What gears are you pushing?

Crippens1

Wondering what gear ratios people are pushing.

I just pulled the trigger on a Miche cassette 13-14-15-16-17-18-19-21-23-25-27. I have a compact 50-34 up front.

I wanted to get away from an 11 or 12 as I only ever used those sprockets spinning downhill. The last time I pushed those gears with menace is many years ago racing (back then 52x13 was the usual max.). This gives me a tighter spread in the mid-gears where I need it / use it most. Also, I can get over most climbs on a 23 or a 25 and the 27 is a sort of rescue for steeper moments (Devil's Glen or Luggala say).

I feel I'm much better served with this range and wonder why I waited so long to change up.

magicbastarder

52/36 to an 11-28. i can't remember if i ever went 52-11.

Cee-Jay-Cee

50/34 with 11/28 cassette (11spd) There are a few gaps but overall it offers the best spread of gears for my needs.

I have a cheap bike also with 50/34 but an 11/32 cassette (8speed) and its incredibly gappy with huge jumps especially in the lower gears but the bike doesn't get much use and spends most of the time on the turbo trainer so gears aren't as important.

My winter bike has a 46/30 chainset with 12/32 cassette (11spd) and its a really nice bike for back roads and hills (which is where it is predominantly used)

magicbastarder

yeah, i've also got a 53/39 to 12/26 (i think). i haven't sat on it in at least six months.

Takca

34/50 with 11/32

I've found myself using them all, although when in the highest gear I'm either going downhill or my cadence probably isn't high enough.

When I bought the bike I knew I would struggle when climbing, so was happy to have the a 32 in the cassette and I definitely needed it.
Now I feel like it sometimes allows me to go easy on myself and I could (sometimes, not all the time) climb a bit faster if it wasn't there and I was forced to use the 28.

magicbastarder

i've mentioned before, but i'm often bemused by the number of people i see who are loath to come off the big ring. they'd much prefer to cross-chain madly than drop to the small ring at the front.

Alek

Back in the day I had a 50/34 + 11-28 and I hated the fact that I'm using only 8 gears out of ten... Hence I've switched to 38 + 11-36 and use the whole range now.. but its quite gappy alright

http://www.gear-calculator.com/?GR=DERS&KB=34,50&RZ=11,12,13,14,15,17,19,21,24,28&UF=2111&TF=114&SL=2.55&UN=KMH&GR2=DERS&KB2=42&RZ2=11,13,15,17,19,21,24,28,32,36&UF2=2111

Miklos

53/39 to 11/28, though sometimes I miss my 36 small ring.

mamax

Now 53/39 and 11/30
Last year I changed from 11/28 to help with the climbs

Crippens1

magicbastarder wrote: »

i've mentioned before, but i'm often bemused by the number of people i see who are loath to come off the big ring. they'd much prefer to cross-chain madly than drop to the small ring at the front.

This was another reason behind my choice as it gives a good cross-over point (for me) of 34 x 14/15 to 50 x 19/21.

Crippens1

There's some hardy souls out there with 53 x 11 and 12 !!!

Happy Cycling.

cdaly_

Weepsie wrote: »

I'm putting a triple on a new build soon as it's a touring/comutting one and I just wanted to. 52/39/30 to a 12-30 (or 32 if I can)

For touring, you don't need a high gear, just freewheel. I run 48/36/26 with a 12-32 on the back and I'm well happy with that.

Borderfox

50-34 11-32 on the winter bike
46-30 11-32 on the good bike

Did a test over 50km and the winter bike was 4 minutes faster than the good bike despite it being alu and regular alu wheels??

JimmiesRustled

53/39 and swap between an 11/23 and 11/25.

bazermc

Cocaine, benzo's and some herb.

P_1

53-39 11-32 on the shiny new bike
53-39 11-28 on the workhorse
48-16 on the singlespeed

gaffmaster

50/34 11-28 (11-speed)
50/34 11-25 (9-speed)

Both 165mm cranks. Lever length is another factor in any gearing equation.

Type 17

Modern road bike: 50/34 on 11/28 (10 speed) - A lot of the time, I seem to flip between big ring/quite a big sprocket (bad chain line) or small ring/quite a small sprocket (also not a great chain line), with a lot of shifting "across the gap". I'm going to try a 46 big ring, so I can use ratios with better chain lines (I'm not worried about running out of gears at the top end ).

70's road bike: 42/48 on 13/21 (6-speed) - this bike was originally used in the Netherlands, with suitable ratios, so when I got it, it had 48/52 on 13/18 (6-speed). Dublin isn't that hilly, but I had to compromise a bit.

secman

Good bike 50/34 11/28 11 speed
Bike 2 50/34 11/28 11 speed
Winter bike 50/34 11/25 10 speed
Vintage steel frame 52/42 11/ 25 (I think) 8 speed

That steel frame used to have a straight 12/19 cassette... actually did w200 on that set up....many moons ago I might add.

Cee-Jay-Cee

Borderfox wrote: »

50-34 11-32 on the winter bike
46-30 11-32 on the good bike

Did a test over 50km and the winter bike was 4 minutes faster than the good bike despite it being alu and regular alu wheels??

What is your ‘good bike’? I have a 46/30 on my Felt VR30 but haven’t come across it on any other bikes other than Felt’s.

dahat

Summer/Race bike is 52/36 with 11/25, a recent change as I love big gears.

Winter / Turbo bike has same but in will be changing the 52/36 to 50/34 for next winter.

Yes, I do miss the 28 sprocket....

Idleater

Hardest gearing is 52/42 14-25 6 speed on the vintage bike. Even that is probably cheating for l'Eroica.

Kaisr Sose

I think the 11 is wasted for most people. Even a 12 is. OP has a good set up in my opinion.
My ideal set up would start from 13. I may go to 50-34. Currently on 52/35 a s 12-27. 28t would be ideal.
Back in the day I only ever got totally spun out while racing in the US with 52x13 and we were going fast! Michael Zanoli won the downhill sprint and one of my team mates got 4th spinning 52 x 13! I have no idea how he did it, I was going backwards spinning nothing! I never switched to 12 as I never felt I needed it.

Spinning not pushing is the way to go though

cjt156

Not a combo I've seen mentioned yet;
48/34 and 32/11, 10 speed and I use them all.

loyatemu

32 is a big gear on the back

I've a triple, 12-27 on the back; reckon I use them all at some point on most spins.

being able to quickly drop into the faster or slower set of ratios by changing the front ring is handy; and I go up hills pretty slowly.