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Solution to traditional overgearing?

by Absoluteblack
Mon, Jan 15, 2018 10:56
34

Who out there is aware that they're probably riding a bike that is significantly overgeared?

(ie: gearing that makes it tough to ride with a supple high-tempo spin, on anything but pan-flat terrain.)

Feeling under powered and grinding knees away on rolling terrain, on bikes specced with traditional gearing developed for full-time professional road racers, just seems daft. Not the uplifting and enjoyable experience it should be.

Has anyone considered the new sub-compact road chainrings that are becomming available? 

with ratios like 46/30 and 48/32 they're gears that us mere mortals can live with in the hills and dales. 

Thoughts?

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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34 comments

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Canyon48 | 7 years ago
1 like

I find my 52/36 chainset with 11-28 cassette perfect on my Canyon. That gives me a top ratio of 4.73, which is great for local descents where I easily top 45mph. The lowest ratio is 1.29 which is enough for getting me up all the local hills (Cheddar Gorge - Mendips etc).

My commute/winter bike has 50/35 with an 11-32 cassette. It can be a little annoying not having such a high top end - I get to about 42mph and can't get much more power out, but then again it's not such a concern as there's only one or two places I hit those speeds on my commute. Having a low ratio of 1.06 is very nice on my commute bike when I'm taking it easy up hills.

When I did more city commuting (I've since moved further into the countryside), I used 46/36 chainrings with an 11-32, I simply never used the top gears as I couldn't hit those speeds around town. Having such close chainrings makes the bike feel a bit more relaxed and a bit more responsive when getting around traffic etc.

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Absoluteblack replied to Canyon48 | 7 years ago
0 likes

wellsprop wrote:

I find my 52/36 chainset with 11-28 cassette perfect on my Canyon. That gives me a top ratio of 4.73, which is great for local descents where I easily top 45mph. The lowest ratio is 1.29 which is enough for getting me up all the local hills (Cheddar Gorge - Mendips etc).

My commute/winter bike has 50/35 with an 11-32 cassette. It can be a little annoying not having such a high top end - I get to about 42mph and can't get much more power out, but then again it's not such a concern as there's only one or two places I hit those speeds on my commute. Having a low ratio of 1.06 is very nice on my commute bike when I'm taking it easy up hills.

When I did more city commuting (I've since moved further into the countryside), I used 46/36 chainrings with an 11-32, I simply never used the top gears as I couldn't hit those speeds around town. Having such close chainrings makes the bike feel a bit more relaxed and a bit more responsive when getting around traffic etc.

45mph decents sharpen the mind! 

I'm interested to know which sprockets you're using most of the time on your Canyon when in the 52T? 

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Canyon48 replied to Absoluteblack | 7 years ago
0 likes

Absoluteblack wrote:

wellsprop wrote:

I find my 52/36 chainset with 11-28 cassette perfect on my Canyon. That gives me a top ratio of 4.73, which is great for local descents where I easily top 45mph. The lowest ratio is 1.29 which is enough for getting me up all the local hills (Cheddar Gorge - Mendips etc).

My commute/winter bike has 50/35 with an 11-32 cassette. It can be a little annoying not having such a high top end - I get to about 42mph and can't get much more power out, but then again it's not such a concern as there's only one or two places I hit those speeds on my commute. Having a low ratio of 1.06 is very nice on my commute bike when I'm taking it easy up hills.

When I did more city commuting (I've since moved further into the countryside), I used 46/36 chainrings with an 11-32, I simply never used the top gears as I couldn't hit those speeds around town. Having such close chainrings makes the bike feel a bit more relaxed and a bit more responsive when getting around traffic etc.

45mph decents sharpen the mind! 

I'm interested to know which sprockets you're using most of the time on your Canyon when in the 52T? 

Fortunately, there are a couple local descents which are wide sweeping roads, so it doesn't feel all that fast!

Usually, I'm in using the 17 or 15 sprockets with the 52 chainring and a cadence of between 80 and 90 RPM - (which ties up quite nicely with my 75% quartile speed being usually around 22.5mph).

The silly thing is, I could easily lose the 11t for most my riding and have a slightly better chain line by adding a 16 sprocket between the 15 and 17. The trouble is, I'd definitely spin out a 52 12 on a descent.

 

 

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Boatsie | 7 years ago
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I agree.
Lately the tiagra 9speed cassettes have been on sale at $20 even.
I was waiting for a 12-25. Received email stating restocked. 4 minutes later no stock again.
Then I remembered that the bloke I bought the bike from had mentioned that when the cassette smooths he would replace it with a 13-25 due to the fact that top ratio was barely used and the nicety of the close ratio shifts.
Doing the maths...
My old reliable has top ratio of 3.56...... and that is plenty to me riding a high friction rear tire.
4.07 should be plenty at near same weight and only slightly less friction.. A tax over 4.5 is a 12 I think..
Can't remember exact.. Front cogs 53/39
Hoping it's low enough to climb 7%. Currently climb with 40 front, 28 rear and just sit back and wait because the top provides a 25+km fairly consistent down.

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