Gears for hills

[davidwalton]

39/52 is pretty standard for road bikes; there's plenty of overlap between the ratios. You don't juggle between the two as often as you'd think.

Irronically, on a triple there's fewer useable gears per chainring than there is with a double. Which means that with a triple you have to change gear at the front more often than with a double.

I find I use the middle more than the other 2. With the middle 40T, I can use 7 of the 9 rear, all except the 11T and 34T. The 30T front I use just for hills, and the 52T for flats and downhill (although the 40T on 13T rear will allow me to get well over 20MPH).

Note: on a recumbent, I think there is not the same sort of restrictions on gear usage with chain being so much longer.