Extremely low gears

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DevonDamo
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Re: Extremely low gears

Post by DevonDamo »

Thehairs1970 wrote: 29 Jul 2021, 12:13pmAm I the only one that feels there are some unnecessary comments here and boasts about your own ability? You are obviously blessed with amazing abilities but maybe you could work on modesty and understanding.
I thought exactly that when I read Tiggertoo's post, but I chose not to comment as I didn't know if it was just a case of someone having a cheeky pop at his mate. (If they're not mates, then that was a toe-curlingly embarrassing 'everyone! look at how good I am and how terrible this other person is' post.)
mattheus
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Re: Extremely low gears

Post by mattheus »

When I read a boastful cycling post I remember the old pub graffiti:

Don't moan about the beer - you'll be old and weak yourself one day!

Sometimes we brag without meaning to, it's just celebrating the things we are lucky to be able to do - for now: I for one know there are many faster than me, and that one day I won't be able to do the simple feats that I do now. (and that's ignoring accidents/injuries/sickness that can strike at any time).
Oldjohnw
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Re: Extremely low gears

Post by Oldjohnw »

When I used to have younger relatives comment on my age I used to say, “If you are lucky, you too will get old”.
John
GrahamJ
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Re: Extremely low gears

Post by GrahamJ »

My MTB, which I use for touring, was 22-32-44 front, 11-34 rear, 27.5" wheels. I have changed the cassette to a Sunrace 11-40T. The Shimano Deore RD-M592 derailleur doesn't have enough capacity for big-big and small-small, so I've disabled the 44 at the front, leaving me with a 15.1"-80" gear range. I like the 15.1" gear and use it regularly. I don't have special balancing skills, nor an aversion to pushing. It was a cheap and easy experiment anyway, so I'd suggest to AliK to try it instead of arguing about it!
mattheus
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Re: Extremely low gears

Post by mattheus »

GrahamJ wrote: 29 Jul 2021, 2:40pm My MTB, which I use for touring, was 22-32-44 front, 11-34 rear, 27.5" wheels. I have changed the cassette to a Sunrace 11-40T. The Shimano Deore RD-M592 derailleur doesn't have enough capacity for big-big and small-small, so I've disabled the 44 at the front, leaving me with a 15.1"-80" gear range. I like the 15.1" gear and use it regularly. I don't have special balancing skills, nor an aversion to pushing. It was a cheap and easy experiment anyway, so I'd suggest to AliK to try it instead of arguing about it!
That's good thinking.

(Might try this sometime, just to see how slowly I really can spin up a hill!)

In my current riding, the slowest I climb is usually at night (after a long day - or weekend - audaxing), and I find that in the dark I get a little dizzy when weaving around. So I often hop off and walk before most folks would normally. As said, it doesn't usually cost much time in the long run. A slight aside, sorry ...
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simonineaston
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Re: Extremely low gears

Post by simonineaston »

When I used to have younger relatives comment on my age I used to say, “If you are lucky, you too will get old”.
For the first time in human history, it is now a possibility that extinction will beat us all to it... amazing! A ring-side seat. Wow.
S
(on the look out for Armageddon, on board a Brompton nano & ever-changing Moultons)
Tiggertoo
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Re: Extremely low gears

Post by Tiggertoo »

But on moderate hills, on the flat and on downhills, the speed is amazing: you don't feel ponderous at all. And on really long downhills (like on the old A30 from Tedburn to Exeter), the weight is rocketing you along. Hare and tortoise do come to mind but it's the same bike and rider depending on the terrain!
On one of my Colorado rides, going down the pass was exhilarating and fast (49 MPH) mainly due to the weight of the bike pulling me down, and with a load, I can see that it would be even more so. The great pleasure we all have of course is the ability to get on a bike and ride wherever the mood takes us. Hope you enjoy your travels. :D
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NUKe
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Re: Extremely low gears

Post by NUKe »

A question how low is too low. there must be a point when you can either walk and push the bike quicker. Some of the 1 x arrangements have a rear sprocket much larger than the front, Where do people consider this point to be?
NUKe
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mattheus
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Re: Extremely low gears

Post by mattheus »

NUKe wrote: 29 Jul 2021, 3:51pm A question how low is too low. there must be a point when you can either walk and push the bike quicker.
Why do you think this is the case? From there, you stand a chance of coming up with an actual number.

