Advice re gears please

[peza]

Hello

I have a cycle with a 50 34 compact double with a 27 on the cassette and a second cycle with a 52 42 30 with a 25 on the cassette. I am doing an 100 mile bike ride which, will include some hilly sections. Which, cycle would be easiest for me to get up the hills, or isn't there much in it?

 

[jimboalee]

Do you know how to calculate the gear length in inches?

Do you know the weights of the bikes?

 

[Ivan Ardon]

There's not much in to gearing wise, other factors will come into play - weight of bike, comfort, type of wheels, weight of tyres etc.

Why not find a hill and ride up it on both bikes and see which one you prefer.

 

[Will1985]

Ask Sheldon. Those bottom gears are very similar (within 2"). Your ride isn't a race, so you can take your time if you have a problem when going uphill.

Go for the bike you prefer to ride - I'd say given that the bottom gears are similar, take the lighter one.

 

[peza]

Thanks for the replies.

Jimbo ... i don't know how to work out the gear length.
I don't have the bike weights, but i can weigh them.

 

[jimboalee]

Thanks for the replies.

Jimbo ... i don't know how to work out the gear length.
I don't have the bike weights, but i can weigh them.

( Chainring teeth / sprocket teeth ) x 27

 

[briank]

So to find out which bike has a lower bottom gear, work out 34/17 and 30/25.

 

[peza]

Sorry to sound stupid but what does the gear lenght tell me ..... i worked it out and my bike with the triple is 32.4 inches and the compact double is 33.9 inches.

 

[Sittingduck]

The lower the number the "easier" the gear

 

[peza]

Thanks sittinduck

So the difference is 1.5 inches is that much of a difference, would i notice it ?

 

[HJ]

Some people tend to forget that this is in Beginners. Basically it tells you that there isn't much difference in the gearing two bike from the hill climbing point of view. If you would like to know more about measuring bicycle gears, the late Sheldon Brown has a good explanation here. I would take which ever bike is more comfortable to ride...

Correction this thread is not in Beginners as stated above, my mistake

 

[peza]

Thanks hairy Jock.... although i'm a bit of a beginner my one bike is all carbon, which has the longer gear length, but with the advantage of it being lighter i guess there is nothing between the two.

 

[Sittingduck]

If the carbon bike has just a 1.5 inch longer gear I'd deffo be taking that one (assuming it is as comfortable as the other)

SD

 

[montage]

Thanks hairy Jock.... although i'm a bit of a beginner my one bike is all carbon, which has the longer gear length, but with the advantage of it being lighter i guess there is nothing between the two.

definately this one.

 

[peza]

Looks like it's the carbon bike i will be using ........ thanks very much for the replies