Gears/Gear ratio?????Help

[cmdukes]

I have recently been developing a real addiction to cycling and being new to this sport some things are not as black and white as I would like.

I would like to learn anything about Gears and Gear ratio… I always hear people when riding talking about what set-up they have or changed. What is Standard? How are they numbered? Are there better gears for flats and hills? Is there a good all around set up? If anyone would like to take the time to explain gears in easy terms, I would appreciate it.

 

[DiabloScott]

I have recently been developing a real addiction to cycling and being new to this sport some things are not as black and white as I would like.

I would like to learn anything about Gears and Gear ratio… I always hear people when riding talking about what set-up they have or changed. What is Standard? How are they numbered? Are there better gears for flats and hills? Is there a good all around set up? If anyone would like to take the time to explain gears in easy terms, I would appreciate it.

Read up first, then ask specific questions, one at a time.
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gearing/index.html

 

[cmdukes]

Thanks for the link...but no need to be snappy

I guess I should have asked only ONE QUESTION...lets try this.....

Standard road gears (e.g., 11 - 23 and 53 x 39) or low road gears (e.g., 12 - 25 and 53 x 39)....In easy terms, can you explain what these numbers mean?

 

[fauxpas]

...but no need to be snappy

I don't think he was being snappy... just, there are so many questions that could be asked around the subject of gears, gear ratios and gearsets... Its easier answering a specific question.

The answer to your overall question about standard gearing would be no, there are no standards, as, in the case of road bikes alone, there are various uses of the bike, and varying capabilities of the rider.

Such as, a beginer's road bike (or bike for hilly country) will more than likely have a tripple chainring enabling a few more lower gears to aid climbing... but as the rider builds their muscles and does not require all those lower gears, will likely move on to a double chainring.

If I found myself always riding on flat country, I may opt for a rear cassette with smaller small sprocket to get higher speeds.

A normal road setup, from what I've seen, and I've been researching bikes for a while now, 53/39 front and a rear cassette in the 12-24 area.

If you are talking MTB and not road, ignore above

 

[cmdukes]

Thanks Fauxpas...

A normal road setup, from what I've seen, and I've been researching bikes for a while now, 53/39 front and a rear cassette in the 12-24 area.

The 12-24....is that a teeth count, in that the range of rear sprockets has 12-24 teeth? That might be a stupit question but just trying to learn.

 

[lks]

I have recently been developing a real addiction to cycling and being new to this sport some things are not as black and white as I would like.

I would like to learn anything about Gears and Gear ratio… I always hear people when riding talking about what set-up they have or changed. What is Standard? How are they numbered? Are there better gears for flats and hills? Is there a good all around set up? If anyone would like to take the time to explain gears in easy terms, I would appreciate it.

A standard road crankset is generally considered to be a 53-39. A compact cranckset, generally has a 50-34. You can go to almost any bike mail order web-site and see what cassette ratios are availible for Campagnolo and Shimano. You can go to analyticcycling.com, to have their program compute speed for a given cadence or cadence for a given speed, for any combination of ring gear teeth and cassette teeth. Expert consensus, is you don't want to drop below 60rpm cadence when you are climbing. In your highest gear, 120rpm cadence is fast enough for most, but not all, people.

 

[mikesbytes]

Thanks for the link...but no need to be snappy

I guess I should have asked only ONE QUESTION...lets try this.....

Standard road gears (e.g., 11 - 23 and 53 x 39) or low road gears (e.g., 12 - 25 and 53 x 39)....In easy terms, can you explain what these numbers mean?

Hi Dukes,

The link that DiabloScott is probably the best info out there. I think you have missunderstood Diablo, he is trying to help you.

I assume you are talking road bikes. As Fauxpas has pointed out, there is no standard.
53 and 39 are referring to the size of the chain ring (at the front). The bigger the number the higher the gear, ie the faster you go, but the harder it is to push the pedals.
11-23 and 12-25 are referring to the size of the cassette (at the back). The smaller the number the higher the gear. The 11 is a waste of time for inexperienced riders, the gear is simply too high.

However, you need to understand crank lengths and their impact of gearing to really understand. Go to the link and learn.

If you are a beginner, just use whatever gearing comes with the bike. A 52 front combined with a 13 rear is all the top gear you need. For a beginner, the bottom gear is more important - 39 front and at least a 25 rear is required, if not a 28.

 

[DiabloScott]

Hi Dukes,

The link that DiabloScott is probably the best info out there. I think you have missunderstood Diablo, he is trying to help you.

Yeah, I was just being efficient, not snappy.

 

[mikesbytes]

Yeah, I was just being efficient, not snappy.

Thats the problem with communication, sometimes we are misinterpeded. Especially by partners

A lack of non verbal communication doesn't help either.

