How many gears do you use???

[Easytigers]

I know this has probably been covered many times before but I'm a bit of a newbie! Was cycling to work this morning and realised that I only actually use about half of the gears that I have (13 of the 24)...is this normal or am I not making the most of the gearing???
Just in case anyone is interested I tend to use:
2, 3, 4, first chainring....have never needed the lowest granny!
9,10, 11, 12, 13, second chainring...mostly used on gentle gradients
20, 21, 22, 23, 24 third chainring...generally motoring along and of course going down hill!

Russ

 

[Vikeonabike]

Only one.....but then that is all I have at the moment! Kona Paddy Waggon

 

[Easytigers]

 

[John90]

Two on my commute - the big and middle chainring (I think that's the term). The big one for cruising and down hill, the middle one for acceleration and uphill. Third smallest sprocket on the cassette. Don't ask me for technical descriptions.

It's ridiculous really as I'm on a MTB with 27 gears, but I'm glad the rest are there for serious hills on other routes and I find just using the two provides a good workout without what I imagine are the limitations of a single speed.

 

[gaz]

I use all my gears.

 

[Bicycle]

1. On my fixie: All of them. They all work best at about 18-23 mph.



2. On my road bike: All of them, but I have 'favourites'. There are some climbs where clicking into the right sprocket is better than Bread & Butter Pudding!

(NB. Road bikes have only 2 chainrings. I will brook no dissent on this matter).

3. On my HT MTB: I seem to spend almost all my time off-road in the middle ring. If I hit the granny it's only in baby-low sprockets.

If I hit the big ring I'm descending fast over bumps and am scared and probably out of control.

4. On my ancient rigid MTB hack: I'm not sure the levers still work. I always use whatever gear it's in....

 

[Simba]

(NB. Road bikes have only 2 or 3 chainrings. I will brook no dissent on this matter).

Fixed that for you.

 

[Bicycle]

Fixed that for you.

Noooo!

You speak great evil!

It is not so!

It cannot be!

Nooooo!!!

Oh.... OK then. Fair enough. 2 or 3. Why not?

 

[Herzog]

I use all my gears.

Even largest sprocket-big ring?

 

[Simba]

Noooo!

You speak great evil!

It is not so!

It cannot be!

Nooooo!!!

Oh.... OK then. Fair enough. 2 or 3. Why not?

Hehe, it sure can be 2 or 3 or even, (dare I say it) a compact. I use a triple, but only use my granny ring on climbs over 12% On flats and short climbs, I am always on my middle ring 42 teeth and for those long nice descents I am on the outer ring 52 teeth, all with a 13x26 cassette.

 

[danger mouse]

Every single one, and tonight I wish I had a dozen more. Every little incline felt like a 1:1

Oooh my legs

 

[Simba]

Every single one, and tonight I wish I had a dozen more. Every little incline felt like a 1:1

Oooh my legs

What percentage is that? I don't know what a 1:1 is

 

[danger mouse]

That be a 45%. Showing my age me thinks

 

[Emmanuel Obikwelu]

Same as you but including the granny gear and the full spectrum on middle sprocket where you dont expect to have to be changing up or down in the immediate future.

 

[Simba]

That be a 45%. Showing my age me thinks

Ouch, 45% my biggest hill since getting my Garmin Edge 605 is a 22% and my lungs felt like they were going to burst.