weird

[small change]

Have any of you folks ever heard of mountain bikers pulling off their small
chain ring in the front? I thought that sounded pretty strange, whereas
more than a few folks take off the big ring.

??

Penny

 

[Super Slinky]

small change says...

> Have any of you folks ever heard of mountain bikers pulling off their small
> chain ring in the front? I thought that sounded pretty strange, whereas
> more than a few folks take off the big ring.

I've heard of XC racers doing it.

 

[Ryan Cousineau]

In article <[email protected]>,
"small change" <[email protected]> wrote:

> Have any of you folks ever heard of mountain bikers pulling off their small
> chain ring in the front? I thought that sounded pretty strange, whereas
> more than a few folks take off the big ring.
>
> ??
>
> Penny

Hardcore shuttlers only need a middle ring.

Behold the Norco VPS A-Line:

http://norco.com./05/2005bikes/bikes/det_vpsaline.htm

Comes from the factory with no fder. This is not, strictly speaking,
their DH bike: it's named after a trail in the Whistler Bike Park.

--
Ryan Cousineau, [email protected] http://www.wiredcola.com
Verus de parvis; verus de magnis.

 

[Phil, Squid-in-Training]

small change wrote:
> Have any of you folks ever heard of mountain bikers pulling off their
> small chain ring in the front? I thought that sounded pretty
> strange, whereas more than a few folks take off the big ring.

Yes - expert/pro racers do it because they don't use it or need it. At
least many of them didn't need it here in FL...

--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

 

[miles todd]

On Mon, 1 Nov 2004 18:13:41 -0800, small change
<[email protected]> wrote:

> Have any of you folks ever heard of mountain bikers pulling off their
> small
> chain ring in the front? I thought that sounded pretty strange, whereas
> more than a few folks take off the big ring.
>
> ??
>
> Penny
>
>


Penny, some of us remove the small AND the large rings, leaving only one
in front. To top it off, though, we even ditch most of the gears in back,
too...

But then, you just can't reason with some folks.

miles

 

[Jon Bond]

"small change" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Have any of you folks ever heard of mountain bikers pulling off their
> small
> chain ring in the front? I thought that sounded pretty strange, whereas
> more than a few folks take off the big ring.
>
> ??
>
> Penny

I've currently got a 1x9 for easy stuff (mostly because I don't have an
extra Fder, and it was a parts bike). In new england you won't see many
bikes without a small ring - you need it for some of the steep stuff. Just
downhill bikes and crazy XC racers who probably don't spin enough. Big
rings tend to be absent from a lot of bikes in connecticut, where there are
tons of logs to be jumped and everything is tight, rocky, or loose (very
often all three), so opportunities to use the big ring are few and far
between.

Jon

 

[Ground Control]

"small change" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
| Have any of you folks ever heard of mountain bikers pulling off their
small
| chain ring in the front? I thought that sounded pretty strange, whereas
| more than a few folks take off the big ring.
|
| ??
|
| Penny

Actually, the only time my chain touches the small ring is in the repair
stand.

Of course, the moment I took it off I'd get stuck trying to start on a
super-steep hill!


---
__o
_`\(,_ Cycling is life,
(_)/ (_) all the rest, just details.
The Nelson Paradigm =^o.o^=
http://intergalax.com
http://intbike.com
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.788 / Virus Database: 533 - Release Date: 11/1/2004

 

[MattB]

Jon Bond wrote:
> "small change" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> Have any of you folks ever heard of mountain bikers pulling off their
>> small
>> chain ring in the front? I thought that sounded pretty strange,
>> whereas more than a few folks take off the big ring.
>>
>> ??
>>
>> Penny
>
> I've currently got a 1x9 for easy stuff (mostly because I don't have
> an extra Fder, and it was a parts bike). In new england you won't
> see many bikes without a small ring - you need it for some of the
> steep stuff. Just downhill bikes and crazy XC racers who probably
> don't spin enough. Big rings tend to be absent from a lot of bikes
> in connecticut, where there are tons of logs to be jumped and
> everything is tight, rocky, or loose (very often all three), so
> opportunities to use the big ring are few and far between.
>
> Jon

I've considered building up a 1x9 myself, but decided to "go all the way"
and get an SS.
I've seen a couple of 1x9 or 1x8 bikes around here and it seems like it
might be a good comprimize if the terrain and/or your body will allow it.
I've actually thought a three speed would be cool if those hubs were more
efficent and durable. From what I hear they aren't so I didn't bother, but
just think: you could have benefits of an SS, but a little gearing advantage
too. I may still do that if the hubs ever get up to snuff.

