Boardman Hybrid Comp - is the double chainset a problem on hills

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Captain

New Member
1 in 3 is ludicrous steep surely?
This is a steep bit of tarmac:becool:
It's probably less than 1 in 3 but it's steep.
I may have a to take a photo in the morning.

I don't think this bike has any problem on hills. but the hills I ride are short and sharp - @Cubist: bloody hell thats a long time going uphill.
 
boardman compact

I have been using my boardman comp since Feb , I really like it on my commute approx 7 miles e/w I have a long gradient to climb, not being an expert I have tried various combinations with the gearing and would be more than confident to tackle most hills with this bike.
 

TheDoctor

Europe Endless
Moderator
Location
The TerrorVortex
Tynan said:
1 in 3 is ludicrous steep surely?

Steepest I've been up (I think) is a stretch of 1:5 on Horseshoe Pass, Llangollen.
On a scale of 1 to steep it was STEEP!!!!
There's some 1:3.5 in Llandudno IIRC that I completely failed to get up when I was 16. I doubt I'd do any better now.
 

GrasB

Veteran
Location
Nr Cambridge
GrasB said:
It depends on the rider really. When combined with a 11-32 cassette I'd say that the range would be more than wide enough for me to deal with all but the steepest (1:3) inclines with ease.
I suppose when I say with ease I mean that yes it would hurt & be hard work but I wouldn't really need to push my self to the limit of my abilities to get up a 1:3 on that gearing.
 

jimboalee

New Member
Location
Solihull
TheDoctor said:
Steepest I've been up (I think) is a stretch of 1:5 on Horseshoe Pass, Llangollen.
On a scale of 1 to steep it was STEEP!!!!
There's some 1:3.5 in Llandudno IIRC that I completely failed to get up when I was 16. I doubt I'd do any better now.

I got up there on my SWorks with 39 x 25. 3.5 mph at the slowest point. 325ish Watts I reckon, at 30 rpm.
 

PpPete

Legendary Member
Location
Chandler's Ford
We can't all put out 300+ watts ! And the SWorks is a seriously light bike too.

Personally I'd want a triple on a hybrid. But then I failed to get up a 1 in 5 in a 26" gear in the middle of my first 100k. I've got smaller chainrings now.
 

Plax

Guru
Location
Wales
TheDoctor said:
Steepest I've been up (I think) is a stretch of 1:5 on Horseshoe Pass, Llangollen.
On a scale of 1 to steep it was STEEP!!!!
There's some 1:3.5 in Llandudno IIRC that I completely failed to get up when I was 16. I doubt I'd do any better now.

Great Orme. Want to have another go next time your over? ;)
 

TheDoctor

Europe Endless
Moderator
Location
The TerrorVortex
Duplicate post
 

Captain

New Member
I tried climbing this hill the other day after reading this thread.
It's the same as the one on my way to work but a lot longer.
I must say upon closer inspection 1 in 3 is more likely 1 in 4. to me pretty damn steep.
 

GrumpyGregry

Here for rides.
the B3122 which runs parallel gets a single < on the OS map suggesting it is between 1 in 7 (14%) and 1 in 5 (20%) whilst bikehike suggest St Agnes itself is a climb of 18m over about 200m.

I know from my own, albeit rural, commute that roads with < on them can have significantly steeper micro-climbs on them, piffling to the internal combustion engine but decidedly awkward for my legs.
 
I did the Evans King of the Down Sportive yesterday. I am not that fit, soI was glad I had a triple with 28 front and 34 back for some of the hills as I was able to cycle up all of them. Albeit stopping for a breather half way up. There were plenty of younger fitter guys than me who had compact chainsets that were having to walk up.
 

Captain

New Member
@GregCollins: I stand corrected! :ohmy:
It's damn steep is the main point really.
I dont know what it would be like with any kind of load though - i've only climbed it with my saddlebag on.

There is a road I am building up to trying that I dont know the gradient of except that the bricks in the wall next to it are cut in half corner to corner.
Thought I had gradient notage sorted but is that 1 in 2?
 

Sally

New Member
Can I ask for some related advice?

I have just got a Boardman's Womens Hybrid Comp, and I'm really enjoying it but struggling a bit with gear sequencing on my commute to work.
It's pretty busy traffic wise and has a short steepish hill and quite a few pedestrian crossings (not in the same stretch thank goodness!)
The range of the gears is absolutely fine for my journey but my last bike had a hub gear so I'm out of practice and struggling to get my head round using a double chainset rather than a triple as I was previously used to

So two specific issues I am finding

1. If I'm in top gear (2 and 9 front and back respectively) and the predestrian crossing lights change so I need a quick stop, I am struggling a bit to change down to 2 and 5 which is comfortable for a standing start and brake at the same time. Is this just a case of getting used to doing this? I am assuming that I shouldn't shift to 1 and 9 as that wouldn't be good for the gears?

2. As I start my ascent I am in 2 and 5, whereas at the top I will want to be in about 1 and 3. What's a sensible sequence to move between these without losing too much momentum?

Any advice gratefully received (though if it's try harder / build your quads please remember there's lots of traffic so I do need to keep quite an eye on the cars and stay flexible to avoid them!!)

thanks

Sally
 
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