Another cycling question, which gears to avoid
 

I know that you shouldn't mix the biggest chainring with the biggest cog on the cassette.
http://aleoca.com/main/wp-content/up...ross-chain.jpg

My bike is setup as a 3x8. So, I've got lots of "speeds" at my disposal. What's safe/recommended? Say, the biggest chainring with the 6 highest cogs on the cassette? Then the middle 6 for the middle chainring and then the highest 6 on the smallest chainring? Or should I go even tighter only using 4 or 5 gears on each chainring?

Shouldn't use large chain ring with large cog and shouldn't use small chain ring and small cog. have a go at everything else, you should be Ok

OK, so it is that simple. Good deal.

I am a nerd and a numbers guy, so I was previously looking at the numbers...

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1547642235.jpg

Reverse.........

what Asphaltgmbler means is that you have t backwards
the 50 front 11 rear is an overdrive, .220

the only underdriven is the 30 front 32 rear, 1.0667, I've never seen an undriven gear set on a street bike the lowest gear on any of mine is .889(36f/32r)

Don't over think it. Ride. ☺

More than likely you'll never use the 30 front on the road. (Probably wouldn't even use it off road unless you're bikepacking up the Rocky Mountains))

The reason you want to try and avoid cross chaining your chainline is to keep wear on the chain and sprockets to a minimum, and as a plus, it's quieter.

When I was racing the rule of thumb was to try to keep the chain as straight as possible.

An even bigger rule is "always have at least ONE gear left when climbing, just in case!

Duh! I'd been looking at the numbers thinking "why do those look all wrong???" It makes sense that I've got the division backwards and the gear ratios should look more like a car, big numbers for low gears and smaller numbers for high gears. Thanks
Yeah, I tend to over think everything, but when I get out there, I do just ride.

Correct, the small chain ring has been used just to make sure that the front derailleur will hit all 3 and is adjusted well, but not anything else. I just use the middle and big in practice. I think this bike is designed to be used as a tourer. It's got front and rear rack mounts and came with big 38mm gravel tires, so I think it's setup so it could be used for bike-packing. I've tried the first gear just to see what it's like, yeah, I could climb walls or trees with it for sure.

Yep, that's why I was asking, to try to figure out how much of an angle is ok, and how much to avoid to avoid the extra wear.

I know in my case, when I really need another gear, I grab it with no conscious thought to what my chainline is looking like, (Wow! this hill around this corner is way steep! I need my 28 NOW!

HOLY COW! I'm suddenly spinning at 130 and going nowhere! Time for the big chainring NOW!)

Then, when things settle down, readjust the chainline to optimal.

One tip from my old mountain bike days; When you go up one in the front, go down two in the back. That will make smoother shifts.

That was when bikes had 3/5 so the ratio is probably different with the new 3/8 cog sets.

Edit: My first project in Excel (1986?) was a chart like yours where I mapped my gear ratios. :D

No......above I literally ment avoid putting it reverse, as in going backwards, you know like a laugh or two.......

That's a pretty good rule of thumb (use 6 of the 8 on the cassette) for the inner and outer rings. You can shift the whole cassette on the middle ring. If you're on the small ring and small cog on the cassette, your rear derailleur won't be able to put enough tension in the chain, and you'll probably drop it, especially if you're already on the small cog and then downshift in front. On the big/big combo if the chain length is correct you'll have enough chain that it will stay in gear, but won't behave well.

That was how I took it initially, but then thought that maybe I was wrong.

The other rule is that you keep it in the big ring as long as you can, and only shift to the little ring when you have no choice, and if anyone sees you in the tiny ring you have to pretend you're sick or are just (yawn) stretching.

Okay, this isn't a rule except to stupid people. Like me.

If you are diving into it that deep, you might consider just going with a 1x set-up. Plenty of folks running 1x9, 1x10, 1x11, etc. without issue. You get to ditch the front DR/lever/cabling, saving a bit of weight and complexity.
You can either purchase a complete 1x groupset or retro your existing gear by using a few specialty parts (extended rear DR hanger, narrow/wide chain-ring, etc.). Just a thought...

I almost always use the middle ring and work the cassette as the terrain demands. Unless I'm doing a serious climb then I'll spin as much as I must.

roflmao!

:D:D:D

I mean this kindly, but do you have an engineering background or wish you did?

The absolute best way to learn cycling is to buy a couple of books on it from a beginners perspective and then go ride with a patient experienced cyclist requesting that they instruct you on proper gearing, braking (front brake compared to rear %) bike control, riding with cars, hazards (like railroad tracks) ascending and descending, how to take a fall and not get hurt(much), hydration and nutrition and very importantly which tools to carry/how to change and repair a flat. If you can’t change a flat and you miles out with your wife, you’re skrewed.

