Is 50 ish Chain ring really needed?

[nz6666]

Maybe I should define the need is for commuting, endurance cycling, touring or anything like TDF but NOT for short distanced racing. I believe many people can go like a rocket in maybe 1 or 2 miles

The difference between a Tour de France champion and a non pro is more on the hills:
http://www.bicycling.com/2011-tour-de-france/you-versus-peloton

Many people can go higher than 25 mph on flat or down hills but for how long before you have to climb a hill? The difference between a TDF champion and a non pro on flat is actually not that big. Even you run out of gears on a 39 front ring on flat or descent it won't affect your avg as much as you climb a hill where you will use a 39 ring anyway. What I am saying is 50 ish ring is something nice to have but one can totally get by with a 39 T ring (again not for short distanced racing). Plus one saves a little bit of weight and maintenance.

 

[martint235]

Upping your cadence in a lower gear is much quicker than upping it in a higher gear.

But it's much easier to up a low cadence than to try to up an already high cadence.

 

[Venod]

But it's much easier to up a low cadence than to try to up an already high cadence.

That depends what gear your using.

 

[martint235]

That depends what gear your using.

By the time I need that level of acceleration I'd probably be in 53/15 or 53/14

 

[nz6666]

And do you need anything larger than an 11T?

Do you ride a single speed?

What I am suggesting is a 1 x n system, E.g. 1 x 9 (currently using) or 1 x 10 or even 1 x 11 with a single front ring and cassette like 11-25 or 11 - 28.

 

[Wafer]

I could get around in the lowest gear on either of my bikes, that'd be a bit daft but in terms of 'need'...
More to cycling than average speed....

 

[Dogtrousers]

What I am suggesting is a 1 x n system, E.g. 1 x 9 (currently using) or 1 x 10 or even 1 x 11 with a single front ring and cassette like 11-25 or 11 - 28.

SRAM are marketing a "1x" system which has an utterly bonkers cassette in order to get the range that we (non-pro bimblers) need/want.

 

[Kestevan]

What I am suggesting is a 1 x n system, E.g. 1 x 9 (currently using) or 1 x 10 or even 1 x 11 with a single front ring and cassette like 11-25 or 11 - 28.

SRAM 1x is available for you right now. Pick a single chainring size from 38 - 54 am and a rear 11x cassette.
Too many serious up/down roads round here for most to consider... but would make sense in the flatter areas I guess.

 

[Mo1959]

SRAM 1x is available for you right now. Pick a single chainring size from 38 - 54 am and a rear 11x cassette.
Too many serious up/down roads round here for most to consider... but would make sense in the flatter areas I guess.

My little Charge Grater hybrid has a single 38 chainring with an 8 speed 11-32 cassette and I have been up most cat 3 and 4 climbs around here. I find it a great range of gears for most roads.

 

[Cyclist33]

I could get around in the lowest gear on either of my bikes, that'd be a bit daft but in terms of 'need'...
More to cycling than average speed....

I don't think that's what the OP meant.

 

[ChrisEyles]

Unless you are racing, IMO the top gear on most road bikes is not really necessary. That's not to say you won't ever use it (probably when bombing down a long hill at 40+mph), or that you won't enjoy using it when you get the chance, though.

My commuting/touring bike has a top gear of 48/11, which has seen use maybe once or twice in thousands of miles (to be fair, about the same as the lowest 28/32 gear!). My road bike has a top of 52/14, which I get to use most rides - but again, I've only ever spun it out once or twice.

I'd imagine that the 50something chainrings were used back when freewheels had a 14t smallest sprocket, and that this "standard" size stayed the same while rear sprocket size shrunk down to 11 giving a much higher (than necessary?) top gear.

 

[Kookas]

For fun on negative gradients or with a tailwind, yes.

 

[DaveReading]

[QUOTE 3725028, member: 9609"]to average 25mph you have to spend as much tme above that speed as below it.[/QUOTE]

Not necessarily.

 

[Kestevan]

My little Charge Grater hybrid has a single 38 chainring with an 8 speed 11-32 cassette and I have been up most cat 3 and 4 climbs around here. I find it a great range of gears for most roads.

My issue with the limited range is just that... It's limited.

For me at least, the lowest gear would be fine for a while, but not low enough when you've got 60-100 miles in your legs and yet another 15-20% climb to conquer. Conversely the highest is no good when you want to fly downhill at 50mph+ - and both those scenarios are fairly common round here.

However, I suspect for me the killer would be the lack of intermediate gears. I'm guessing that the wide range and limited choices will cause big gaps in the ratios.. I've got used to having the "right" ratio to maintain a comfortable cadence on most slopes at a range of speeds - I'd suggest for most people any perceived drawbacks of a compact double (or triple) are outweighed by the benefits.

 

[vickster]

Maybe I should define the need is for commuting, endurance cycling, touring or anything like TDF but NOT for short distanced racing. I believe many people can go like a rocket in maybe 1 or 2 miles

The difference between a Tour de France champion and a non pro is more on the hills:
http://www.bicycling.com/2011-tour-de-france/you-versus-peloton

Many people can go higher than 25 mph on flat or down hills but for how long before you have to climb a hill.

You've not net me then, nor the pals I ride with we can manage 25mph downhill, Gravity is useful, but very very rarely on the flat and we certainly don't go like rockets for 1-2 miles