What cranks & cassette to go for?

[boydj]

I don't see any reason to go for anything above 50 large chainring. 52-11. How often is that used at beginner level. My winter and commuting bike runs 48-34. 10-29 cassette. This is ample. Welcome btw.

This is very true. I doubt a beginner could push 50x11 for more than a very few minutes on the flat. The 34 will be in use on even minor hills too. If the OP sticks with it and gets really fit, then other options come in to play.

Personally I'd advise beginners to go with a 48/32 if that was an option.

 

[Dogtrousers]

None of the options on there will be "bad" and they'll give you a chance to figure out exactly what it is that you personally want.

Hell, if you even get the bizarre idea to follow that weirdo @ColinJ and get a single speed then you can just try not changing gear for a bit.

I'd go for the 50-34 chainset personally cos that's wot I have.

 

[ColinJ]

Hell, if you even get the bizarre idea to follow that weirdo @ColinJ and get a single speed...

Well (s?)he did say...

It will be more for exercise rather than racing and live in Cambridgeshire which is probably the flattest part of the country!!!

... so what would any extra gears actually be for?

 

[si_c]

If it's your first road bike then some assumptions about fitness have to come in - i.e. you may have an OK level of fitness, but probably aren't going to be the strongest rider out there.

My suggestion would be to go for the 50/34 chainset with any cassette - an 11-28 would be ideal, but I wouldn't rule out a bike just because it had an 11-32 or 11-34. I have bikes with various different gear ranges and on the flat I couldn't tell you which I was using.

Pick the bike and the configuration which makes you happiest.

 

[mattobrien]

I don't see any reason to go for anything above 50 large chainring. 52-11. How often is that used at beginner level. My winter and commuting bike runs 48-34. 10-29 cassette. This is ample. Welcome btw.

I trust my 58t chainring would be frowned upon 😂

 

[freiston]

Personally speaking, any gear that gives me more than 30 mph at a cadence of about 90 rpm is not required - 90 rpm is about right for me and I would not sustain such speeds on the flat. Downhill, I'm happy to stop pedalling if I reach those speeds and let gravity take me forward. Going up hills and carrying luggage make me appreciate low gears. If I was on the flat without luggage, I would be looking a what I want for a top gear and be wanting to reduce the steps between gears whilst still giving me something low enough to be "comfortable" doing 10 or more miles against the wind - and for me, that means sub 10mph at 90rpm.

 

[CXRAndy]

A 53*11 combination will give a speed at 80rpm 30.3 mph

50*11 @ 80rpm =28mph

If you take your bike to any hill using a traditional crankset you will struggle to get up.

I once met a young fella on a tour in the Alps around Alpe d'Huez. He came with a 53/39 and 11-28 cass. He struggled grinding up climbs stood up. Sometimes he got in the van knackered.

I on the other hand never got off with 26t inner chainring and 40t cass. Im old and was over 100kg at the time.

Get a 50/34 and 11-32 straight off. Change cass if you get super strong

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Go for first option. No one ever wished they had higher gears but there always come a point where lower gears are appreciated. You might only start out in Cambridgeshire but sure you’ll soon be venturing further afield.

 

[Ajax Bay]

Cambridge. Compact (50-34) chainset and an 11-28 cassette. Gives you a gear higher than you need and, unless visiting 'scenic' country, a gear as low as you need. Make sure the rear derailleur is not a 'short' cage one, to give you the option to fit a cassette with a larger rear sprocket for future outside the east of England.

 

[Juan Kog]

I'm definitely in the compact 50/34 camp. There's been a lot of discussion about hills and the lack of them but no mention of the main problem of open flat country, WIND , As some one who cycles in the flatlands of Lincolnshire, I know there will days when your 20 miles from home heading into a gale ,you will be pleased you have 34 /28 ,even thinking maybe I should have gone for the 11/32 cassette.

 

[Juan Kog]

Oh just reread the thread freiston mentions wind oops sorry

 

[Twilkes]

No one ever wished they had higher gears

I have a 50/12 top gear and there are times when I wish it was 53/12 or 50/11 - yes you can freewheel down a hill but it's so much more fun when you pedal. I tend to prefer a slightly lower cadence on a fast downhill too, feels calmer and more in control than trying to keep up 100rpm+, so do make use of the larger gears.

 

[freiston]

Oh just reread the thread freiston mentions wind oops sorry

You might deduce from my username that I too have done a lot of cycling in the flatlands of Lincolnshire (I lived the first 19 years of my life in the Boston area) . I find that 8 miles in the Fens feels like 16 anywhere else - give me the rolling hills of Warwickshire any day

 

[Notafettler]

You might deduce from my username that I too have done a lot of cycling in the flatlands of Lincolnshire (I lived the first 19 years of my life in the Boston area) . I find that 8 miles in the Fens feels like 16 anywhere else - give me the rolling hills of Warwickshire any day

I don't know what your talking about theres nothing as easy as cycling on the flat lands of Lincolnshire.....until you turn around to go home, then you realise why you didn't have to pedal for the first part of the ride!

 

[Juan Kog]

Hi freiston I did wonder I'm a Hertfordshire resident but I have family in Fishtoft .l have memories of cycling from home to Boston and being in the granny ring on my audax bike and unable to keep to 10 mph.