Why so many gears?.....

[Marazzi Mick]

just done what must be my tenth ride on my new bike. Puzzled by having 22 gears I only used a handful of them and usually exerting myself until breathless and really red in the face.

I watched a YouTube video about making full use of them and constant adjustment which would mean easy cycling and ideally pedalling between 80 and 100 rpm. I’m still unsure as to how you measure this, perhaps there is something you fit to the bike but the point is I got home after covering the biggest distance I had done before and felt ok. When I looked at Strava I had also done my highest average speed. Ok 22 miles and 16.4 mph isn’t setting the world alight but it is progress I am pleased with.

I’m hoping to do the 30 mile mark soon but really can feel the benefits of cycling already.

I’m really puzzled about rpm though and would love to know if I’m hitting the mark.....

 

[I like Skol]

It isn't critical, but avoid the extremes through sensible use of the gears. Try to avoid bogging down to low rpms when climbing, so if you go much below approx 50rpm it really is time to change gear (unless you are already in your easiest gear and can't pedal any faster up the steep son of a B**** ). High rpm is also not good because it is difficult to generate much torque, so ideally a cadence of anywhere from 60-90 is probably pretty sufficient for the average, non-competitive cyclist.

 

[Brandane]

In practice, most everyday cyclists don't have any need for any more than about 5 or 6 cogs on the rear cassette and 2 rings at the front. However that doesn't sell bikes to the Tour de France wannabes, and it doesn't help Shimano and others when it comes to making money from us replacing thin chains and cassettes every 20 miles. Then there comes a point when old systems become obsolete so you have to "upgrade" to a modern groupset, which rarely makes financial sense so you just replace the bike.......

 

[Slick]

Everyone's different, the guy I ride with is always getting on to me for adjusting my gears to suit but I tend to ignore him. He likes to pick a gear and get out the saddle and go for it. The words of another guy who was more a runner than a cyclist stick in my mind as well. He reckoned that you only need to get one mile wrong and your plans for the day could be ruined. Probably a bit dramatic but I understood the sentiment. Find your own balance.

 

[Profpointy]

In practice, most everyday cyclists don't have any need for any more than about 5 or 6 cogs on the rear cassette and 2 rings at the front. However that doesn't sell bikes to the Tour de France wannabes, and it doesn't help Shimano and others when it comes to making money from us replacing thin chains and cassettes every 20 miles. Then there comes a point when old systems become obsolete so you have to "upgrade" to a modern groupset, which rarely makes financial sense so you just replace the bike.......

Never been to mid wales then?

 

[ianrauk]

Most people would dream of having a 16.4mph average

 

[Heltor Chasca]

Wahoo do a neat little cadence sensor. You can clip it to the crank as is common, or (like I do) you can also clip it to a strap on your shoe.

Your average speed is impressive btw.

 

[Brandane]

Never been to mid wales then?

No; but I do live in Ayrshire a stone's throw away from this: (and a more gentle, but 5 mile climb in the other direction).



I was careful to point out that for "most everyday cyclists" we don't need so many gears. Yes, we need a low gear for climbs and a high gear for descents, plus a few for those in between. But 22 ?? Completely unnecessary FOR MOST!

 

[Slick]

No; but I do live in Ayrshire a stone's throw away from this: (and a more gentle, but 5 mile climb in the other direction).



I was careful to point out that for "most everyday cyclists" we don't need so many gears. Yes, we need a low gear for climbs and a high gear for descents, plus a few for those in between. But 22 ?? Completely unnecessary FOR MOST!

I was wondering which one of the "Ayrshire Alps" you were going to mention, although the Haylie Brae would be enough for me.

 

[I like Skol]

In my humble opinion, the important aspects of a gearing setup are, most important first, in descending order of importance.

1. Is the bottom gear low enough for the hills you're likely to regularly encounter. If it isn't this can ruin your enjoyment of riding.
2. Is changing gear simple and reliable (NB - for me that puts friction shifters right at the top of the list, for others that puts DI2 at the top) Again, difficult or clunky gears can spoil the experience.
3. Is the top gear high enough for your fastest flat cruising speed. (No one cares if you spin out on a downhill)
4. Are the gaps between the gears to your taste. (Some people insist on teeny jumps, others don't mind)
5. How many gears are there.

Surely point 5 is irrelevant if 1-4 are satisfied?

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I rarely use more than one chainring out of the two on my geared bike, the 42 tooth inner ring, and rarely use more than three or four gears on the cassette. Half the year I'm riding a single speed fixed.

 

[ColinJ]

I have ridden about 1,500 miles on my singlespeed bike in the past 18 months and that includes a few moderate hills here and there. So, I can get away with one gear a lot of the time. When I go for the longer, steeper hills though I choose to ride another bike which has 30 gears and I use all of them!

In theory, I could get away with a very low gear for grovelling up steep hills into headwinds, a very high gear for bombing down hills with a tailwind, and a middling gear for everything else.

The thing with a restricted choice of gears is that you often end up feeling like you are pedalling too quickly or too slowly. Fixed gear fans may be ok with it, but most riders prefer 20 rpm < cadence < 120 rpm and a lot of them more like 60 rpm < cadence < 100 rpm. Having lots of gears gives you lots of choice so you always have your perfect gear available (except for hills so steep that you couldn't get up them in ANY gear). Changing between gears soon becomes a reflex, except for when you have to change chainring, which requires slightly more thinking about (hence the rise in popularity of single chainring systems 1x10, 1x11 etc.)

When I was cycling in a much flatter area (Coventry, like @dave r) I was fine with singlespeed most of the time and could have easily got away a much narrower range of gears. Once I started riding a lot of 15-25% climbs in Yorkshire and Lancashire I soon found out that I needed my low gears!

 

[Ticktockmy]

As I understand about having many gears, it is so we can maintain a constant cadance whilst riding. Different cyclist will have different cadance which suits their style of riding. This will mean that we mostly only use the chainwheel and casstte spockets that suit that style of riding.

 

[gavroche]

If you compare it to a car, back in the 60s, 70s, cars only had 3 or 4 gears. Now most cars have 6 gears and some even more. Why do you think that is? Efficiency.

 

[Profpointy]

When I had a 10 speed back in the day, even after lowering the gearing a bit it was still bloody hard work up hills never mind with panniers as well. Changed it to a 15 speed some years later and it was still not low enough. Later still finally got a 27 speed which had oodles of gears and finally low enough gears to get up anything. Maybe 27 is more than needed I did use both extremes.