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Swapped all mine and Mrs Tenkay's Brommies to 44T. Means I can get all the way to the Pub at the top of the hill without climbing off
Swapped all mine and Mrs Tenkay's Brommies to 44T. Means I can get all the way to the Pub at the top of the hill without climbing off
Not done a proper run yet but intending it tomorrow for my normal commute. Hoping its going to make a usable difference.
Chris S
Legendary Member
- Location
- Birmingham
I don't think you could fail to notice a 12% reduction in gearing. A 10% reduction in gearing on my Raleigh 3-speed made it a completely different bike. Not only does it go uphill easier but I now spend most of my time in third gear instead of second. I now have to freewheel downhill but the rest of the time it's actually quicker.
To be fair Cheshire is also generally quite flat just not my route
. I can always reverse it if I dont get on with it.
mitchibob
Über Member
- Location
- Treorchy, Wales
I think you're fine going for a 44T in Cheshire. There are definitely some lumps. Oxford, it'd have to be the 54T though ;-)To be fair Cheshire is also generally quite flat just not my route
steveindenmark
Legendary Member
I struggled with the 50T and changed to the 44T. They should make it as standard.
Its a tough gear 3rd with a 50T I was only really using it downhill on a smooth flat or with a tail wind. I consider myself in relatively good condition too.
mitchibob
Über Member
- Location
- Treorchy, Wales
I thought it was so that you could still pedal going downhill to reduce the rattling?
For London, the M3L 50T BromptonBikeHire rentals are pretty bang on. A friend got one for the Urban Hill Climb last year (wont comment on his time or how he looked crossing the finish line).
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What is this rattle of which you speak
Seriously though unless I have just tuned it out mine dont rattle ?
mitchibob
Über Member
- Location
- Treorchy, Wales
I think the 3 speed perhaps rattles less than 2 or 6 speed, as I suspect it comes from the chain tensioner that has sprockets that move between the gears, and when not pedalling, they rattle more. Whereas the 3 speed, the sprockets on the chain tensioner don't have to move side to side, so one rattle apex removed. It's a guess though.What is this rattle of which you speak
Seriously though unless I have just tuned it out mine dont rattle ?
Makes sense from an engineering point of view.
12boy
Guru
- Location
- Casper WY USA
Well, here's a different approach. Mine has a 14 tooth sprocket for winter and a 13 for summer and 38 and 58 tooth chainrings. This is with the SA SRF3 3 speed hub. I rarely use the 38, but when climbing steep and long it is a godsend. This a greasy finger shift set up. With. the 58 and the 14 I get 50, 67 and 89 gear inches, good for most situations I encounter. The 38 yields 33, 44 and 58.
However I like low cadence riding so this works well for me. In the summer the SA rear wheel is exchanged for a bikegang 3 speed with 11, 14 and 17 tooth sprockets which is a liitle lighter. Lot of muck in the winter and the chain tensioner for the SA is a little easier to keep clean. But what ever set up I have, if I could only have one bike it would be my gnarly little Brompton. It is fun to change it around though.
However I like low cadence riding so this works well for me. In the summer the SA rear wheel is exchanged for a bikegang 3 speed with 11, 14 and 17 tooth sprockets which is a liitle lighter. Lot of muck in the winter and the chain tensioner for the SA is a little easier to keep clean. But what ever set up I have, if I could only have one bike it would be my gnarly little Brompton. It is fun to change it around though.
