New gears or new bike?!

[Emj40]

Hi All,

I have a query concerning gears. I have a Specialized Vita Sport (Women) and I had the cassette replaced last year due to gears slipping. The cassette is 48/38/28 and I have noticed since that I do not use the middle ring at all as its too easy. I now use the large ring which is fine when I am crusing but too hard if I need to inject some speed to overtake, vehicles, other cyclists etc. I like to cycle quite fast for fitness so need to feel that I am getting something from my ride. I cycle 36 miles per week, mainly flat road to work in London. Would I get more from a road bike with double standard or compact gears?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Many Thanks

 

[Zakalwe]

The 48/38/28 refers to your chainring at the front rather than the cassette on your back wheel. The cassette on the back wheel has 9 differently sized cogs on it which, in combination with the 3 chain rings on the pedal cranks, gives you 27 possible combinations to choose from.

From your post it sounds as though you're not changing the cog on the back wheel at all and only changing between the middle and largest chainring, limiting your options to two. perhaps leave the chain on the largest, 48 tooth chainring at the front and only use the rear gear selector - you should have an 11-32 on there which goes a bit like 11-12-14-15-16-18-20-25-30 there should be a gear to suit most speeds for you in there somewhere.

 

[Stonepark]

Suntour XCR Chain ring 48/36/26
Shimano Alvio Cassette 11-32

I have a Cube Touring Pro with the same set-up and the above gear choice (48f11r) will give me at least 22mph on the flat, the max cruising speed that I can maintain for 3 miles (to feel the benefit) is 18mph on 48f/15r), ave touring speed is 12mph on the 48f/20R.

Do you have a bike computer and know what speeds you are doing?

 

[fossyant]

The only thing I would suggest is a closer ratio rear cassette, 11-25 say. I will add, you should be pedalling at a cadence of 80-100 rpm, so not quite sure what you mean by "it's too hard when overtaking" ? A 48 x 12 or 11 should be more than enough to get to 40mph down hill.

What sort of cadence are you pedalling.

 

[jefmcg]

She's cycling in London, so very likely she's on the flat, so no 40mph.

First question: did they replace the cassette with the same specification? Check the smallest cog has only 11 teeth. I've been messed about this way (on my folder, but still it happens).

I've just bought a road bike, compact double 50/34, with a 12-30 cassette. Which means (thanks sheldon brown!) my top gear is actually about 5% lower than yours. So a new bike may make the problem worse, not better.

Cadence is the key, if you are in top gear, pedalling at 80 or more rotations a minute, then your bike is the limiting factor. I'm a much slower cyclist than you, but on my London commute, me or my bike is rarely the problem: other cyclists, drivers, and traffic lights make the difference.

ps I've sent to you a private message

 

[Emj40]

Hi All,
Thank you for your replies.
I have a cycle computer and depending on traffic, my speed is 15-18mph.
I have 24 gears and I am currently using the largest chainring at the front and gears 5 & 6 all of the time now. When I initially got the bike I could only use the middle chainring as the largest was too hard for me. Since then the middle is now too easy and I am restricted to the largest!
Thanks jefmcg for the tip about the 50/34 chainset road bike....this is what I thought of buying.
Perhaps I should just accept that this the set up of the bike.

 

[Rob3rt]

She's cycling in London, so very likely she's on the flat, so no 40mph.

First question: did they replace the cassette with the same specification? Check the smallest cog has only 11 teeth. I've been messed about this way (on my folder, but still it happens).

I've just bought a road bike, compact double 50/34, with a 12-30 cassette. Which means (thanks sheldon brown!) my top gear is actually about 5% lower than yours. So a new bike may make the problem worse, not better.

Cadence is the key, if you are in top gear, pedalling at 80 or more rotations a minute, then your bike is the limiting factor. I'm a much slower cyclist than you, but on my London commute, me or my bike is rarely the problem: other cyclists, drivers, and traffic lights make the difference.

ps I've sent to you a private message

Am I correct in assuming what you mean is that it is not the rider that is the limit if they can push the hardest gear at 90rpm with ease but the machine in one way or another? Not 100% what you mean.

TBH, 48:12 or 48:11 is a tall gear! Most people won't be pushing that around for fun! I am going to go out on a limb and say that it is neither the bike nor the gearing which is the issue, but it is the OP's use of the gears that it the issue! A closer spread as Fossy said may help, but only if you know how to use it.

 

[simon.r]

Hi All,
Thank you for your replies.
I have a cycle computer and depending on traffic, my speed is 15-18mph.
I have 24 gears and I am currently using the largest chainring at the front and gears 5 & 6 all of the time now. When I initially got the bike I could only use the middle chainring as the largest was too hard for me. Since then the middle is now too easy and I am restricted to the largest!
Thanks jefmcg for the tip about the 50/34 chainset road bike....this is what I thought of buying.
Perhaps I should just accept that this the set up of the bike.

I think you should see if you can spin your legs a bit faster (increase your cadence). If you're on 48 / 14 (not sure what gears 5 and 6 are, but thet will probably be around 14 or 15 teeth), you're only spinning at 60rpm if you're doing 16mph (roughly). Upping your cadence to 90rpm will get you a speed of about 25mph.

If you can get used to spinning at a fairly consistent higher rpm, say 90, you'll probably find you'll use a wider range of gears as well.

 

[Zakalwe]

I don't think you'll notice much of any difference with a new bike to be honest, you've got an 8 speed cassette on the back and you're using the 5th and the 6th - you've still got 2 more above that are too hard to push, these aren't going to be any easier on a different bike. pedalling faster, as already stated, is key.