What Gear Do Most People Ride At
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clinking clanking clattering collection of collagenous junk
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Gearing depends on terrain, climbing or decending, fatigue factor etc etc. Shifting as needs change along the way.
Or on my SS.... just pedal.
No need to capitalize every word. Just the first word in the sentence is fine.
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Or on my SS.... just pedal.
No need to capitalize every word. Just the first word in the sentence is fine.
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342 Posts
As most have, I started out spending the vast majority of my riding on the "little" gear. I would then work in maybe the first 3-4 cogs of the rear cassette. It took several months for me to graduate out of the little gear and I began spending some time in the middle gear early this year.
Now, for the past 3-4 months I have done all my spinning in the middle gear. I am even starting to use the big gear for some flat stuff. But, 95% of my time is in the middle gear. All I have to say is that goodness for that 34T on some of the hairier climbs.
I am in Northern New Mexico. Rides consist of 10-20 miles, averaging 1000-3000+ feet of climbing.
Now, for the past 3-4 months I have done all my spinning in the middle gear. I am even starting to use the big gear for some flat stuff. But, 95% of my time is in the middle gear. All I have to say is that goodness for that 34T on some of the hairier climbs.
I am in Northern New Mexico. Rides consist of 10-20 miles, averaging 1000-3000+ feet of climbing.
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I shift alot...
Compared to my riding buddies I seem to shift more often than them. Most of the places I ride, I know the terrain really well, so I can shift ahead of whatever hill I know is coming along. I tend to use that knowledge of the terrain to my advantage.
This past weekend I was riding at a relatively new place where I wasn't familiar with the terrain and I ended up hitting a lot of climbs in middle ring where I would normally have shifted down into granny. Frankly I was a bit surprised at how much I could climb in the middle ring, I'm probably wimping out by dropping down more often than I should. That being said, some of those hills just about killed me, definitely pushed my heart rate way up there.
John
Compared to my riding buddies I seem to shift more often than them. Most of the places I ride, I know the terrain really well, so I can shift ahead of whatever hill I know is coming along. I tend to use that knowledge of the terrain to my advantage.
This past weekend I was riding at a relatively new place where I wasn't familiar with the terrain and I ended up hitting a lot of climbs in middle ring where I would normally have shifted down into granny. Frankly I was a bit surprised at how much I could climb in the middle ring, I'm probably wimping out by dropping down more often than I should. That being said, some of those hills just about killed me, definitely pushed my heart rate way up there.
John
32x20, I never shift
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If you are All-Mountain, you ride All-Gears. Just don't All-Crosschain.
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So...
I'm always shifting... like a crappy automatic trasmission. I'm surprised I have not ruined a pair of shifters yet. I like to keep a constant 85 rpm cadence, occasionally spinning up to 100 on sprints, and down to 60 on long hard non techy climbs.
I try to stay off the granny gear as much as I can help. I like the big ring and halfway down the cassette for flat cruising and techy decents. No chain slap.
... don't write in all caps. Most people (including myself) find all caps extremely obnoxios. You know, it's not too late. You can edit your post. Feel the edit button. The edit button is your friend. Use it wisely, use it in peace, use it for the good of mankind. :headphones:d19rye said:
I'm always shifting... like a crappy automatic trasmission. I'm surprised I have not ruined a pair of shifters yet. I like to keep a constant 85 rpm cadence, occasionally spinning up to 100 on sprints, and down to 60 on long hard non techy climbs.
I try to stay off the granny gear as much as I can help. I like the big ring and halfway down the cassette for flat cruising and techy decents. No chain slap.
Hmm...being a noob, I've been trying to find the right gear combinations and I think I have. I am staying with the smallest front gear on the mountain, period. Hopefully I graduate out of that to the middle gear. But hey, I'll be happy to just stop hiking the bike on higher climbs...whew!
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I try to stay off the smallest chainring, but if I'm beat and there's a long hill I don't hesitate to use it. For the most part I'm on the middle chainring and use the middle-small sized cogs, but if I'm feeling good I'll be in the big chainring.
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Despite what the mountain bike police tell you....it's perfectly OK to use the granny gear.
The biggest thing with the newbies I've ridden with though is cross chaining. Really try to get use to how your gears work. I have a buddy that still cross chains even after several years of riding. You need to shift without even thinking about it.
The biggest thing with the newbies I've ridden with though is cross chaining. Really try to get use to how your gears work. I have a buddy that still cross chains even after several years of riding. You need to shift without even thinking about it.
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Some people like it...
I have a bud who loves granny gear and small cogs. He likes the 1:1 gear in there somewhere. I wouldn;t tho. Granny gear wears out really fast on my bikes, and is easy to chainsuck in mud.
But yeah, Cross chaining does wear the drivetrain out faster. Doesn't keep me from cross chaining. I like big ring and larger cogs when going down techy downhills. It keeps the chain tight, and keeps it from slapping on the chainstay. I don't do huge miles that way.BelaySlave said:
I have a bud who loves granny gear and small cogs. He likes the 1:1 gear in there somewhere. I wouldn;t tho. Granny gear wears out really fast on my bikes, and is easy to chainsuck in mud.
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Picture looking down at your gears as if you are sitting on the bike....
Your front chainring has 3 chainrings. The smallest is the closest to the center and then the middle and then large.
Your rear cog has either 8 or 9 speeds.
Your smallest chainring is only suppose to be used with the last third or so of your cog (basically starting with the largest cog and then the next two or three down). Your middle chainring is primarily used with the middle third of the cog and the largest chainring will work best with the remaining cogs.
An example of crosschaining is like when you stay in your smallest chainring and smallest cog. It will wear your drivetrain down.
Your front chainring has 3 chainrings. The smallest is the closest to the center and then the middle and then large.
Your rear cog has either 8 or 9 speeds.
Your smallest chainring is only suppose to be used with the last third or so of your cog (basically starting with the largest cog and then the next two or three down). Your middle chainring is primarily used with the middle third of the cog and the largest chainring will work best with the remaining cogs.
An example of crosschaining is like when you stay in your smallest chainring and smallest cog. It will wear your drivetrain down.
Cross chain: when the chain is on the outer large front chainring and on the large inner rear cog. This causes the chain to cross more gears than neccessary. (look down on the chain).
Also when on the chain is on the inner small front chainring and on the small outer rear cog.
The chain will consume more energy and be tougher too shift with increased wear.
Most people avoid when on the outer large front chainring the three largest inner cogs on the rear.
Most people avoid when on the inner small front chainring the three smallest outer cogs on the rear.
Whew
Also when on the chain is on the inner small front chainring and on the small outer rear cog.
The chain will consume more energy and be tougher too shift with increased wear.
Most people avoid when on the outer large front chainring the three largest inner cogs on the rear.
Most people avoid when on the inner small front chainring the three smallest outer cogs on the rear.
Whew
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