Gearing

[Dan89]

My current bike has a 34/50 chainset and a 12-28 cassette. I find it ok on hills but on the flat or down hill I feel I don't get enough power into it before I am bouncing around in the saddle. What would anybody recommend for keeping it roughly the same on hills but a bigger gear to push on the flat, if this is at all possible?!?! Thanks in advance.

Regards,
Dan.

 

[BSRU]

My current bike has a 34/50 chainset and a 12-28 cassette. I find it ok on hills but on the flat or down hill I feel I don't get enough power into it before I am bouncing around in the saddle. What would anybody recommend for keeping it roughly the same on hills but a bigger gear to push on the flat, if this is at all possible?!?! Thanks in advance.

Regards,
Dan.

If your bouncing around in the saddle then maybe your saddle is too low.
You gearing is pretty much standard modern compact gearing on most road bikes.

 

[Dan89]

I've had a bike fit and by all accounts everything is set up correctly. I'd just like to know if there is a selection of chainset and cassette that would give me similar gears for going uphill but larger gears for on the flat.
Thanks.

 

[Dan89]

Would a 39/53 chainset and an 11/32 cassette achieve what I'm after?

 

[Rob3rt]

Quite frankly, unless you are pretty fast, you simply don't need bigger gears.

 

[JasonHolder]

On the descents you're talking about running out of gears, pushing an 11 instead of a 12 will make no odds. Just run out of gears and tuck for the remainder descent and recover. Personally from my own testing on a 1 mile descent I only save 15seconds pedalling a 53-11 over getting to 53-13 and tucking up aero style- it takes a huge amouny of force to drive a 53-11 even down a hill because of the air resistance. And considering how much more recovered you are from freewheeling, its my choice now.

I've actually just ditched the 11-25 for a 12-28. Unless you have the legs to push the 11. Just lose it, because 99.9% of riding isn't in the 11.

11-32 is going to have crazy gaps. Figure out what you spend most of the time riding and gear accordingly, compromises are common. I can make more time going uphill than slogging a 53-11 down. Works for me

 

[Rob3rt]

I've had a bike fit and by all accounts everything is set up correctly. I'd just like to know if there is a selection of chainset and cassette that would give me similar gears for going uphill but larger gears for on the flat.
Thanks.

It would be possible to maintain easier gears, whilst getting higher gears, yes. However, there are several reasons why you probably shouldn't do that.

1) The gap between gears will be larger thus making it harder to maintain an efficient cadence most of the time.
2) You don't need bigger gears (Unless you are capable of riding at 25+ mph for an hour on the flat?) as you won't be able to push them!

If you want to go faster on the flat, increase your fitness!

 

[JasonHolder]

And if you want to go faster downhill" arrive faster by getting up the hill quicker and freewheel down after you've run out of gears

 

[Sharky]

Just put on a slightly bigger chain wheel

 

[cyberknight]

It would be possible to maintain easier gears, whilst getting higher gears, yes. However, there are several reasons why you probably shouldn't do that.

1) The gap between gears will be larger thus making it harder to maintain an efficient cadence most of the time.
2) You don't need bigger gears (Unless you are capable of riding at 25+ mph for an hour on the flat?) as you won't be able to push them!

If you want to go faster on the flat, increase your fitness!

What he said .
For commuting i use a 12-25 on a compact and generally ride the 50x 15/16 on the flat up to 21-22 mph which is comfortable cruising pace with panniers for me .The weekender has an 11-28 and although i have an extra gear i rarely use it as i would be pushing a similar gear at a higher cadence to go faster in a similar gear as the commuter, in fact i dont think i would even hit 50x11 unless i was doing 35 mph , down hill i might add .
If your bike is set up right maybe you need to learn how to spin faster , a 50 x 12 at 90 rpm which is what most people recommend as a good average cadence will give you 29.3 mph , a 53 x 11 would give you 33.9 at the same rpm .
Even with bike set up there are still variables for a persons individual body lengths assuming you had a basic fit i ride with the seat maybe 5 mm above the recommended height using the 109 % .A motion capture fit is a different animal of course .

 

[Shut Up Legs]

Going down hill, sometimes you can gain more speed simply by tucking into a low position and not pedaling.

 

[John the Canuck]

Would a 39/53 chainset and an 11/32 cassette achieve what I'm after?

i'm certainly not a fast rider but agree with JH
''11-32 is going to have crazy gaps.''

i had an 8speed 11-32 on the TREK FX hybrid
and soon changed it for a 13-30