Talk gears with me please!

[D4MJT]

So,

I have a Boardman Road Sport, which I'm just about to hit 1,000 miles on, so I'm pretty used to it now.

It has a 12-26 8 speed rear cassette. Before I buy one, if I changed this to a 11-28 8 speed rear cassette, am I correct in thinking I'd make life a little easier up steep hills, and I should be able to squeeze a little more speed out of it on a straight?

I'm pretty much flat out with my legs in top currently and I've only cracked 40mph once, usually I'm hovering around 37-39mph. Obviously this is on downhills

Basically now, I want to crack 45mph. Milestones and all that!

[anonymous-user]

Correct - 11 tooth small cog will allow greater speeds top end compared to a 12 tooth, 28 tooth bottom end will allow you to spin a bit easier compared to a 26 tooth. Just bear in mind you're effectively stretching out the gear ratios over the same 8 speeds, so the gaps between the ratios will be slightly larger so you might notice a bit of a difference in the middle cogs as you're clicking through them in relation to one another, but you'll soon get used to it. Another caveat is make sure your rear derailleur can cope with another couple of teeth on the big cog, generally you'll be OK but worth a check before you go ahead.

I've just gone from a 12-25 (10 speed) to an 11-28 (10 speed) and I much prefer it, the 28 tooth granny cog really saved me on a climb the other day.

[anonymous-user]

This should help visualise the difference:

http://www.gear-calculator.com/#KB=34,50&RZ=11...

[D4MJT]

Thanks fellas!

The big gear appeals I must admit, my commute can stretch out into the coast, which is nice and flat, but getting there is a different story, I've got a few decent gradients locally to tackle, and when you're lugging a work bag along as well, an easier gear would be nice!

I refuse to use the smaller chainring, it's not been used since I got the bike and I'll be buggered if I'm going to start now

[TwistingMyMelon]

D4MJT said:

Thanks fellas!

The big gear appeals I must admit, my commute can stretch out into the coast, which is nice and flat, but getting there is a different story, I've got a few decent gradients locally to tackle, and when you're lugging a work bag along as well, an easier gear would be nice!

I refuse to use the smaller chainring, it's not been used since I got the bike and I'll be buggered if I'm going to start now

I'm lost? So you have a compact 34/50 chain rings on the front and you have never used the smaller (34) ring? Only the top ring?

[S10GTA]

You don't need anything over a 25 unless you live in the mountains imho

[yellowjack]

TwistingMyMelon said:

I'm lost?...

I'm lost too. Refusal to use all the available gears in a lower ratio (which he already has), yet wants advice on fitting a women's specific cassette to make hills easier? No sense at all in that

[TwistingMyMelon]

yellowjack said:

TwistingMyMelon said:

I'm lost?...

I'm lost too. Refusal to use all the available gears in a lower ratio (which he already has), yet wants advice on fitting a women's specific cassette to make hills easier? No sense at all in that

Thats what i'm thinking and going from a 50/12 to a 50/11 aint make you any faster

[D4MJT]

I'm not steadfastly refusing to use them

We're not talking the Hardknott pass here, if I did need to drop down then I would, but I'm managing fine as is, and trying to keep my speed up, just a 28 tooth gear might make life a little easier on the hills than it is currently, my mate who I ride with on weekends has a 28 tooth rear cassette and it seems to make easier work of things. The main reason for wanting to change cassette is to get more top end, as I'm spinning out currently.

[ewenm]

D4MJT said:

Thanks fellas!

The big gear appeals I must admit, my commute can stretch out into the coast, which is nice and flat, but getting there is a different story, I've got a few decent gradients locally to tackle, and when you're lugging a work bag along as well, an easier gear would be nice!

I refuse to use the smaller chainring, it's not been used since I got the bike and I'll be buggered if I'm going to start now

You want an easier gear, you've got access to easier gears already but refuse to use them, madness.

Adding a 28T sprocket but staying in the 50T chainring will just add extra wear onto your chain every time you use it. Apply a bit of mechanical sympathy and use all the gears you've already got.

If you're spinning out change to a 11T small sprocket (so 11-25 or 11-26) and use both chainrings to maintain appropriate cadence on your rides. Job done.

Edited by ewenm on Tuesday 2nd July 14:11

[TwistingMyMelon]

ewenm said:

D4MJT said:

Thanks fellas!

The big gear appeals I must admit, my commute can stretch out into the coast, which is nice and flat, but getting there is a different story, I've got a few decent gradients locally to tackle, and when you're lugging a work bag along as well, an easier gear would be nice!

I refuse to use the smaller chainring, it's not been used since I got the bike and I'll be buggered if I'm going to start now

I was going to offer advice, but having read this it would be wasted. You want an easier gear, you've got access to easier gears already but refuse to use them, madness.

Adding a 28T sprocket but staying in the 50T chainring will just add extra wear onto your chain every time you use it. Apply a bit of mechanical sympathy and use all the gears you've already got.

Indeed I agree, you have a whole range of gears to get you up hills and focus on cadence and getting aero on going down them

[anonymous-user]

I'm confused - there are no internet man points at stake for shifting into the smaller front cog, there's a whole load of ratios that you aren't even using if you stay on the big cog. Why bother changing the rear cassette in this instance?

[Kell]

Agree about the extra strain on the chain. While not quite as bad as on a triple front cog, using the outside front ring and the inner rear means your chain is bending sideways.

Dropping to the smaller front cog and using a middle rear cog would mean the chain is running straighter and causing less, wear. And less friction too, so you might find it easier.

EDIT: In fact, looking at that calculator (which has me confused if I'm honest) it looks like the inner two cogs are greyed out for use with the 50 ring. Presumably that's because it's not recommended.

Edited by Kell on Tuesday 2nd July 14:46

[anonymous-user]

Kell said:

EDIT: In fact, looking at that calculator (which has me confused if I'm honest) it looks like the inner two cogs are greyed out for use with the 50 ring. Presumably that's because it's not recommended.

Edited by Kell on Tuesday 2nd July 14:46

Drag the 'allowed chain angle' slider bar in the bottom left corner - all will be revealed

[walm]

Save money and learn to spin faster.
Even if you only have a 50 on the front you can nearly hit 40 mph at 120 cadence according to that calculator (which sounds about right).
Aim for 140 and you will get to >45mph.

[D4MJT]

That got serious quickly!

For clarity, don't panic too much, as stated the reason I was wondering about changing the cassette was for top end speed, I'm capable of using gears, it was a tongue in cheek comment Like I said, it's a few hills, not the lake district!

On a serious note, is 140 cadence realistic? I don't feel as if I could turn my legs any faster at 120 which I'm at currently, hence why I was thinking gearing for the extra speed? Is it just a case of being fitter?

[walm]

Random article said: "If you can’t hold 140 RPMs for the duration of a sprint, or 120 for at least 10 minutes, it’s time to add some high cadence drills to your workouts so you’re capable of it and become more comfortable maintaining this tempo. So next time you hear a rider say he’d “spun out,” what he really just said is, “I can’t go that fast,” or “I’m lacking leg speed.” The chart doesn’t lie, and any rider should be able to put out 140 RPMs for a 10-15 second effort."
http://cyclingskills.blogspot.co.uk/2009/05/speed-...

[D4MJT]

walm said:

Random article said: "If you can’t hold 140 RPMs for the duration of a sprint, or 120 for at least 10 minutes, it’s time to add some high cadence drills to your workouts so you’re capable of it and become more comfortable maintaining this tempo. So next time you hear a rider say he’d “spun out,” what he really just said is, “I can’t go that fast,” or “I’m lacking leg speed.” The chart doesn’t lie, and any rider should be able to put out 140 RPMs for a 10-15 second effort."
http://cyclingskills.blogspot.co.uk/2009/05/speed-...

Interesting, thanks for that!

Going off that then, with my current gear setup, I should be easily able to crack 45mph, it's just a case of my own fitness.

With regards to high cadence drills, can that be as simple (in terms) as just cycling my normal route, as I would, but it in a lower gear trying to maintain the same pace, thus increased cadence, or are you better off attempting to do this on hills / inclines?

Granted I'm relatively new to the world of cycling, so forgive potentially stupid questions, but I've read before about how some people's riding style is "grinding" and others are "spinners". Is it basically correct then, that spinning will make for a better / faster rider overall, with more fitness gains than just grinding away at a higher gear?

[walm]

I don't know the exact science but as a rule of thumb newbies try and grind it out in a gear that is way to high!
I know I do and I have to remind myself to drop a cog early and often.

[okgo]

Why do you need to go faster than 40 mph?

Every time I have hit over 40 mph I have not been pedaling, at those speeds assuming the hill is steepish you will get up to speed quicker by tucking right in than being an air brake while pedaling.