PH wrote:reohn2 wrote:landsurfer wrote:24 tooth front chainring .. !! i'm jealous .... i did my lejog on a single 26 tooth front chainring .... i could have done with a 24 for Helmsdale and Berriedale
There's a good adage,"always have two gears lower than you think you'll ever need".
I like to have at least three,it's the Boy Scout in me
I can walk as fast as I can pedal an 18" gear, I've had it demonstrated to me how it's more efficient to keep riding, but if there's no time advantage I like the change. I might feel different if I lived somewhere with hills that would take hours to walk up, but most of those I've got off for have only taken minutes.
I didn't get into cycling till well after wide gear ranges were available, but all the old CTC archive stuff I've seen has people getting off for the steep bits and I wonder if it is the sports influence that has made this seem less acceptable.
My derailleur bike, which is probably the faster bike over a hilly ride, sacrifices a couple of low gears for some very close ones in the middle range (9 spd triple 24" - 95") I get more use from those I've gained than those I've lost.
As you know I prefer large section tyres due to the kind of terrain I like to ride.
My Genesis Vagabond has Marathon Supremes 700x 50(47mm actual size),fitted presently(I Also have a pair of 700x50 (also 47 actual size) Conti RaceKings for wintery mucky stuff) which gives me a 20inch to 78.5inch range on 2×9sp 24/39t x 14,15,17,19,21,23,26,30,34 cass
My Salsa Vaya fitted with 700x37 actual size Hypers has a similar range but only needs a 32t large sprocket unlike the Vagabond which needs a 34t due to it's bigger tyres though top 39x14 is a couple of inches less than the Vagabond due to the smaller section tyres.
Both bikes are on S/light Impact chainsets using the the two inner and middle ring positions with a chainguard in the third outer ring position where there used to be a 46t ring and in days past a 48t,even further back it used to be a 50t
The cruising gears on both bikes are quite closely grouped at 39x15,17,19,21,23t.
Out of choice I ride a lot of tracks and towpaths where high gears aren't a lot of use,but on crapmac I can occasionally with a tailwind or slight down hill spin top upto 25mph,due to my age and fitness level these days anything bigger than that isn't much use to me.
I don't like walking up hills unless I have to and sometimes I really have to,though I don't see walking as somekind of failure,speed doesn't concern me and I'd rather ride uphill at 2mph than walk at 3mph,we all have our personal preferences and quirks