[as it happens, a large number of posts have discussed the speed at which this happens!]
Tiggertoo
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Re: Extremely low gears

Post by Tiggertoo »

In my current riding, the slowest I climb is usually at night (after a long day - or weekend - audaxing)
Where I live, the temperature today is 96 F and it has been for the past couple of months, so I find after about two hours no matter the amount of fluid intake, the climbing speed is down to 4 MPH and the risk of falling off due to not being able to unclip from the Looks, so as to be able to commence walking, is quite high. I fall off too many times for this reason.
I wonder if others - at the point of minimum inertia - turn around to reverse down the hill a few yards in order to unclip safely at a higher speed before commencing the walk back up the hill. If one is climbing a hill at minimum speed and stops pedaling, one stops dead, and if unclipping is an issue, the result is falling over - no balance left.
ANTONISH
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Re: Extremely low gears

Post by ANTONISH »

NUKe wrote: 29 Jul 2021, 3:51pm A question how low is too low. there must be a point when you can either walk and push the bike quicker. Some of the 1 x arrangements have a rear sprocket much larger than the front, Where do people consider this point to be?
I've often found on a long mountain climb with a loaded bike my speed is around 4kph (2.5 mph) - it may be slower sometimes but I'm not looking and concentrating on keeping my bike straight.
The balance of the bike is my main difficulty and is the thing that may get me walking.
I had this problem on the C2C recently (problem with inner chainring chain sucking - I posted a thread on it). Very hard to get started again on a steep slope.
I find that when walking up a steep hill with a loaded touring bike I can manage about 1mph- so I doubt that walking is as fast as riding.
mattheus
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Re: Extremely low gears

Post by mattheus »

Tiggertoo wrote: 29 Jul 2021, 4:13pm ...
the climbing speed is down to 4 MPH and the risk of falling off due to not being able to unclip from the Looks,
...
I never have a problem unclipping when stationary (or almost stationary). Is this a LOOKs problem? I've never ridden with them (leave 'em to you racey types! )
gloomyandy
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Re: Extremely low gears

Post by gloomyandy »

For me it is not just the balance thing, but trying to get going again if you have to stop!

I very rarely get off and push when touring. I usually tour with a four pannier setup and the one and only time I've had to push that for any length of time up hill was on on the climb out of settle on the Way of the Roses. I had to slow down (even more!) when a car passed me as I was approaching a group walking down the road and lost my balance, so stopped. I found it pretty much impossible to get going again so pushed the bike up the hill. Maybe I just need more practice but I found it really hard work and very hard on my back.

On a similar topic I climbed the Bealach na Bà a few years ago (with the same touring setup), several times I had to pull in to a passing place to allow traffic to pass and getting going again was very touch and go! Having said that it wasn't as bad for me as it was for a guy that passed me (on an unloaded road bike), he also had to pull in and a combination of different gears and look road cleats rather than SPDs resulted in him having to walk the steepest part of the climb!

One final "getting going" tale. When the Tour came to Yorkshire a few years ago, myself and few others decided to ride our local stage a few days before the event. This included the climb up the "Cote de Ripponden Bank" which was being resurfaced and had traffic lights on it half way up. It was refreshing to see that some of the "pros" from Astana (on a training ride I guess) who we found waiting for the red light are not much better at clipping in on a steep climb than I am! But I guess they don't need to very often...
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Tigerbiten
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Re: Extremely low gears

Post by Tigerbiten »

NUKe wrote: 29 Jul 2021, 3:51pm A question how low is too low. there must be a point when you can either walk and push the bike quicker. Some of the 1 x arrangements have a rear sprocket much larger than the front, Where do people consider this point to be?
With a Rohloff it's below a 1.9:1 chainring:sprocket ratio.
I'm a fraction below that at 1.8:1 or 38/21.
Building the Rohloff into a 20" backwheel gives me a 9.4" first gear.
But I'm on a recumbent trike, so no balance problems at silly slow speeds.

As for silly slow speeds on two wheels, I've found that the better you can track stand then the slower you can climb hills as they both use the same skill.
So on a hill, if I can go through TDC/BDC to start the next pedal stroke, it's easy to keep climbing at a slow cadence.
The art is finding how slow you can go before you need to get out of the saddle to keep your balance.
And then once you're out of the saddle, what's the correct cadence for maximum efficiency.

Luck ........... :D
Tiggertoo
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Re: Extremely low gears

Post by Tiggertoo »

I never have a problem unclipping when stationary (or almost stationary). Is this a LOOKs problem?


Probably. They are a bear to clip in, they spin so you have to look down to clip in and when you look up again there is often a huge lorry bearing down on you. Unclipping seems to be a problem when on an incline - or maybe it's just me stressing and trying to pull up rather than twisting sideways.
I've thought of converting to Speedplays, and two of my bikes do have SPD's but my favourite shoes have the Look cleats so I'd have to completely rework and buy new if I changed to anything else. Once rolling though, the Looks are very comfortable.
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