Kiernan

doozerie wrote: »

Q: When someone tells you to "go up a gear" do they mean ........

No, they mean make more of a bleedin' effort.

bazermc

Paul Kiernan wrote: »

No, they mean make more of a bleedin' effort.

or get better cycling gear (not from Lance though!)

joxerjohn

Funny stuff, beware asking cyclists to explain about gears ! But here goes...

On a 2 x 10 gear equipped bike with a compact 50t/34t crankset

Lowest gear = 1 = Biggest rear sproket and smallest front chain ring typicallly 25t X 34t
Highest gear = 20= Smallest rear sproket and Biggest front chain ring typically 11t X 50t

Clear as mud I hope ?

bazermc

joxerjohn wrote: »

Funny stuff, beware asking cyclists to explain about gears ! But here goes...

On a 2 x 10 gear equipped bike with a compact 50t/34t crankset

Lowest gear = 1 = Biggest rear sproket and smallest front chain ring typicallly 25t X 34t
Highest gear = 20= Smallest rear sproket and Biggest front chain ring typically 11t X 50t

Clear as mud I hope ?

And is it true when people say it is not good for the bike to be in the smallest ring at the back and the smalles ring at the front and vice versa?

Jordan5372

bazermc wrote: »

And is it true when people say it is not good for the bike to be in the smallest ring at the back and the smalles ring at the front and vice versa?

Yes it is, this crosses the chain causing it to stretch, it also itsnt any good for the teeth as they will grind away at an angle if done often.

Best to be in the smallest at the front and use the top 3 at the bike, the middle cog at the front from 3 to 7 and the big cog at the front for the remainder. That is assuming it is a 10 speed rear setup.

Common sense really, just don't have the chain at a odd angle to the frame of the bike.

Dotsie~tmp

As a further understanding your gear ratio is your front ring divided by the rear. This is the amount of time the rear drive wheel turns for every 1 full rotation of the crank. So on a compact 50x34 crankset and 12x28 cassette the easiest combo is obviously 34/28 = 1.3 wheel turn for every 1 leg rotation. Front small rear big.

The hardest 50/12 = 4.1 whell turn per leg rotation. Obviously needing more power on the turn. Big front small rear.

Roger Hassenforder

Jordan5372 wrote: »

Yes it is, this crosses the chain causing it to stretch, it also itsnt any good for the teeth as they will grind away at an angle if done often.

Best to be in the smallest at the front and use the top 3 at the bike, the middle cog at the front from 3 to 7 and the big cog at the front for the remainder. That is assuming it is a 10 speed rear setup.

Common sense really, just don't have the chain at a odd angle to the frame of the bike.

:eek: