Triple on a road bike - yay or nay

[Bloke]

Here's the route I rode the day before the TdF in '98.

I was on my old 22.5lb Pug with a 38 x 23 lowest. I had to use it 'cus a group of lads from Essex who I rode with were totally shagged and I wasn't going to leave them.

So you've go plenty of hills.

Wish I could get to some hills like that in half an hour. Birmingham and the West Midlands are as flat as a pancake.

That's my back yard! -I've been lazy over christmas but generally I'm up and down those hills three times a week, on a compact. And perfectly manageable (once I'm fit). I just like the idea of the triple and I think I'm gonna give it a shot. - It's not like I need 10 gears that are lower than my compact first gear, but two or three would be great. - I can still choose to climb in the equivalent of my current first gear, but I'll have the option on shorter sharper sections to climb at a higher cadence.

 

[jimboalee]

That must be where i'm going wrong Jimbo, i have none of the above combo's on my road bike (30,42,52) (12-25) so that explains why i'm crap going up hills.

Are you a total dimwit?

Your bike has a 30 ring and 21 sprocket which is 38". You should fly up a 10%.

 

[HJ]

Riding a triple is better than walking...

 

[Fab Foodie]

Riding a triple is better than walking...

Amen to that.

 

[GrasB]

I think we've missed something, if you really want a wide gear range you can't do much better than a Rolhoff with a 'classical double' 39/53... with 700x23c tyres & a 16t rear sprocket that's 18 to 128 inches. You can go for a 'cross 38/46 w/17.5"-111" or 39/54 w/18"-130" both of which give you a slightly more even ratio set but are a little harder to come by cheaply. Go to the hills & spin because 18" = 5.3mph @ 100rpm

 

[jimboalee]

I have found that on the same hill, in the same gear, I can ride faster if I stand up and 'Honk'.

I also find it is difficult to honk at 100 rpm, so I don't use gears that make me spin at over 80 rpm.

For 5.3 mph, I would use a higher gear and alternate between sitting and honking. Speeding up when honking and slowing when sitting.

I also found that saddle soreness starts earlier after I have ridden up a hill at 100 rpm, so I don't do it.

To these ends, the 32" lowest on my triple will get me up a 16% at 40 rpm.

5.3 mph at 100 rpm would be a 22 ring to 33 sprocket; and be applicable to a 12% hill.

 

[Greenbank]

5.3 mph at 100 rpm would be a 22 ring to 33 sprocket; and be applicable to a 12% hill.

For an average rider (weight, height, etc) 5.3mph up a 12% hill requires about 245W. Good work if you can keep that up!

(Plugging figures into: http://web.archive.org/web/20071212072421/http://www.kreuzotter.de/english/espeed.htm )

 

[jimboalee]

For an average rider (weight, height, etc) 5.3mph up a 12% hill requires about 245W. Good work if you can keep that up!

(Plugging figures into: http://web.archive.org/web/20071212072421/http://www.kreuzotter.de/english/espeed.htm )

For a fully laden tourer with a Rolhoff, I had it more like 345 W.

Nearly 'flat out'.

 

[TheDoctor]

FFS, jimbo, does it really matter?
Does anyone actually give a monkeys precisely how much power you need to get up a 1:12 at 5.3 mph with a Rolhoff?
The OP asked about a triple on a road bike...

 

[GrasB]

I have found that on the same hill, in the same gear, I can ride faster if I stand up and 'Honk'.

I also find it is difficult to honk at 100 rpm, so I don't use gears that make me spin at over 80 rpm.

For 5.3 mph, I would use a higher gear and alternate between sitting and honking. Speeding up when honking and slowing when sitting.

I also found that saddle soreness starts earlier after I have ridden up a hill at 100 rpm, so I don't do it.

To these ends, the 32" lowest on my triple will get me up a 16% at 40 rpm.

5.3 mph at 100 rpm would be a 22 ring to 33 sprocket; and be applicable to a 12% hill.

blah blah woof woof... Personally I've consistently found I can climb faster for longer spinning than honking & when climbing fatigue sets in I don't drop nearly as much speed. So thing is jimbo it gives you far more options than a cassette/chainring combination. There's nothing stopping you from honking up a hill using a 32" gear & there's nothing stopping me spinning up at 80-100ppm which is what works for me.

 

[jimboalee]

FFS, jimbo, does it really matter?
Does anyone actually give a monkeys precisely how much power you need to get up a 1:12 at 5.3 mph with a Rolhoff?
The OP asked about a triple on a road bike...

Up to now, every reader on this forum has had my help ( some of the brighter sparks might even understand it ) for FREE.

That stops now.

No more gearing, power, calories, windchill, physiology... blah blah, woof woof....

 

[MacB]

Up to now, every reader on this forum has had my help ( some of the brighter sparks might even understand it ) for FREE.

That stops now.

No more gearing, power, calories, windchill, physiology... blah blah, woof woof....

How about a 11-34 with a compact 26/42 Jim? ultimate touring/social option, or nonsense?

 

[jimboalee]

How about a 11-34 with a compact 26/42 Jim? ultimate touring/social option, or nonsense?

Sorry McB, you won't catch me out that soon...

TheDoctor seems to think he's the spokesman for the whole membership.

If there is anyone interested, PM me.

 

[TheDoctor]

Ohhh, get her!!
*gets handbag*

EDIT - No Jim, I just happen to disagree with you.
It's not a personal attack, however much you might try to spin it as one.
I'm not arrogant enough to think I have all the answers.

 

[jimboalee]

Ohhh, get her!!
*gets handbag*

EDIT - No Jim, I just happen to disagree with you.
It's not a personal attack, however much you might try to spin it as one.
I'm not arrogant enough to think I have all the answers.

What do you disagree with?