Road Biking Newb Questions

[FenderBender]

Hello everyone,

Long-time MTB'er, road biking newb here. I just bought a used Trek Madone 5.2 with a few upgrades. Pretty stoked about this bike in general.

The first thing that's really different about this bike is lack of a granny gear. I ride in California near lots of steep hills and mountains. I like to push big gears when I can, but sometimes I just need a *much* lower gear. What do you guys do about that?

Almost all MTB'ers I ride with use hydration packs but they don't seem to be as popular with roadies. Why not?

Do any of you guys use helmet or eyeglass-mounted rear view mirrors? Which one (brand/model) do you prefer?

 

[alienator]

The first thing that's really different about this bike is lack of a granny gear. I ride in California near lots of steep hills and mountains. I like to push big gears when I can, but sometimes I just need a *much* lower gear. What do you guys do about that?

Almost all MTB'ers I ride with use hydration packs but they don't seem to be as popular with roadies. Why not?

Do any of you guys use helmet or eyeglass-mounted rear view mirrors? Which one (brand/model) do you prefer?

Gearing needs are dependent on the individual. Don't base your gearing choices on what someone else uses. What gears does your Trek have on the front and back?

Hydration packs. Some roadies won't use them because they think they don't look "pro." Some roadies won't use them because they're afraid of what other roadies might say. I prefer not to use one as I don't like the excess weight acting on my neck and back (I've done unkind things to my spinal column). Other roadies just use bottles (what I typically do) and then stop when they need to refill said bottles.

 

[davereo]

Hello everyone,

Long-time MTB'er, road biking newb here. I just bought a used Trek Madone 5.2 with a few upgrades. Pretty stoked about this bike in general.

The first thing that's really different about this bike is lack of a granny gear. I ride in California near lots of steep hills and mountains. I like to push big gears when I can, but sometimes I just need a *much* lower gear. What do you guys do about that?

Almost all MTB'ers I ride with use hydration packs but they don't seem to be as popular with roadies. Why not?

Do any of you guys use helmet or eyeglass-mounted rear view mirrors? Which one (brand/model) do you prefer?

Have you taken your new bike out on the steep hills yet? If not you should go for a ride on some of the terrain you are concerned about. Before you make any changes to your drive train.
I use water bottles. I can carry two 24 oz bottles on my bike. One with water and one with a sports drink. They are also easy to maintain I just toss them in the dishwasher. If you have a hydration pack and like to use it there is no reason you should not. The added benifit of a hydration pack is a few more pockets to carry things. There if you need them.

 

[Yojimbo_]

Hello everyone,

Long-time MTB'er, road biking newb here. I just bought a used Trek Madone 5.2 with a few upgrades. Pretty stoked about this bike in general.

The first thing that's really different about this bike is lack of a granny gear. I ride in California near lots of steep hills and mountains. I like to push big gears when I can, but sometimes I just need a *much* lower gear. What do you guys do about that?

Almost all MTB'ers I ride with use hydration packs but they don't seem to be as popular with roadies. Why not?

Do any of you guys use helmet or eyeglass-mounted rear view mirrors? Which one (brand/model) do you prefer?

For getting up hills there are other options besides granny wheels, although I have seen road bikes with grannies. Look up "compact" - and you can always put a 27 on the rear cassette.

I have heard (but I'm not sure) that MTB'ers use hydration packs because it's more dangerous to take your hand off the bars and reach for a bottle because of the every changing terrain. Assuming that's true, it's not like that on the road. I rode with a hydration pack once and I couldn't stand it - I found it heavy on my back and I got really hot because it was covering a big surface (my back) and restricted heat flow away from my body.

I don't use a mirror, but again I have seen other people with mirrors. These people tend to be slow. I think it's a culture thing - you know, the urban hipster doofus people like fixies with no brakes while the roadies don't use mirrors.

 

[FenderBender]

Yeah, I've taken the road bike up long, steep hills that I can clean with relative ease on my hardtail MTB. The front has two gears of 53 and 38 teeth, the rear 10 gears ranging from 12-25. Would a 27 in the rear help much?

I have seen other people with mirrors. These people tend to be slow. I think it's a culture thing - you know, the urban hipster doofus people

What about those doofuses who just want to easily see if there are cars coming behind them?

 

[alienator]

Yeah, I've taken the road bike up long, steep hills that I can clean with relative ease on my hardtail MTB. The front has two gears of 53 and 38 teeth, the rear 10 gears ranging from 12-25. Would a 27 in the rear help much?

It'll help a little. A 38/25 combo gives you a gear ratio (chainring teeth divided by cog teeth) of 1.52 while a 38/27 gives you 1.41. A lower gear ratio makes for easier climbing. The gear ratio tells you how many times the rear wheel turns for every turn of the crank. By comparison, a 34 tooth chainring (requires a compact crankset) with a 25T cog gives a ratio of 1.36, while a combo with a 27 T cog gives a ratio of 1.26. Going from 1.52 to 1.41 is a 7.2% change while the going from a 1.52 (38/25) to a 1.26 (34/27) is a 17% change. That's a big difference in effort, but requires a different crankset. I suspect if you're having significant difficulty on some climbs while using a 38/25 combo that you'll want a cassette that has something bigger than a 27T cog. If that's not a possibility, you'll need to look at either a compact crankset or a triple crankset, which will provide a granny gear with a really low gear ratio. It's up to you, though, to decide which direction you need to go. Only you know how much you're suffering right now.

What about those doofuses who just want to easily see if there are cars coming behind them?

Don't worry about what other folks think. Worrying about such things is a no-win game and completely ruins riding. You can post in the Commuting and Road Safety sub-forum and ask specifically about such mirrors, or post a new thread in this sub-forum asking specifically about mirrors.

 

[Deafwolf]

There's a bunch of riders in the Bicycle Club of Irvine that use small "bottle cap" mirrors mounted to their glasses. The mirror set-up can be moved from one pair of glasses to another. Also, there is a guy there who makes them and sells them for $15 I think. I can look up his info if you like. I don;t ride with that group as much any more, but I can still find him. And the caps are what ever cap you like, be it coke, corona, MGD, or whatever. I don;t use one though, so not sure how effective they are.

Hydration pack. You can wear it if you want to. I prefer bottles in the cages mounted to my frame. I ride with a backpack when I ride to work, but would prefer having my back clear.

As for the gear, double check this with your local bike shop (LBS), but I have seen some riders put a mountain bike cassette on the rear. I have seen it only a couple times, but it might be worth exploring.

My bike has a triple crank set-up. It was great when I was beginning, but now I want to change to a double for the ease in shifting when I race.

Good luck.And Kudos to Alienator on that super detailed post into the mechanics of the gears.

 

[FenderBender]

Thanks a lot. I think I'll look into getting a triple crankset. Deafwolf: Sure, I'd like to look into buying some of those bottle cap mirrors. You guys rule.

 

[Deafwolf]

I emailed a request to the bike club for the individual who sells those bottle ca mirrors. I'll get back to your when I get more info.

 

[Deafwolf]

Here is the link I promised you about "bottle cap" mirrors. If a moderator should come across this, feel free to cut and paste into the cycling gear or a more appropriate section. Enjoy.

Beerview Bicycle Rearview Mirrors - BeerView Mirror is Brought to you by Marketing Counsel, Inc. La Jolla California

 

[FenderBender]

Thanks!!!