Gearing snobbery?

[RichK]

I usually use 50/34 + 12-30. Next week is the LMTT which involves a swap to 11-32. That's for the 32 bit, not the 11. I get some ribbing about the dinner plate on the back but I'm not in the slightest bit bothered I just think of Ankerdine... after 33 miles and smile

 

[tyred]

The bike industry is driven by fashion, not by practicality. It is style over function.

 

[winjim]

Good reason not to buy Campag

We wouldn't want you in our gang anyway.

 

[steve292]

Because reviewers are tossers. Bike magazines are the cradle of snobbery, stupidity. gonzo lunatics, posers, wanna be's, idiots and pseudo scientist. Their staff can distinguish the subtle differences of down to 0,3 degrees of seat post angle, tell you with closed eyes whether they've just ridden over a sheet of paper or not, find differences in acceleration between two frames by intuition and predict the grip of a tyre just by hearing it's name.
They east, drink and wear bike industry swarf, move from junket to junket and pepper their sentences with technology, stiffer, lighter, faster, carbon, fast-rolling, bomb-proof and dude.

Blah!

I would stop beating around the bush, & just say what you think.........................

 

[Smokin Joe]

Because reviewers are tossers. Bike magazines are the cradle of snobbery, stupidity. gonzo lunatics, posers, wanna be's, idiots and pseudo scientist. Their staff can distinguish the subtle differences of down to 0,3 degrees of seat post angle, tell you with closed eyes whether they've just ridden over a sheet of paper or not, find differences in acceleration between two frames by intuition and predict the grip of a tyre just by hearing it's name.
They east, drink and wear bike industry swarf, move from junket to junket and pepper their sentences with technology, stiffer, lighter, faster, carbon, fast-rolling, bomb-proof and dude.

Blah!

Wot this guy said.

I fall about laughing when I read about how a reviewers bike suddenly turned from a pneumatic drill into an armchair when he replaced the aluminium seatpost with a carbon one. And how many times have you read that crossed spokes give you a softer ride than radial? Even the slightest idea of how a wheel works is enough to dispel that rubbish.

 

[2IT]

Because reviewers are tossers. Bike magazines are the cradle of snobbery, stupidity. gonzo lunatics, posers, wanna be's, idiots and pseudo scientist. Their staff can distinguish the subtle differences of down to 0,3 degrees of seat post angle, tell you with closed eyes whether they've just ridden over a sheet of paper or not, find differences in acceleration between two frames by intuition and predict the grip of a tyre just by hearing it's name.
They east, drink and wear bike industry swarf, move from junket to junket and pepper their sentences with technology, stiffer, lighter, faster, carbon, fast-rolling, bomb-proof and dude.

Blah!

Some of them may put that much work into a review. Was under the impression that some just copy and paste something from the manufacturer.

 

[2IT]

I've read a lot of bike reviews and if a bike has a 32 cassette why is the reviewer always at pains to point out the the 32 is a "bail out gear" or like I read the other day "the 32 cassette will let you ride up the side of a house"?
I'd suggest the vast majority of us could well use a 32 or larger with a compact crank (unless grinding out of the saddle is your thing or you live somewhere flat).
I'm comfortably in the top half of most of the climbs in my area on Strava yet people seem almost embarrassed to admit the need a 32.
I use mine a lot and I'm looking at going to a 34 or 36.
Surely the gearing on road bikes is putting newbies off sticking with cycling if they can't get up their local climbs?

Good point. One counter point is are you going to run that all the time?

Most of the time I'm on a 50-39 with a 12-25 which works for the foothills of the Appalachians. I like it because it is could be a racing setup too.

If I were going to do real hills or mountains, specifically long climbs, I would loke a 32 or higher. Yet, would I need a longer chain and the longer rear derailleur hanger? Having to make those changes or the thought of doing so (I could be wrong) keeps me to a 28. Not snobbery. Maybe some laziness or practicality on my part.

 

[TheCharityEventer]

Hi i'm new to this 32t-28t malarky. but i've just counted mine and i think i've got it right, I have a ridgeback flight 01 and on the rear 11t - 32t and the front 28t - 48t, would this be correct?? i'm so used to saying it's a 24 gear bike lol

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Some of them may put that much work into a review. Was under the impression that some just copy and paste something from the manufacturer.

No, there are things that even manufacturers won't do. They leave that to the rats.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

i've recently seen pros with at least 30-tooth cassettes on mountain stages of the grand tours. miguel indurain was not above using a triple as an insurance policy, so if it's good enough for the pros to ride with appropriate gearing, it's good enough for the rest of us.

in my club, you won't get strange looks or comments for riding a hilly club run with a large cassette or triple; more likely comments if you're obviously struggling with a setup more suited to a flat time trial than a ride in the peak district…

 

[e-rider]

most 'normal' cyclists don't need a 32T for road cycling, however, there are many that would happily have it. However, if said bike is being marketed at the road race scene why would it come with a 32T sprocket - hence the criticism. Perhaps a £500 entry level bike would be less criticised for have a 32T fitted as it would be more appropriate for the type of person that might buy it and what they use it for.

 

[Apollonius]

The race leader's bike in the 2014 Giro d'Italia (pink bar-tape). If it is good enough for him....

 

[screenman]

I have never come across snobbery during all my years of cycling, I must be so lucky.

 

[huwsparky]

Don't normally take a 32t but will be taking one for a ride i'm doing next month with some tough climbs coming in on a 100 miles.

Certainly no shame in using a 32t IMO.

 

[ColinJ]

I have never come across snobbery during all my years of cycling, I must be so lucky.

You are!

I have experienced it several times. One rather amusing example was when I was out doing the old Pendle Pedal sportive. I was riding down to the crossroads at Quernmore. I would be turning left at the crossroads and tackling a stiff climb up to the Jubilee Tower monument.

Just before my turn, I was overtaken by a fast-moving group of younger male riders. One of them spotted the gearing on my bike and started laughing. He called out "Ha ha - got yer triple ready have yer, granddad!"

They climbed away from me up round a RH bend where the road really starts to kick up. I engaged my 28/28 bottom gear and was twiddling my way up at a comfortable pace when I turned the bend and saw a slow-moving group of younger male WALKERS ahead of me, dripping sweat, and pushing their bikes.

I couldn't resist it ... I took my right hand off the bars, leaned down to extract a drinks bottle from its cage, and accelerated as I overtook them, riding one-handed. I took a long, casual drink and said them "Ha ha - looks like you need triples too, eh lads!"