Gear ratios.....

pgibbo

This link was tweeted out by Rob C earlier and BMC came back with the following:

"too many are overgeared thinking a 53 is the way the go. Thus spend too much time in top of the block. Compact is the way to go"

What sort of gearing do most people on here use and what are their thoughts on the above?

BMC isn't the first person I've heard say this either. I have to say it's an interesting point and one I think that is applicable for most of us MoP AGers.

Fazz

I'd say this is more applicable to bike racing and suspect that was BMC's context.

In triathlon, 53/39 is my ratio and no chance would I go compact.
I've a compact on my roady which is great esp for hills, but not for triathlon imo.

I could be wrong, but I think BMC has a 54/55 on his TT bike or at least did in triathlons..

The only benefit of a compact for triathlon would be in a very hilly course. We don't have these really, even lost sheep a 53/39 is plenty.

There's so many gears within that depending on cadence preference so should be no issue. If any issues then prob cadence or strength the issue imo.

Let's see what BMC turns up to Kenmare with to see the context of his post.

Oryx

I started on a 53, and when I changed the bike they tried to get me to take compact gearing but I said no. I think the fact that it was referred to as 'women's gearing' irked me. I felt I was used to the 53 and didn't need to drop down.

I hadnt considered that maybe I wasn't using the range of gears anyway, interesting.

BennyMul

Personally I do not think its the gearing issue (53 vs compact)
more so not using the gears correctly, You see AG's riding in the "big ring" at 25kph (as its a race) when if they dropped to the 42/39 there cadence would increase and reduce the load on the legs for the same speed.

pgibbo

BennyMul wrote: »

Personally I do not think its the gearing issue (53 vs compact)
more so not using the gears correctly, You see AG's riding in the "big ring" at 25kph (as its a race) when if they dropped to the 42/39 there cadence would increase and reduce the load on the legs for the same speed.

That's very true. Educating people and not being afraid to use the 39.

pgibbo

Fazz wrote: »

I'd say this is more applicable to bike racing and suspect that was BMC's context.

In triathlon, 53/39 is my ratio and no chance would I go compact.
I've a compact on my roady which is great esp for hills, but not for triathlon imo.

I could be wrong, but I think BMC has a 54/55 on his TT bike or at least did in triathlons..

The only benefit of a compact for triathlon would be in a very hilly course. We don't have these really, even lost sheep a 53/39 is plenty.

There's so many gears within that depending on cadence preference so should be no issue. If any issues then prob cadence or strength the issue imo.

Let's see what BMC turns up to Kenmare with to see the context of his post.

He's not exactly your average Joe, and neither are you.

I do agree though that most courses in Ireland aren't hilly enough but to Benny's point above, people still mash in the 53 and maybe a compact would suit them better. Educate people & horses for courses.

I think it's something worthy of consideration for people doing Nice or the likes though.

Welcome back. Good trip? :cool:

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

53/39 and normally a 23 or 25 max on rear block, i do normally have a low cadence though.
I really cannot see anywhere in Ireland that would need you to have a compact on. I would imagine a compact would come in handy on some of the really big climbs in Italy,France etc.

pgibbo

When BMC was asked by our own mossym if it was applicable to tri or just road racing:

"for both. stick it in the 50/11, tell me if you spin out!"

MD1983

53/39 - havent used the small ring in any race so far this year and never felt like i needed to so in the context of triathlon id say its just fine for me.

i think the last race i was in the small ring was in HOTW last year when i left it in the small ring in t1 for the first climb and even then it mightnt have been needed

only on exceptional days have i spun out such as Athlone this year where there was a good tailwind with an 11T on the back

wife on the other hand is on a 50T and up to this year it has been perfect for her, for the first time now that she has got stronger she is "running out of gears" and spinning out from time to time. a 50T certainly didnt stop her winning a lot for the last few years and id say it was just right so i probably wont change it for her

MD1983

pgibbo wrote: »

I do agree though that most courses in Ireland aren't hilly enough but to Benny's point above, people still mash in the 53 and maybe a compact would suit them better. Educate people & horses for courses.

