Chainset advice please

[cd365]

Use your gets properly rather than get a new group set. You'll spin out a 39 easily enough. Change to the big ring

Every time I change to the big ring I stay in it!

 

[Citius]

Forcing yourself to stay in the small ring is a bit of a fallacy. As others have said, just use the appropriate gear/cadence for whatever terrain you are on.

 

[cd365]

I want to get my muscles used to a high cadence, I have a tendency if I go into my big ring to go back to my old cadence. I'm trying to spend this "season" getting my legs used to a higher cadence so it becomes my natural muscle memory.

 

[Citius]

I want to get my muscles used to a high cadence, I have a tendency if I go into my big ring to go back to my old cadence. I'm trying to spend this "season" getting my legs used to a higher cadence so it becomes my natural muscle memory.

What do you define as a 'high' cadence? We are on page 2 now and you have yet to actually define that. Your cadence tends naturally to increase with fitness anyway. It depends what your objectives are I guess. If your goal is to improve your cycling performance, then you are barking up the wrong tree. If your only goal is to spin your legs faster, then you are definitely on the right track.

 

[Hacienda71]

I always just ride what I feel comfortable with at that point in the ride. I avoid using a cadence meter as I think you are then trying to over analyse how you are cycling. If you feel you a are pushing to big a gear, change gear. Choose using the inner ring when your chain line is too extreme with the big ring.

 

[cd365]

What do you define as a 'high' cadence? We are on page 2 now and you have yet to actually define that. Your cadence tends naturally to increase with fitness anyway. It depends what your objectives are I guess. If your goal is to improve your cycling performance, then you are barking up the wrong tree. If your only goal is to spin your legs faster, then you are definitely on the right track.

I am trying to keep an average cadence of around 90. My aim is to improve my cycling technique. My performance (average speed) has suffered this year but I'm not too bothered about that. On my commute with about 500 feet of climbing I'm averaging around 17mph, up to 19mph. On the bigger ring it was 18 to 20mph but my legs felt tired and I sometimes skipped a Friday to recover for a Saturday ride.

Edit:
I thought I had mentioned my cadence https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/chainset-advice-please.182882/#post-3773544

 

[boydj]

I found the 50/ 34 combination too awkward. There's a big jump which makes front changes lumpy and I found myself unable to get a comfortable cruising gear where a change of one or two cogs at the back would let me keep my cadence in the comfort zone, so I was shifting a lot between big and small chain rings. I changed the rings to 48/36 and this solved all the problems with little compromise.

 

[ChrisEyles]

I run a 52/42 old-school double on my weekend bike and love it - the switch between chain rings is about half again as big a difference in gear as a switch between rear sprockets. Because the jump between chain rings is smaller I find myself shifting up front quite a lot (52/20 and 42/20 are the most-used gears on that bike for gently rolling terrain), which would eliminate your problem of getting stuck in the big/small ring. I've had a go on a few bikes with compact cranksets and personally haven't got on with the big jump between rings, or with the need to cross-chain the transmission.

If you went down this route you'd need to pair it with something bigger than a 23t largest sprocket though, which may also require a longer cage derailleur. I went from a 14-26t (five speed freewheel, it's a 1960s bike) to a 14-28t and after a bit of practice can get up pretty much anything now.

If you are interested in upping your cadence, have you tried out different crank lengths? I have slightly shorter cranks on my ten-speed than on my tourer/commuter, and find they make it easier/more natural to maintain a higher cadence. Just a thought.

 

[Hacienda71]

I have a compact on one of my bikes and I bloody hate it. The most extreme gears are rarely used but living on the edge of the Pennines some times they are needed.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I would be interested in your thoughts.

I cycle around rolling Warwickshire countryside.

My Verenti came with a compact 50/34, very shortly after I got it I changed the inner ring to a 42 to give me 50/42 and I've been riding that combination round Coventry/Warwickshire and surrounding areas for the last 4 years. My problem with the 50/34 is that its to wide, my little legs will only pull the 50 down hill with a following wind, the 34 is to small unless I get into serious hills, I ride the 42 most of the time.

http://www.ukbikestore.co.uk/product/390/bcr_31/bbb---compactgear-chainring-110mm.html

 

[ColinJ]

My Verenti came with a compact 50/34, very shortly after I got it I changed the inner ring to a 42 to give me 50/42 and I've been riding that combination round Coventry/Warwickshire and surrounding areas for the last 4 years. My problem with the 50/34 is that its to wide, my little legs will only pull the 50 down hill with a following wind, the 34 is to small unless I get into serious hills, I ride the 42 most of the time.

http://www.ukbikestore.co.uk/product/390/bcr_31/bbb---compactgear-chainring-110mm.html

I don't think I would like a 50/34 either.

I converted my Cannondale to a 48/38/28 triple for much nicer steps between rings, and lower gears. I spend much of my time riding on the 38.