Categories: Accessories and GearNostalgiaTechniqueTechnologyTradition

And the 39 Was Clean as a Whistle

What has four thumbs and loves climbing in big gears? Those guys!

I still feel that variable gears are only for people over forty-five. Isn’t it better to triumph by the strength of your muscles than by the artifice of a derailleur? We are getting soft… As for me, give me a fixed gear!

— Henri Desgrange

I like to think that any time a rider running a compact punctures, Henri’s spirit is brought just that little bit closer to finding peace; I can only imagine what he might have said about the advent of these sorts of chainsets, let alone the wide-range cassettes we see in wide use today.

The thing that bothers me most about wide-range cassettes is the gaps between the gears. Growing up riding in Minnesota, I trained on a 12-23 and raced on an 12-21 because they were basically a straight block until you got to the lowest gears. Going to the mountains I would reluctantly use a 12-27 but I had to stop myself looking at the back wheel too much because I hated the sight of that 27t dinner plate. I’ve gotten used to what my bikes look like with the 12-25 I’m training on these days, but there are definitely times when I simply can’t find the right gear ratio for the terrain.

Growing up, I was considered a spinner for riding at 80-90 rpm; the thinking at the time was that mashing big gears at low cadences was more efficient. We are greatly influenced by what the Pros are doing, and the famous Cyclists at the time like Hinault and LeMond rode at 60 rpm, so that’s what we punters did, too. Today, I’m still riding at the same cadence, but now people consider me to be a bit of a gear pusher in our modern 100+ rpm climate. I like to flatter myself that the size of my climbing gear intimidates the spinners I ride with; my favorite question to ask them is why they are riding in the little ring already. I usually already know the answer (they are sissies) but I like to ask anyway because I enjoy their slightly bewildered expression before looking at my chainset and realizing that I’m still in the 53. I always give them that special look that makes them wonder whether or not I have noticed that the climb is steep already.

Before spinning high cadences became popular and, shortly after, the abominable 11-28 block became the mainstream choice in gearing, climbers would seek to intimidate one another by how tight they could keep their gearing and how few teeth they needed to use to get over a climb. Climbers like Manuel Fuentes would make sure to always ride in a slightly bigger gear than the rest of the group as a show of defiance to the ferocity of the gradient. In The Rider, Tim Krabbé recounts his suffering on the climbs of the Tour de Mont Aigoual in the South of France. His lowest gear was a 19, one which he considered his “bail out” gear. He was confident he could win the race, and throughout he imagines the onlookers admiring the fact that his 19 never saw the chain, “And his 19 was clean as a whistle,” he imagined them saying.

I personally can’t imagine climbing anything steeper than an overpass in a 19, but I do like to challenge myself to stay off my 39 and ride an entire training route in the 53. And his 39 was clean as a whistle.

frank

The founder of Velominati and curator of The Rules, Frank was born in the Dutch colonies of Minnesota. His boundless physical talents are carefully canceled out by his equally boundless enthusiasm for drinking. Coffee, beer, wine, if it’s in a container, he will enjoy it, a lot of it. He currently lives in Seattle. He loves riding in the rain and scheduling visits with the Man with the Hammer just to be reminded of the privilege it is to feel completely depleted. He holds down a technology job the description of which no-one really understands and his interests outside of Cycling and drinking are Cycling and drinking. As devoted aesthete, the only thing more important to him than riding a bike well is looking good doing it. Frank is co-author along with the other Keepers of the Cog of the popular book, The Rules, The Way of the Cycling Disciple and also writes a monthly column for the magazine, Cyclist. He is also currently working on the first follow-up to The Rules, tentatively entitled The Hardmen. Email him directly at rouleur@velominati.com.

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View Comments

Teocalli says:

Apr 30 2016 at 10:28 am

@Owen

I recently upgraded from the 50×34 compact that came with the bike to a 53×39 Flemish Compact. Still have the 12×25 on the back. I’ve actually found that it’s easier to hit climbs in the big ring and towards the top of the cassette (not yet crosschaining) than it is to hit them in the little ring at the lower end of the cassette. Not sure why that is.

It took me a few weeks of Rule #5 to convince myself that my skinny pins weren’t going to get any bigger spinning around in the little ring, but now I’m back to spinning ~90 RPM in the big ring. I just wish I didn’t crosschain so early on the cassette in either chainring – it definitely prefers the middle gears.

Ha! I think you just made a case for 52/36.
RobSandy says:

Apr 30 2016 at 11:36 am

@Rick

Call me a sissy or whatever you want for employing lower gears, but it increases my speed and enjoyment on the bike. It also gets me to the top faster and more comfortably.

Rule #10 trumps anything else in my book.

