Oh! the shame....

[Adrian_K]

...I used my granny ring (30x23) for the first time in anger over the w/e.

To be fair there's a small section (according to heywhatsthat.com that's 18%) but the hill was only ½ mile but it felt a lot lot longer than that. In hindsight I was probably a bit naive thinking I could get up it on the 42t.

I looked up it and thought 'there's no-one around, I can always get off and walk' - am I still allowed on a cycling forum?

www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=17225

After that point a was a broken man and used it again to get up Box Hill.

but 3 hours for a 45mile run I don't feel that bad about it. But it was a long time since I've ridden without timing myself, so it was quite nice 'just having a ride in the country'.

 

[threebikesmcginty]

Your forum membership may be reviewed!!!

Nice to know it's there when you do need it though isn't it?.....not that I've ever used mine of course....cough

 

[Rhys_Po]

I can beat that for embarrasment - on (I think) the very same hill.

Thought I'd take my (fairly new) Fixie out and see just how much of a hill I could do on 48 x 17.

Got about 2/3rds of the way up, blowing badly and realised I was coming to a standstill. Now, this was the very same day I'd decided to go clipless for the first time. I couldn't for the life of me work out how to unclip while still keeping the enormous amount of pressure on the pedals to prevent my fixie from rolling backwards!

After much deliberation, I decided to simply topple over very slowly

 

[numbnuts]

I’ve got a confession too without my granny ring I couldn’t complete half my rides, but my excuse is :-
1. I’m old
2. I’m weak
3. I’ve got emphysema
by this time next year I could be on an electric bike

 

[peanut]

Your forum membership may be reviewed!!!

Nice to know it's there when you do need it though isn't it?.....not that I've ever used mine of course....cough

you're using a triple on a road bike

sorry ...you're membership is currently under review

 

[RedBike]

Thought I'd take my (fairly new) Fixie out and see just how much of a hill I could do on 48 x 17.

Got about 2/3rds of the way up, blowing badly and realised I was coming to a standstill. Now, this was the very same day I'd decided to go clipless for the first time. I couldn't for the life of me work out how to unclip while still keeping the enormous amount of pressure on the pedals to prevent my fixie from rolling backwards!

Lol, I know that one. It's harder than you'd think to unclip when your feet are in odd places.

 

[Matty]

Having just purchased a shiny new MTB, I'm looking forward to finding the hill where I'll need to use the granny ring 22 x 34, bonkers ratio indeed.

Alternatively I could commute in first gear, that'd be a work-out!

 

[nigelnorris]

I can beat that for embarrasment - on (I think) the very same hill.

Thought I'd take my (fairly new) Fixie out and see just how much of a hill I could do on 48 x 17.

Got about 2/3rds of the way up, blowing badly and realised I was coming to a standstill. Now, this was the very same day I'd decided to go clipless for the first time. I couldn't for the life of me work out how to unclip while still keeping the enormous amount of pressure on the pedals to prevent my fixie from rolling backwards!

After much deliberation, I decided to simply topple over very slowly

haha that's the funniest thing I've read on this site evar.

I've been cycling a new route the last couple of weeks and there's a couple of hills that have had me on my grannie ring for the first time. Worse than that, for the first time ever also I've had to stop 2/3 of the way up one of them to get my breath back. Three times I've done that route and still haven't got up this hill in one go. Just over a week of the holidays left so I've still got two or three more tries yet.

[On the way to Redditch, I think that the name of the road is Stoney Lane]

 

[fossyant]

22 x 34 on an MTB . blimey........ near vertical...

My lowest is 24 x 26...ditched the 30 sprocket years ago.....

 

[Matty]

22 x 34 on an MTB . blimey........ near vertical...

My lowest is 24 x 26...ditched the 30 sprocket years ago.....

The only use I've found so far is mad racing around the garden - my 5 year old thrashes me. I think one revolution equates to 4 inches of forward movement.

 

[RedBike]

It's amazing how 22/34 suddenly doesn't seem that low anymore when you're faced with a rocky or muddy climb.

 

[HelenD123]

If the OP is to be booted out of the forum I'll be the next in line. My granny ring has seen a fair bit of use. And I haven't always had the excuse that my bike was fully loaded (it's a tourer). We're given these gears for a reason so I'm not ashamed to use it.

 

[Headgardener]

I also used my granny ring on Saturday but I am claiming special discompensation oweing to it being a new bike and also a tourer, although it was unloaded so pehaps some form of punishment should be administered.

 

[yenrod]

AS long as you get up the dam hill ive an issue with them..then thats fine by me ! anything but getting off n walking unless your on a fixed and are new to clipless...

 

[Adrian_K]

I can beat that for embarrasment - on (I think) the very same hill.

Thought I'd take my (fairly new) Fixie out and see just how much of a hill I could do on 48 x 17.

Even if it's not the same hill, there are many similar close by, my first reaction is "never in a month of Sundays is that possible in that gear" but I'm sure some nutter could do it.

After much deliberation, I decided to simply topple over very slowly

I shouldn't laugh but....