you people out there riding double or tripple? - Page 13

Had an Ultegra double but because I am approx 200lb and I always blew up on hills so when my bike got stolen I thought I would try something different and have ordered a Centaur triple. The weight difference is negliable but I am looking forward to those hills alot more. Cant wait.

ditto on this set-up

(my first post!)

Chorus double, 39-53. Works fine, shifts better!

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Here is something from the opposite end of the spectrum: velonews has an article today on the Dauphiné Libéré Mont Ventoux TT stage. In it there is a picture of Iban Mayo plowing up the mountain - in the BIG ring!! Forget the triple, he is in the big ring. Maybe the photo was taken at the very bottom of the mountain and he later dropped to the small ring. Another interesting point is that it looks like his chain is seriously crossed over - to the second biggest cog - maybe a 21. There he goes thumbing his nose at conventional wisdom - and winning the Stage (and the Yellow jersey) anyway. Take a look at the picture:

http://www.velonews.com/race/int/articles/6240.0.html

Click to enlarge the first picture. Anyone good at guessing grade from a photo? All I know is I imagine I would be in my granny ring faster than I can pronounce "Dauphiné Libéré " !!! Perhaps if I had his special Orbea Climbing Bike I could scoot right up Mont Ventoux, right? Right?

Ventoux is like a constant 7.5% forever, no steep parts where you'd need something really low.

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Randybaker99 [Anyone good at guessing grade from a photo? All I know is I imagine I would be in my granny ring faster than I can pronounce "Dauphiné Libéré "]

Mount Ventoux has a pretty steady gradient throughout - I climbed it (and I am a pretty poor climber !) and it was steady without being too steep.
Having said it - it took me close on 2 hours to climb it.
But your point is very good : it looks like Mayo was on the big ring
and using a 21/23 from the photo.
New climbing methodology ?

A triple, cause that's what came on my bike. Never been out of the middle chain ring, never needed to!

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The triple came with my bike, I don't even use the 'granny ring' and let me assure you, I don't ride like a granny. LOL


Is there anyway to have the 'granny ring' removed, or do I have to buy a new chain ring set?

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i'm a brand new rider.. so TRIPLE BABY! and i'm not too proud to say i use it!

When the grade kicks up to 15% or more, triples work for everyone, not just begineers. Axle Merckx looked like he really needed one today on the Tour de France for the 15% section. He was seated, and grinding out about 45 rpm while watching Virenque speed away.

When the grade kicks up to 15% or more, triples work for everyone, not just begineers. Axel Merckx looked like he really needed one today on the Tour de France for the 15% section. He was seated, and really struggling to grind out about 45 rpm while watching Virenque speed away. Once he fried his legs, he lost all the time he built up.

There is nothing, nothing wrong with a triple. It's alright for the elitest of elite riders to ride up hills on a 53t ring, quite another for mere mortals like me.
Saying that, when I feel up for it riding my double can be a scream...

Living in Oregon, and first time getting back on the road in a long time.....I may only be 25 years old....but living in the Pacific Northwest I'm going triple.

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I have removed my granny ring, seeing that we do not have any hills on the island, so no need for a granny gear.

I found that when removing the granny gear i had a problem where the chain "jumps" past the middle ring when gearing down although the stop is set to spot on. This happens because the middle ring sits to close to the big ring (could propably solve that with spacers) and because the 105sti's doesn't have a "friction function" for gearing down. had to do some adjustments to stop that happening, better now. Will change the whole drivetrain on my bike as soon as my finances allow it. But in essence the bike is set up for a triple (triple deraileurs etc. Will have to change the complete drivetrain to do an effective conversion that you can trust at 90kph.

is it really worth going through the effort for what? the granny ring weighs next to nothing, and the bolts aren't heavy either.

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Depends.....if you consider yourself a "weight weenie" or not.

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