Matt

 

[Monique Y. Mudama]

On 2004-11-02, small change penned:
> Have any of you folks ever heard of mountain bikers pulling off their small
> chain ring in the front? I thought that sounded pretty strange, whereas
> more than a few folks take off the big ring.
>

Yup. I've heard of it for racing; you can't pedal your hardest when you're
shifting, anyway, so if you can get away with not using the small ring, I
guess it makes sense to drop the weight.

--
monique

"Get a bicycle. You will not regret it, if you live."
-- Mark Twain

 

[bri719]

Phil, Squid-in-Training wrote:

>Yes - expert/pro racers do it because they don't use it or need it. At
>least many of them didn't need it here in FL...
>
>

yeah, I remember a small discussion of it about a week ago...

2 x 9 is plenty if you're going fast - who really needs a granny gear
for that?

bri

--

* enjoying the karma *
remove LKJSDFJSD from address to email

 

[Paladin]

"small change" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Have any of you folks ever heard of mountain bikers pulling off their
> small
> chain ring in the front? I thought that sounded pretty strange, whereas
> more than a few folks take off the big ring.
>
> ??
>
> Penny
>
Only Tinker Juarez.

paladin

 

[MattB]

Paladin wrote:
> "small change" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> Have any of you folks ever heard of mountain bikers pulling off their
>> small
>> chain ring in the front? I thought that sounded pretty strange,
>> whereas more than a few folks take off the big ring.
>>
>> ??
>>
>> Penny
>>
> Only Tinker Juarez.
>

Who was just beaten by my buddy Dave for the XC Marathon national title!
Dave uses the big ring a lot!

Matt

 

[bri719]

MattB wrote:

>Who was just beaten by my buddy Dave for the XC Marathon national title!
>Dave uses the big ring a lot!
>
>

nice...!

--

* enjoying the karma *
remove LKJSDFJSD from address to email

 

[[email protected]]

Ritchey even has a shifter for two rings.

I MTB 2004

 

[Paladin]

"MattB" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Paladin wrote:
> > "small change" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> >> Have any of you folks ever heard of mountain bikers pulling off their
> >> small
> >> chain ring in the front? I thought that sounded pretty strange,
> >> whereas more than a few folks take off the big ring.
> >>
> >> ??
> >>
> >> Penny
> >>
> > Only Tinker Juarez.
> >
>
> Who was just beaten by my buddy Dave for the XC Marathon national title!
> Dave uses the big ring a lot!
>
> Matt

Wow, congratulations to your friend. He must be in some condition....

paladin

 

[MattB]

Paladin wrote:
> "MattB" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:<[email protected]>...
>> Paladin wrote:
>>> "small change" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>> news:[email protected]...
>>>> Have any of you folks ever heard of mountain bikers pulling off
>>>> their small
>>>> chain ring in the front? I thought that sounded pretty strange,
>>>> whereas more than a few folks take off the big ring.
>>>>
>>>> ??
>>>>
>>>> Penny
>>>>
>>> Only Tinker Juarez.
>>>
>>
>> Who was just beaten by my buddy Dave for the XC Marathon national
>> title! Dave uses the big ring a lot!
>>
>> Matt
>
> Wow, congratulations to your friend. He must be in some condition....
>
> paladin

Other-worldly might describe him pretty well. And a really nice guy taboot.
He just turned 40 this year (which was the drunkest I've been in years -
ouch) and is retiring from pro racing to devote his career to managing the
RLX Polo Sport team.

Hall of famer too:
http://www.mtnbikehalloffame.com/inductees.cfm?page=99&mID=107

Matt (yep, pretty proud of our boy!)

 

[supabonbon]

"small change" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Have any of you folks ever heard of mountain bikers pulling off their small
> chain ring in the front? I thought that sounded pretty strange, whereas
> more than a few folks take off the big ring.
>
> ??
>
> Penny

The weight savings is insignificant except to the most obsessive
weight weenie.
Cannondale was selling bikes with that configuration a few years ago.
Ritchey makes a 2 ring setup as well. Steve Larsen was the first XC'er
I remember racing with it.
The best argument for this idea I've heard is that you can run a
short-cage derrailleur and shifting will be more crisp and dependable.
Besides, in certain conditions (fast and flat), 2x8 or 9 is
sufficient. And even on courses where it gets steep or techinical
enough to warrant a granny, it can be faster (again, arguably) to hop
off the bike and run it up the hill.

/s