Silly Chain Ring Question

[manalog]

Hello,
Not sure where to post this. Is there any advantage of using the large chain ring as opposed to the small one on the same gear ratio?

 

[GilesM]

Hello,
Not sure where to post this. Is there any advantage of using the large chain ring as opposed to the small one on the same gear ratio?

The larger chainring will wear less over the same period of time as a smaller chainring.

 

[MartinC]

The larger chainring will wear less over the same period of time as a smaller chainring.

...........same for the smaller sprocket and the chain will bend less 'cos the radii are bigger. Doubt if it makes any real world difference.

The ancient lore about this comes from the track. In a pursuit type event you'd choose larger rings and sprockets 'cos "they roll better" and for a sprint event you'd choose smaller rings and sprockets 'cos "they accelerate better". Again I don't think this can make much real difference.

 

[manalog]

Thanks guys for the replies.

 

[arallsopp]

Depends on the run-off space and type of riding you're doing. I like to use the big ring up front, as I know I can very quickly dump it to the next one should someone pull out on me. I like to ride in a gear where I can easily go 15% faster or 60% slower if I need to.

Mind you, my bike is a bit odd, and doesn't let me stand on the pedals.

 

[swee'pea99]

I ride a fixie almost all the time now, but when I rode 10 speeds, I did notice that because I tended to use the small ring only to start off and on hills, the big one did indeed wear out much sooner. I guess if I'd been smarter I would have made a conscious point of riding on the small more to even things up a bit.

 

[zacklaws]

I've always pushed high gears on the big ring, but after changing my chain rings, and rear sprocket recently due to my chain being too excessively worn, I now find for some unknown reason I spend most of my time on the small chain ring yet apart from the large ring being one tooth smaller than what I had, now a 52, nothing else has changed.

I find that I can now keep up a good average speed, 17mph, and a high cadence which I have always struggled to do. I find that I can respond to the slightest easing of the wind or someone pulling away far easier in the small ring by just pedalling that little bit faster and accelerating quicker. Now what I find is, I'm always in the small ring, on the flat into wind or no wind, up gentle slopes etc and only go into the large ring, downhill, or when I go for an all out effort or on the flat with a good breeze behind me.

Why my riding just changed like this I do not know but it was just overnight. Incidently I have always read that most of your riding will be using the large ring, but a book on racing I read at the weekend quotes that there is no need to use the large ring unless you do 20mph or more which is what I find that I am doing now.

 

[manalog]

Incidently I have always read that most of your riding will be using the large ring, but a book on racing I read at the weekend quotes that there is no need to use the large ring unless you do 20mph or more which is what I find that I am doing now.

This is one of the reasons why ask this question as I often see lots of Roadies on the big ring whearas me always on the small ring. I don't think I do more than 20 mph on my Commute maybe I do but. I always thoght that using the big ring is more efficient but I find it hard work so back to the small ring until my legs are strong enough.

 

[theboytaylor]

I do most of my riding in the small ring too - for both practical and "aesthetic" reasons. Practically, I find that for most of my cycling (commuting - pretty flat but lots of stop and start) I don't need to swap into the big ring. Even on weekend runs I have to be really going some before I think about switching up.

Aesthetically, I've got an 8spd set-up and no matter how I set it up I get loads of chain chatter on the big ring unless I'm in the bottom half of the cassette. I have spent hours trying to eliminate it, but just can't without compromising another part of the range.

I wonder if you get less chain chatter with the slimmer 9 and 10spd chains and so plenty of riders can get away with leaving it in the big ring the whole time?

Personally I don't think it matters what you do so long as you have easy access to the "right" gears for what you're doing.

 

[Fiona N]

...........same for the smaller sprocket and the chain will bend less 'cos the radii are bigger. Doubt if it makes any real world difference.

The ancient lore about this comes from the track. In a pursuit type event you'd choose larger rings and sprockets 'cos "they roll better" and for a sprint event you'd choose smaller rings and sprockets 'cos "they accelerate better". Again I don't think this can make much real difference.

I seem to remember that some engineering boffin commented that if Chris Boardman had used a bigger sprocket/chainring in his hour record he would have gone about about 100m further for the same exertion due to the slightly lower frictional forces than on the smaller radii set-up.
So there you go