Gears on Standard Bikes Rant

[Col5632]

My knowledge of gears is very limited so forgive me for asking the question but i recently bought a btwin Triban 5 and the standard gears on that are "Shimano SORA 50/39/30 triple crankset, 9-speed 12/25 cassette" I very rarely end up in the big ring and i find the small ring and smallest gear at the back is sometimes not low enough (well compared to my hybrid) would others agree with this?

 

[Boris Bajic]

My knowledge of gears is very limited so forgive me for asking the question but i recently bought a btwin Triban 5 and the standard gears on that are "Shimano SORA 50/39/30 triple crankset, 9-speed 12/25 cassette" I very rarely end up in the big ring and i find the small ring and smallest gear at the back is sometimes not low enough (well compared to my hybrid) would others agree with this?

This seems like a lovely spread of gears for a road bike.

Your lowest gear (biggest sprocket and smallest chainring) is around 31.5 inches and your highest around 109 inches, assuming you're running on 700c x 23 tyres. That will get you up most tarmac hills in the UK, although you may have to stand up and you may end up pedalling quite slowly. But the spread of gears is good.

Secretly, I yearn for a triple on a road bike, but it is my sincere belief that three chainrings are against the law on such a machine, so I'm stuck making funny faces, poking my tongue out and going very slowly on climbs.

But... At least I'm not breaking the law!

 

[Col5632]

This seems like a lovely spread of gears for a road bike.

Your lowest gear (biggest sprocket and smallest chainring) is around 31.5 inches and your highest around 109 inches, assuming you're running on 700c x 23 tyres. That will get you up most tarmac hills in the UK, although you may have to stand up and you may end up pedalling quite slowly. But the spread of gears is good.

Secretly, I yearn for a triple on a road bike, but it is my sincere belief that three chainrings are against the law on such a machine, so I'm stuck making funny faces, poking my tongue out and going very slowly on climbs.

But... At least I'm not breaking the law!

Tbf there hasnt been a hill yet i havent got up on it

When i was looking at buying a Orbrea in my LBS he said he i wouldnt need a triple but sometimes i'm thankful for it

Maybe one day ill get my head around the gears

 

[SpokeyDokey]

What suits some will not suit others I guess but having tried a 53 x 11-25 fairly recently it would be of no use to me as my normal ring/cassette - I wouldn't get very far from my house tbh.

I have a 46/36 with 12-28 and 32mm tyres and tbh I live on the 46 in hilly Cumbria with the 36 being useful for (to me) desperately steep climbs.

As far as spinning out goes which is 30mph-ish it is of no concern to me. If I am going that fast down a hill I have no wish to add anything further to the speed.

I don't like the big 50/34 16 tooth drop and much prefer my 10 tooth drop closer ranges.

Triples seem sensible to me but they get slated for some reason.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

when I was going up Ditchling on the FNRttC I was grateful for the 34/12, and wished I'd had something smaller on the front

Sounds like you needed a triple on the front. I do most of my cycling on fixed I don't ride gears a lot , I think my verenti has a 27 biggest cog on the back and that with a 42 on the front is enough to get up the hills round here, I spent years riding 50/42 with a 12/24 6 speed on the back, I'm in my sixties now and my ability to pull the big gears has faded as the years have past. What I found was the difference between 50 and 34 was too great, I'd either be grinding on the 50 or spinning out on the 34.

 

[Lee_M]

Sounds like you needed a triple on the front. I do most of my cycling on fixed I don't ride gears a lot , I think my verenti has a 27 biggest cog on the back and that with a 42 on the front is enough to get up the hills round here, I spent years riding 50/42 with a 12/24 6 speed on the back, I'm in my sixties now and my ability to pull the big gears has faded as the years have past. What I found was the difference between 50 and 34 was too great, I'd either be grinding on the 50 or spinning out on the 34.

well obviously I meant 34/28 not 34/12!

I don't need a triple, unless I start doing the ventoux, what I need is to be shorter and 3 stone lighter
neither of those are going to happen!

 

[Crankarm]

My 2ps worth is get a cassette with as few gaps in the sprocket range as possible ie 9 spd 12-21. You should have only one gap with this cassette or say a 13-26 which will give 4 gaps meaning larger jumps between sprockets. Terrain will govern what cassette your bike has and how strong a rider you are. The front mid ring 42 is fine for most riders. 42-12 could easily take you up to 30mph on 700c wheels with 35C tyres and 21 sprocket enough to get up most slight/moderate inclines. 52 ring for special days, sundays burning off weekend club cyclists and perhaps when there is a strong following wind which is almost never.