 

[531Aussie]

Read up first, then ask specific questions, one at a time.
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gearing/index.html

ok Dad!! Are you a bloody school teacher?

Let me teach you something. You shouldn't be the slightest bit rude to complete strangers because you never know who you're dealing. In other words, you can never know the impact of what you're saying. If you've had any experience with people with depressive illness you'd know that the slightest thing can trigger an episode. How do you know that the person you're being 'snappy' with isn't on the brink?

the next time you tell someone they've asked a dumb question, you could be putting them in hospital for 3 months, and of you think that's over the top.....well, it ain't

 

[Bro Deal]

If you've had any experience with people with depressive illness you'd know that the slightest thing can trigger an episode. How do you know that the person you're being 'snappy' with isn't on the brink?

If someone is so close to the brink they might wig out over comments on a forum then that person should avoid the Internet altogether. The ordinary person should not live in fear of sending some poor soul to their doom.

DiabloScott's link was informative and should answer most of the OP's questions about gearing.

 

[531Aussie]

If someone is so close to the brink they might wig out over comments on a forum then that person should avoid the Internet altogether. .

WHAT????? Why should they? So, sensitive people can't use the internet for fear of being upset by ignorant aresholes? Rather than banning anyone with a mental illness, I think the aresholes should mind their fkn manners

and in case anyone's wondering: yes, my sister has been in and out of psych hospitals for 20 years

 

[Bro Deal]

WHAT????? Why should they? So, sensitive people can't use the internet for fear of being upset by ignorant aresholes? Rather than banning anyone with a mental illness, I think the aresholes should mind their fkn manners

I have been seriously mentally traumatized by this. I am off to commit suicide...

 

[531Aussie]

I have been seriously mentally traumatized by this. I am off to commit suicide...

yet another example of society's ignorance regarding mental health

 

[threaded]

Gears in easy terms: Bigger at the front and smaller at the back the faster you go for a particular cadence (peddling speed). Smaller at the front and bigger at the back the easier it is to climb a hill.

Now when you are peddling at different cadences you produce different power outputs and if you graphed it, it would look a bit like an upturned bowl. So for any particular power output there are two cadences that match and one in the middle which is peak power output, or optimum.

For going up a hill you would like the higher cadence as when you falter your cadence drops yet you produce more power and prevent a stall, and for the flat you would prefer the lower cadence as it is not so tiring and when you falter you can just push yourself a little harder or maybe not 'cause you're tired. Also if you would like varied riding every Sunday you would prefer overlap in your gears as it make it easier to change up and down without too much thought, but if you ride day in day out you would 'learn' where all your gears 'are' and so would prefer no overlap, just more gears and closer together so you can maintain your optimum cadence depending on road conditions and windspeed.

So, erm, no such thing as gears in easy terms, sorry.

 

[fauxpas]

The 12-24....is that a teeth count, in that the range of rear sprockets has 12-24 teeth?

Yep, tooth count. Front and rears. 1 tooth can mean quite a bit.

 

[Alias]

Yep, tooth count. Front and rears. 1 tooth can mean quite a bit.

Coffee, anyone?

 

[threaded]

Yep, tooth count. Front and rears. 1 tooth can mean quite a bit.

But not as much on the front as it can on the back.

Generally.

 

[melslur]

But not as much on the front as it can on the back.

Generally.

Yes because of the relative change (1/52 at the front is a smaller % than say 1/21 at the back)

 

[lks]

Hi Dukes,

The link that DiabloScott is probably the best info out there. I think you have missunderstood Diablo, he is trying to help you.

I assume you are talking road bikes. As Fauxpas has pointed out, there is no standard.
53 and 39 are referring to the size of the chain ring (at the front). The bigger the number the higher the gear, ie the faster you go, but the harder it is to push the pedals.
11-23 and 12-25 are referring to the size of the cassette (at the back). The smaller the number the higher the gear. The 11 is a waste of time for inexperienced riders, the gear is simply too high.

However, you need to understand crank lengths and their impact of gearing to really understand. Go to the link and learn.

If you are a beginner, just use whatever gearing comes with the bike. A 52 front combined with a 13 rear is all the top gear you need. For a beginner, the bottom gear is more important - 39 front and at least a 25 rear is required, if not a 28.

There has been no scientific study, I know of, that has shown any difference in performance vs crank arm length, from the Std. 172.5mm crank arm, except for some very tall and heavy pro riders and those tests were not repeatable. I would recommend a 34-50 crankset with a 12-25 cassette if it is 10 speed Campagnolo or 12-27 if it is 10 speed Shimano. This gives you a a higher high gear than your example. With the 12 x 50, you are spinning 122rpm @ 40mph vs your 127rpm. For the low gears, both my examples give you a lower gear than your 25x39 example, or even a 27-39.