I think he has that affliction...

+1

Yep
I'll be learning what I can from you folks and folks around once I get started. I prefer to learn from others mistakes without having to make them myself if possible.

I'm pretty sure I could change a flat. I've done it a hundred+ times on bikes when I was younger 20" and larger. I assume these new bikes are similar other than the fact that our bikes are "tubeless ready" which may make it a bit tougher to get the tire bead over the rim, I've read.

My tri and road bikes both run 52/36 front (with different length cranks mind you) and one has a 11-25, the other 11-28. I have an 11-25 for the road bike waiting to be installed. I think often about what the best rear gearing is and go back and forth. Then when riding (regardless of which bike) I always seem to be able to get up every hill (and we ride some steep climbs) and never run out of gear on the flats or down hill. My point is, if I wish I had a larger rear gear while climbing, I just grind it out and think about it making me stronger (which may or may not be the case).

You are going to find a couple of gears that become your fave's on the flats (give or take a wee bit of wind) train outside of those gears to get stronger, don't always default into them because they "work" for you.

The worst gearing I ever had was in my teens. We raced and had required gearing (I can't remember the sanctioning body or class etc) but we needed to ride a 48/52 front and a 16-20 rear. It was like having 4 gears. There was just nothing really between one tooth on the rear. Climbing sucked, and not enough gear on downhill..... It sucked to ride. It may have been why I quite riding for 25 plus years.... :) (or the flat tires or crashing...)

We had only 5 gears back then unless you rode in the late 80s then you had 6.

Yep, Junior gear restriction, sucks. I think it was 52 15, maybe 16? I hated them because we would get blown off the back during training rides. We just didn't have enough gears on those long flats where the big boys motor away. We change freewheels before a race.

The trick w/ tube changes is to be sure that the bead is seated all the way around, it can get hung up where the valve stem is, I put a little air in the tube to start, seat the bead by kneading it, add 30#s or so to double check it then inflate to riding pressure.

An adjustable C02 cartridge/filler is the nuts for this, a pump will do in a pinch.

53x15 was the max for junior gearing. Plenty of gear for racing, even with the seniors. We used to blow those guys away when they would shift down into their 13's and we would just spin faster. Jonas Carney used to decimate the seniors cat 2 races riding as a junior on junior gears. The only time I ever really needed big gears was racing in Belgium. Those guys could push big gears for miles. We were only half joking when we said we had 2 gears. 53x13 for the flat and 53x15 for the hills.

I started racing with a standard 5 speed then switched to a six speed. Everything was down tube friction shifters. Once in a while I will jump onto one of my old bikes and play around. They still feel good and I can corner it as fast as anything modern.

On Presta valves, install them as Bill had mentioned and leave the stem loose. I would push them up in the tire when seating the bead then pressure them up so as not to pinch the tube.

When reading Jeff's response, my first thought was he uses different length cranks... Then the coffee kicked in!

If your drivetrain is making noise, then you are probably out of range.

It took a bit for me to get the new 1x11 to a range where it was rideable for me on the climbs.
Think I settled on 28x46 on the back end for the trail bike and 26x42 on the fat (winter) bike.
Neither are ridden on road except to get to the trail near the house.

Seriously looking at the Sram 1x12 Eagle in X0 or XX1. Maybe after this stuff wears out.

I do REALLY like the way the SRAM double tap shifters works!

then don't try their eTap or Shimano electronic.

I'm assuming the cost $$$ for e-shifting would make adding those to my bike $ seem a little silly.

But they are amazing.... :)

I'm riding a compact front and 11-40 rear and could use more on many hills. Our club rides many goats in double digits. Our group has many in the 60-70 year old range a good number have 11-40 or 11-42 cassettes. It is definitely not macho but you get up the hills and at least you are out there. Ride with experienced cyclists and you will get lots of good advice if you ask. You pickup various bits of helpful info. over the years. I'm only about 2.5 years into it. It seems like you are always looking for ways to be more comfortable on the bike.

We had one guy that bought a bike over the internet. It came with gearing of something like

11-42 rear

38-52 front

Yes, he could UNDERDRIVE. He changed the cassette soon after, but not before a BUNCH of ribbing.

I've got the latest and greatest Shimano Di2 on one bike and the latest Shimano Ultegra mechanical on another, Both are nice.

The only time I prefer Di2 is when upshifting the front at the end of a long ride, those last few ups on the Ultegra really strain my thumb.

On the Ultegra I really like going down 2 at a time, makes keeping pace much easier as iIcan keep speed up in a higher gear longer

Otherwise IMO it's wash , except for the price. The Di2 components are works of art but I don't spend much time looking at them, unlike some of the guys I know that keep their gems in their office to look at all day.

just listen to yer chain
if you cross over to much it will make a grinding noise.