Gearing -

[eevvee]

Having started cycling recently with a Boardman Hybrid Team I then followed up with a Ridgeback Platinum 2011 -

They both have Compacts - 50 - 34 and are both 10 speed

The Boardman cassette is 11 - 28 and the Ridgeback is a 12 - 25.

I am really enjoying the drop bar experience with the Ridgeback however when in the 50 - 12 gear I still feel like I should have another gear or two to get more from the bike.

I would appreciate any comments/suggestions on how best to do this? Would it be a change of cassette or chainset - and would there be any drawbacks in making changes?

 

[cyberknight]

Learn to spin the gears a bit faster, i ride a road bike with a 50/ 34 and a 12 -25 cassette and i do not spin out till i am over 35 mph + .
Everyone is different but the average recommended leg rpm or cadence is about 90 rpm, that gives you 29 mph with a 50 x 12, and as i already said pedaling faster than that you will not run out of gears quickly.
For commuting i regulary ride on 50 x 17 on the flat (panniered ) around 21-22 mph

 

[eevvee]

Learn to spin the gears a bit faster, i ride a road bike with a 50/ 34 and a 12 -25 cassette and i do not spin out till i am over 35 mph + .
Everyone is different but the average recommended leg rpm or cadence is about 90 rpm, that gives you 29 mph with a 50 x 12, and as i already said pedaling faster than that you will not run out of gears quickly.
For commuting i regulary ride on 50 x 17 on the flat (panniered ) around 21-22 mph

Thank you, I am certainly not reaching 35mph, if the rain stops overnight I hope to get out by 6am tomorrow and will male an effort to spin the gears faster

 

[simon.r]

As said above - up your cadence

 

[Sittingduck]

Easiest way is to put an 11-xx cassette on there. In reality, you shouldn't be spinning out in 50x12 until you're well up above 40 mph.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Having started cycling recently with a Boardman Hybrid Team I then followed up with a Ridgeback Platinum 2011 -

They both have Compacts - 50 - 34 and are both 10 speed

The Boardman cassette is 11 - 28 and the Ridgeback is a 12 - 25.

I am really enjoying the drop bar experience with the Ridgeback however when in the 50 - 12 gear I still feel like I should have another gear or two to get more from the bike.

I would appreciate any comments/suggestions on how best to do this? Would it be a change of cassette or chainset - and would there be any drawbacks in making changes?

Have a play with this to see what effect changing things would have on speed etc.

http://www.machars.net/bikecalc.htm

Unless you are determined to be pedaling hard down steep-ish descents I'd have thought 50x12 would be more than ok.

 

[eevvee]

Thanks to all,

I did get out this morning - 34 miles total on a there and back route. Outward, with the wind behind, I managed 27.6mph in 50:12 - trying to increase my cadence and it looks like this is something I should put some effort into. The first 10 miles I was averaging over 17mph which is my best average to date.

On the return I had the wind head on - the BBC web site had the wind speed down as 5 to 7 mph - but it was certainly much stronger (later in the morning it was reported as being in excess of 25mph) and it proved to be a struggle to achieve any reasonable cadence so my average for the ride was 15mph.

My bike computer does not display cadence would you think this is an important requirement, I can see that it would be a good way of keeping up the cadence - however with empty pockets I may just have to refer to the mph/cadence tables (or search eBay for a bargain).

Once again thanks to all for your input - keep spinning

 

[redcard]

27mph average for an hour is quite high, even with a headwind

 

[eevvee]

27mph average for an hour is quite high, even with a headwind

Sorry - my max recorded speed was 27.6mph with a tail wind and this was on the first 10 miles with the average speed over the 10 miles being 17mph.

On the return with the head wind against me my overall average speed was 15mph for the 34 miles.

I think I just have to concentrate on increasing cadence and see what results I can get.

 

[malcermie]

Learn to spin the gears a bit faster, i ride a road bike with a 50/ 34 and a 12 -25 cassette and i do not spin out till i am over 35 mph + .
Everyone is different but the average recommended leg rpm or cadence is about 90 rpm, that gives you 29 mph with a 50 x 12, and as i already said pedaling faster than that you will not run out of gears quickly.
For commuting i regulary ride on 50 x 17 on the flat (panniered ) around 21-22 mph

My OAP legs would love to spin 90rpm...O well I can dream

 

[eevvee]

My OAP legs would love to spin 90rpm...O well I can dream

I'm 61 - looking forward to finding out if there is a cadence limit to what I can max out at, and if once at the maximum will there be any specific training that will improve on this figure.

Getting enough bike time might be one factor. Would spinning classes be of any value?

 

[Nigelnaturist]

I can average 80+rpm, but recently it's down in the high 70's but I have been doing a lot of climbing (well for me) just recently, with 11,000 ft this week avg of 2216ft a day. over 200 miles. avg speed of 14.52, but if your stack the rides up (for the week) against previous weeks, i has been the most difficulty riding I have done, this on the back of 319 miles last week with 14,000+ft of climbing, but i was faster because the rides were easier.

Eeevee you can get some cheap comp's with cadence,
http://www.amazon.co.uk/computer-Strada-Cadence-wired-cycling/dp/B000P1OBD6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1367680118&sr=8-2&keywords=bike cadence
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/bontrager/trip-3-cadence-cycle-computer-ec022977
Or if you have the option there are the likes of the Bryton 20 which will record your ride H.R. and cadence (with the sensors).

evans with h.r.m at £125.99 £75 without. cadence sensor can be picked up for about £30-40
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/bryton/rider-20t-gps-hrm-ec035457
I would buy the base unit as you can get both H.R. and Sp/Cad for about £50-60.
The 40 is a better unit but if all you want is cad/hr the 20 will record it.

 

[paul04]

I think I just have to concentrate on increasing cadence and see what results I can get.

Thats what I have been doing for the last few weeks, I have noticed a difference in my average speed, and in a few strava speed times

 

[eevvee]

I can average 80+rpm, but recently it's down in the high 70's but I have been doing a lot of climbing (well for me) just recently, with 11,000 ft this week avg of 2216ft a day. over 200 miles. avg speed of 14.52, but if your stack the rides up (for the week) against previous weeks, i has been the most difficulty riding I have done, this on the back of 319 miles last week with 14,000+ft of climbing, but i was faster because the rides were easier.

Nigel, many thanks for the links and your comments on the cadence /HR monitors.

I am very impressed with your mileage and climbing stats - a great inspiring effort, are you training for any event in particular?

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Thanks, no not really, it started out so I could carry my camera kit, but that never really worked out, just ended up doing more mileage ect...., These days I just like to push myself a little more, as things get easier I find I can climb more, but I am not really a distance rider, just like getting out for a few hours each day.
I only started last June, and it took me a long time to be able to tackle any sort of hill with any gumption, but now I have the gears about right, things challenge me, but I usually get up them, but then we don't have much locally with in an hours ride really apart from the ones I have just done this week, I just wish I had a slightly better group set than the one I currently have, but it works.
The wheels I got last month have made a difference.