I’ve never been able to decide if choices are a gift or a curse; a lack of choices introduces simplicity but also with it the risk that the simple choices do not meet the demands of a complex world. An abundance of similar choices, on the other hand, often reduces the impact of getting things a little bit wrong, but also decreases the thoughtfulness in decision making. Finally, having many divergent choices mostly just leads to a lot of planning and ultimately indecision, assuming my experience in Corporate America is anything to go by.
These days, we tend to ride bicycles with 10 or 11 speed clusters made up of sprockets that are closely matched to their neighbors. This development removes the rider somewhat from the art of gear selection, a fact carried further by bar-mounted shifters; as gradients increase and decrease, we glide from gear to gear maintaining our cadence with hardly any consideration given to the ratios hard at work for us. It is a beautiful freedom to ride like this, but it is also another degree of separation between rider and machine.
I recently read an interview with Sean Kelly, who was discussing his defeat at the hands of Greg Lemond during the 1989 World Championship Road Race. With only seven sprockets at his disposal over a route slightly too hilly for a rider of his ilk, he was faced with a difficult choice: spare the legs on the climb with a 25T at the bottom end, or hamper his sprint with a 13T at the top end.
Kelly faced a tough decision: mount a gear that would carry him over the climb to contend the finale with the handicap of a 13T, or overload the cannons on too big a gear for the climb and never have the chance to go for the win in the first place. He deliberated over the decision while training on the course and finally decided for the low gear. Kelly made it over the climbs to contest the sprint, but his 53×13 was hopelessly outmatched by LeMan’s monster 54×12.
More recently, the Cycling world was aflutter about Tony Martin’s choice to ride a 58T front chain ring during a time trail. This wasn’t a display of bravado but rather a highly refined choice of chain line: knowing the speeds he wanted to ride, he chose his big ring in such a size that would provide the straightest chain line in the gear he’d be riding in during the majority of the race. The result was less friction, and a Tour de France stage win under his belt.
There is an art to gear and cluster choice that is nearly lost with today’s expanding sprocket ranges, but it remains within our grasp if only we are willing to seek it out. Don’t settle for knowing the maximum and minimum size gears in your block; know exactly which gears you have across the board, and understand what sizes you’ll be missing and gaining when switching between 11-23, 12-25 and 13-26 – there is more to it than just taking one off one end and slapping it on the other.
It might not make any material difference to your Cycling, but it will show the quality of your character.
I know as well as any of you that I've been checked out lately, kind…
Peter Sagan has undergone quite the transformation over the years; starting as a brash and…
The Women's road race has to be my favorite one-day road race after Paris-Roubaix and…
Holy fuckballs. I've never been this late ever on a VSP. I mean, I've missed…
This week we are currently in is the most boring week of the year. After…
I have memories of my life before Cycling, but as the years wear slowly on…
View Comments
@Nate
Holy cannoli. Yes, it's a 28 to a...24. That ain't right. Jeez, just when you thought you knew your bike, it reveals it's wearing that crazy set-up.
Likely the culprit? Anything I can adjust to make it hiccup less?
Strong work, Nate!
@Rom
Try here: http://agreatvintage.com
Thought you guys might appreciate this. I made a spreadsheet of all my bikes to calculate the exact gear ratios. Of course I know from experience that I reach terminal velocity on the 53-12 at 58kph and on the other end that I have trouble on anything above 23% grade with the 39-27. I can only attach a pic but I'd be happy to send anyone the excel file. Frank is there a way to post the excel?
VLVV!
@frank
My experience with old chains and cassettes confirms Frank's view, that the bent chain wears out the sides of the cogs and also creates greater lateral play in the chain itself. This translates into sluggish shifting, as some lateral stiffness in the chain aids in crisp shifts. Old chains on worn cassettes are perfectly happy to stay on the cog you just tried to shift from, and will merrily ignore cursing, regardless of your vehemence. This shit manifests itself long before the chain skips over cogs: ample warning that the end is nigh.
As for ratios, I'm partial to a 12-23, because my particular power/cadence band makes the 53x18 indispensable. I hate the jump from 17 to 19. When I'm not fit and hills abound, fuck that. Give me a 12-27. When I'm 'really' fit and it isn't too hilly, pull out the 12-21. Rode STP with that in 2010 and the 21 was easily low enough gearing for the hilly bits.
@Ron I don't know if it's the culprit but it can't help. I hate to say it but I think the premise of an 11-28 is a bit absurd.
"Meyrueis, Lozere, June 26, 1977. Hot and overcast. I take my gear out of the car and put my bike together. Tourists and locals are watching from sidewalk cafes. Non-racers. The emptiness of those lives shocks me."
Boutonnet read that the Pros were using a 12 and went to Italy to buy one for himself.
Krabbe ran a 14-15-17-18-19-20 with a 43 chainring. Strongman Lebusque ran a straight 13-18.
The Rider is masterfully written (and ridden). Any cyclist who hasn't read it should do so without fucking delay. Krabbe's 20 truly is clean as a whistle.
@VbyV
Nice effort but I usually understand Gear Inches better. It would also be helpful to include cadence. I have this as a spreadsheet if anyone would like it.
@frank
Or @minion.
@frank
Well, that's the whole idea of mountain biking...
@brett WHAT!?!?
I have no idea what this conversation has to do with me. 53-39 and a 12-25 cassette. That's the bottom line on everything that's been discussed here. I ran a straight block on the courier bike till it wore out and just got really slow legs.
Blimey, to late an entrance in this thread, the scientists have whipped out the spreadsheets....
Why doesn't someone come out with an11-19, and 28 10 speed sproket cluster, as I can't find one thus reducing you to a choix of two - in the right gear, or blown out the back door and riding to the top alone?