It's a balance though - I'm pretty confident on steep climbs (like 12% plus) I'd be slower riding 36x25 than my current 36x28 setup. But I'm also confident that I'm faster riding 36x28 than I would be spinning a 34x28.
chuckp says:

Apr 30 2016 at 12:30 pm

Rode the Hollands today. Bigger gears, fewer of them, and narrower gear range (53-39, 12x23, 8-speed) Definitely felt it in the quads afterwards. On the longer hills/climbs at moderate incline, I was fine. Could "spin." But the steeper stuff was tougher. More out of the saddle riding. Not ashamed to admit that on a few occasions, my riding partners (one old guy and one young gun) just sailed away from me (but, thankfully, waited). And to think I could ride 53-39 with 12x21 in the mountains when I was a much younger pup!
JohnB says:

Apr 30 2016 at 12:34 pm

52x36, 12-25 does me fine over everything I've had to climb over thus far (Scotland, French Alps, Teide, Gran Canaria) and I'm over 45. 53 x 39 when I was under 45.
JohnB says:

Apr 30 2016 at 12:37 pm

@ChrisO

But there’s not many people here who will drop me on a climb so stick that in your big rings.

I can attest to that. I was convinced there was a moto on the climb ahead of us.
frank says:

Apr 30 2016 at 2:14 pm

@kixsand

I think everyone has a self selected sweet spot for cadence – mine is 93 rpm +/- a couple of spins per minute.

I also think it is a good idea to force yourself to work either side of your sweet spot on a regular basis so that you can adapt to whatever the road may throw at you. When you turn the pedals slower you’re leaning on leg muscles and easing the load on your cardiovascular systems. Your heart rate comes down a few beats per minute.

I can sometimes get leg cramps if I spin too fast for too long – bringing my cadence down for a spell can help.

Something I learned from William on the last Keepers Tour was whenever I was really, truly buggered to drop into the biggest gear and ride out of the saddle in the drops. It really was amazing how well you can keep a good pace rolling without jacking yourself too much further.

@RobSandy

@Buck Rogers

@RobSandy

This climb is one of a few reasons why I wouldn’t run a 39…

https://www.strava.com/segments/1026043?filter=overall

Isn’t there a Rule against posting strava segments/data?

By the way, just looked at my strava data for the last time I rode that hill and for the steep bit (avg 14%) I managed an average cadence of 50. Can’t imagine what it’d be like with a 39×25 instead of a 36×28.

You can't imagine yourself riding faster?
frank says:

Apr 30 2016 at 2:21 pm

@wiscot

Back in the day, 52-42 and a 12 straight through were about the norm. TA did crazy stuff for cyclotouristes. Now, for me being on the wrong side of 50 and cherishing my healthy knees, it’s 50-36 and 11-23. I can get up anything in my neighborhood on that combo. Aesthetically, I’ll take the smaller chainring for a smaller cassette.

That's the first thing that's been said about compacts that isn't bat shit crazy!

https://www.getyarn.io/yarn-clip/ed1ec0b6-5d73-40e2-a149-0900336cadce
frank says:

Apr 30 2016 at 2:27 pm

@Buck Rogers

@wiscot

Oh Mate! If you have not read The Rider, just fucking drop everything, call in sick, go home and read it. Fucking fantastic. Seriously, the best book on sport I have ever read, esp if you were a road racer in the past (or still are–and I mean real racing, not comparing fucking strava segments).

This. @wiscot, I cannot express how disappointed I am in you that you have not read it yet. FFS.

@LawnCzar

@Buck Rogers

@wiscot

Oh Mate! If you have not read The Rider, just fucking drop everything, call in sick, go home and read it. Fucking fantastic. Seriously, the best book on sport I have ever read, esp if you were a road racer in the past (or still are–and I mean real racing, not comparing fucking strava segments).

So good. Worth the day off from work. (But set aside some time to ride after you’re done.)

—–

“Jacques Anquetil, five-time winner of the Tour de France, used to take his water bottle out of its holder before every climb and stick it in the back pocket of his jersey. Ab Geldermans, his Dutch lieutenant, watched him do that for years, until finally he couldn’t stand it any more and asked him why. And Anquetil explained.

A rider, said Anquetil, is made up of two parts, a person and a bike. The bike, of course, is the instrument the person uses to go faster, but it’s weight also slows him down. That really counts when the going gets tough, and in climbing the thing is to make sure the bike is as light as possible. A good way to do that is: take the bidon out of its holder.

So, at the start of every climb, Anquetil moved his water bottle from its holder to his back pocket. Clear enough.”

—

It may not be accurate, but it’s True.

You missed the best part: "If Anquetil hadn't moved his bidon, he would never have won a Tour de France.
frank says:

Apr 30 2016 at 2:45 pm

Froome dog looks to be turning a much bigger gear these days. Looks much less like a spider humping a lightbulb.
Owen says:

Apr 30 2016 at 10:12 pm

@Teocalli

Maybe so, but then Frahnk would make merciless fun of me for dropping a T on the big ring. Can't do it.