I think it's something worthy of consideration for people doing Nice or the likes though.

agreed but what do you consider mashing it? 50-60? anything above 78 and i am happy enough

peter kern

pgibbo wrote: »

When BMC was asked by our own mossym if it was applicable to tri or just road racing:

"for both. stick it in the 50/11, tell me if you spin out!"

why not using 53 with a 13 -28 cassette ? you would get more milage out of this combination.

ray o

pgibbo wrote: »

When BMC was asked by our own mossym if it was applicable to tri or just road racing:

"for both. stick it in the 50/11, tell me if you spin out!"

I was looking into this recently as I was wondering why the P2 (new and old model) is spec'd with a compact chainset. What BMC said there is pretty much what I found.

mossym

pgibbo wrote: »

When BMC was asked by our own mossym if it was applicable to tri or just road racing:

"for both. stick it in the 50/11, tell me if you spin out!"

yup, not what i wanted to hear after just plonking down 4 figures on a standard crankset based PM. i've raced all year with a standard though so will be in the same boat next year

have a compact on my road bike, find it much easier to fly up hills, but harder to cruise at paced efforts. reckon that is also down to the bigger spacing on the cassette i use on the road bike, which is easily rectified.


need to go spin out a 50/11 now so i can get back to Brian..:)

BTH

mossym wrote: »

need to go spin out a 50/11 now so i can get back to Brian..:)

50*11@105rpm = 60kmph. Only going to spin out on a descent.

mossym

BTH wrote: »

50*11@105rpm = 60kmph. Only going to spin out on a descent.

guess i needed to put more than one smiley at the end of that so...

EC1000

BTH wrote: »

50*11@105rpm = 60kmph. Only going to spin out on a descent.

Speak for yourself....

d4r3n

50/36 with 12-25 here, 90 rpm in 50x12 is 47 kph. I suppose if you're <51 mins for 40 km or are more comfortable at <90 rpm a 53's the way to go?

pgibbo

peter kern wrote: »

why not using 53 with a 13 -28 cassette ? you would get more milage out of this combination.

That is what I currently do Peter and find it offers a good range of gears

BennyMul

as Peter said, change the cassette,
a 50x11 is larger than a 53|54x12.


note for the 53 and 54 this is not the case beyond the 16 & 18; however starting the block on the 12 give an extra on the rear so it balances out.


50X11 equates to 121.5 in per revolution & @80rpm - 28.82kph
53X12 equates to 117.6 in per revolution & @80rpm - 28.00kph
54X12 equates to 119.8 in per revolution & @80rpm - 28.50kph


from
http://www.bikecalc.com/gear_inches

tunney

The article based its comments on 11 speed blocks. A ten speed changes the sole tangible benefit - closer spacing. A 25-11 has a huge jump in the middle.


This is like the crank length argument - "shorter is better shorter is better"
Got any research "no BUT SHORTER IS BETTER"

Oh look here is some research - its not.

Its all about appropriate gearing for terrain, rider and event.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

I was stuck with a compact at last nights racing as race bike was getting serviced at #tunneysbikerepairshop.

After last nights experience there was sufficent enough time spent looking for more gears to leave me under no illusion that compact gearing is not for me (i am a bit of masher though at 75rpm).

bryangiggsy

Miranda Carfrae's 56-39....she ran 2.52 in Kona after mashing this bad boy
for a buck twelve

Casula

From what I've seen many triathletes in Irish races are overgeared. The only time I do any serious overtaking in races is on uphill drags or climbs. It's not due to any superior strength on my part it's just that I will spin a low gear at a high cadence while they grind away in the big ring. 53/39 works fine for Irish races but I use a 12/27 which means no grinding required even on the likes of the Lost Sheep, Beast of the East etc...

P2C

pgibbo wrote: »

When BMC was asked by our own mossym if it was applicable to tri or just road racing:

"for both. stick it in the 50/11, tell me if you spin out!"

Living in Sligo its constantly rolling. I just purchased the new Ultegra 6800 groupset with 53/39(4 arm chainset) and purchased an additional medium - compact 36 chainring. Shifts perfectly. I either use a 11-23 or a 12-25. I use a power meter and find that with the 36 and I use it all the time on short sharp hills I can control my power in the desired range. With the 39 -23/25 I had to significant reduce my cadence to control power spikes on steeper hills and really struggled with the being over geared.

I am focusing on long distance triathlon and keeping my average power/ normalized power as close as possible and that keeps the variability index within the desired range. Don't want to burn to many matches.