tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7829395277888506402.post8473297309084563356..comments2024-01-02T10:04:24.912-05:00Comments on Century Cycles Blog: Tech Talk: Upgrading your gears for easier hill climbingUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7829395277888506402.post-46222093729253277822016-05-12T14:23:51.219-04:002016-05-12T14:23:51.219-04:00Yes, that would make an excellent combination.Yes, that would make an excellent combination.Kevin Madziahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10494595089125085189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7829395277888506402.post-19423462877297556852016-05-12T14:06:49.563-04:002016-05-12T14:06:49.563-04:00Kevin, thanks for the info, if my rear derailer ac...Kevin, thanks for the info, if my rear derailer accepts the 32, would a 11-32 cassette and a 50/34t crankset be a good combination? Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15454132534081738715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7829395277888506402.post-33434420135845283152016-05-12T12:53:53.511-04:002016-05-12T12:53:53.511-04:00Xavier, depending on the model of your rear derail...Xavier, depending on the model of your rear derailer, you may not be able to go as high as a 32-tooth cassette. Switching to a 50/34T crankset will help, though. You should take the bike to your local bike shop and let them help you choose the correct parts.Kevin Madziahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10494595089125085189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7829395277888506402.post-12244893438484357502016-05-12T12:19:19.239-04:002016-05-12T12:19:19.239-04:00Hey guys,
I am a heavy rider and I am planning a ...Hey guys,<br /><br />I am a heavy rider and I am planning a few very hilly races this year. <br /><br />I currently have :<br /><br />Cassette : Shimano 105, 11-speed, 11-28t<br /><br />Cranckset: BB30, 52/36T<br /><br />Would getting a 11-32 cassette help? should I change the cranckset too, to what?<br /><br />I am doing long distance triathlons and I need to have some easy gears to maintain a good rpm and not burn my legs on the bike course. <br /><br />Let me know and thanks in advance for your help.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15454132534081738715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7829395277888506402.post-89983917408762312632016-04-27T10:21:57.094-04:002016-04-27T10:21:57.094-04:00No, an 11-42 cassette cannot be used in conjunctio...No, an 11-42 cassette cannot be used in conjunction with a 52-39 crankset.Kevin Madziahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10494595089125085189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7829395277888506402.post-68663961669601020142016-04-26T15:45:40.825-04:002016-04-26T15:45:40.825-04:00Hello Guys,
I have a Speciallized Sirrus Pro ( hyb...Hello Guys,<br />I have a Speciallized Sirrus Pro ( hybrid bike ) with one chainring ( 40 ) and a Cassete 42-11. I would like to know if it is possible to mainten the cassete ( 42-11 ) and switch my chainring for one 52-39. Can i do this?<br /> ThaiThaihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11003564956504779752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7829395277888506402.post-70181292634040809342016-01-25T10:19:06.198-05:002016-01-25T10:19:06.198-05:00You would actually gain on both the high and low e...You would actually gain on both the high and low ends with the 50-34/11-27 combination. With that, your easiest gear is 33.1 gear inches, and your hardest gear is 119.5 gear inches. With the 53-39/12-29 setup, your easiest gear is 35.3 gear inches, and your hardest gear is 116.1 gear inches. This is assuming a 700x23 tire and 170mm crank arms. You can look up other combinations using Sheldon Brown's Online Gear Ratio Calculator at: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gears/internal.htmlKevin Madziahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10494595089125085189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7829395277888506402.post-51998089476126307212016-01-24T21:34:32.990-05:002016-01-24T21:34:32.990-05:00My ? is based on using two different bikes; not sw...My ? is based on using two different bikes; not switching cranks and/or cassettes.<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05082996093707917214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7829395277888506402.post-49025173009492189712016-01-24T21:28:17.839-05:002016-01-24T21:28:17.839-05:00How different will it be when I go from a 53-39 (f...How different will it be when I go from a 53-39 (front) and 12-29 (rear) to a 50x34 (front) and a 11x27 (rear) compact?<br /><br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05082996093707917214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7829395277888506402.post-7967230007796788022015-11-30T10:09:17.492-05:002015-11-30T10:09:17.492-05:00I don't understand your question "what is...I don't understand your question "what is the rotation." What are you asking?Kevin Madziahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10494595089125085189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7829395277888506402.post-57499676791460499712015-11-29T17:55:06.409-05:002015-11-29T17:55:06.409-05:00I have a jump bike with a 36 tooth chain ring with...I have a jump bike with a 36 tooth chain ring with a 9 tooth cog and it is a single speed bike what is the rotationAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7829395277888506402.post-28504839740957757762015-11-02T10:48:35.288-05:002015-11-02T10:48:35.288-05:00Chris, with a Dura-Ace rear derailer, 27 is probab...Chris, with a Dura-Ace rear derailer, 27 is probably the biggest cog you can get to work, although you might be able to get away with a 28. Fortunately, since you're talking 9-speed, your shifters are interoperable with 9-speed Shimano mountain derailers. You can still get an XT 9-speed rear derailer (M772), and that would work with up to a 36-tooth cog.Kevin Madziahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10494595089125085189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7829395277888506402.post-31668499835068186822015-11-01T06:08:12.044-05:002015-11-01T06:08:12.044-05:00I have a Dura-ace 12-27 9 cog cassette. I can'...I have a Dura-ace 12-27 9 cog cassette. I can't find any mechanic in Spain with enough know-how to maximise the number as I am an old timer and want to spin more on hills. Any idea what the max cassette would be without new cage. Would I need to modify change? THANKS Great article..best on the web! Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15782914768132676171noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7829395277888506402.post-37298438425346180762014-08-11T08:15:28.580-04:002014-08-11T08:15:28.580-04:00back in the day when guys rode fixed in the winter...back in the day when guys rode fixed in the winter (for cheapness) a typical gear on 27" wheels was <br />46x18 ie 69 inches. Your gear (if you really have a 24 inch back wheel) is crazy low at 48 inches unless you are riding off-road. If you are road cycling in undulating country I would try an 18t cog. BTW to calculate a gear in inches multiply the wheel size by the chainring teeth and divide by the cog teeth. You will see that 48x18 gives exactly the same size gear as 32x12, for example.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14557590811038406471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7829395277888506402.post-47251843127941775652014-01-20T12:40:08.683-05:002014-01-20T12:40:08.683-05:00Mike, you are correct in that the 50/11 combinatio...Mike, you are correct in that the 50/11 combination is a higher gear than the 53/12. Where you gain is the easier gears on the low end with the 34-tooth chainring. Personally, what I found when I first switched to a compact crankset is that I was having to switch between the small and big chainrings more often compared to a standard crankset. But once I got to it, I thought the compact was a good thing. I suggest that the best way for you to find out how it feels is to try it. Most of the new road bikes that we have in stock come with a compact crankset, and you're welcome to take them for a test ride. If you're looking to go up some hills, the Peninsula store would be the best place, as being down in the Cuyahoga Valley, you have to go uphill just about any direction you leave from the store.Kevin Madziahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10494595089125085189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7829395277888506402.post-47164259724615653922014-01-19T02:38:01.329-05:002014-01-19T02:38:01.329-05:00Century Cycles,
Thanks for this awesome article. ...Century Cycles,<br /><br />Thanks for this awesome article. If you see this, I was hoping you won't mind clarifying a question I have:<br /><br />Regardless of a given gear, is the actual physical demand of pedaling a compact crank EASIER, compared to a standard? Please allow me to quantify my thoughts without seeming totally stupid...<br /><br />I currently ride a 53/39 w/12-27. Even with that cassette I slowly grind up hills in the 39/27. It's frustrating because I'm in decent shape otherwise: 5.11, 198lbs, lift weights and athletic, but I just got into cycling 3 years ago and figure it may take some time for me to get in "bike shape". I can keep a 18-20 pace solo and am comfortable in 24-26mph pacelines. However, I know I'm not pedaling at 90rpm as I tend to be a grinder, and get killed on steep hills.<br /><br />I've researched Sheldon Brown's site and many other forums, but this is the first I've thought to just ask the question. All the information I've read mostly talks about the obvious difference in compact cranks making it easier to pedal up hills, you lose top gears, and other stuff. I've seen gain ratios, gear rations, gear inches, etc. But for example, I've seen how a 50/11 combo is actually a taller gear than a 53/12 (correct?). So using something like that as the basis of my question:<br /><br />Would the 50/11 gear still FEEL easier to pedal (thereby giving the rider the chance to still pedal at a high rpm) compared to the 53/12? Or will it, in fact, still be harder to pedal because it's a taller gear period?<br /><br />I want to go Compact in an effort to help with hills AND my overall cadence, but want to be realistic in my expectations of how it will affect my riding and speed overall as well. I know that "the more teeth in the front and the less in the back" the faster you will go (but the harder it will be to pedal), but compact cranks confuse that theory for me. Using that 53/12 to 50/11 comparison I mentioned, earlier, does the compact crank (in some scenarios) bust that "but it will be harder to pedal" part? That's what I'm getting at, and sorry to ask the same question 3 or 4 different ways in this long rant. :-)<br /><br />Thanks in advance for any additional insight.<br /><br />MikeAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17701904842286725386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7829395277888506402.post-17607495580597282412013-11-21T19:00:49.450-05:002013-11-21T19:00:49.450-05:00Calm down, James. We didn't say that easier ge...Calm down, James. We didn't say that easier gears WON'T make you get up the hill faster, just that if you use easier gears, you'll have to pedal that much faster if you want to go faster. Of course we're not advocating grinding in high gears; that was the whole point of this article. The point of the passage that you're referring to was that if you use easier gears, you'll have to pedal that much faster in order to go faster.Century Cycleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13530591193520958278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7829395277888506402.post-63599056567215437822013-11-21T18:00:41.683-05:002013-11-21T18:00:41.683-05:00It is ridiculous to say that easier gears won'...It is ridiculous to say that easier gears won't enable you to get up a hill faster. Being limited to the easiest gear of a standard road bike takes a devastating toll on a rider if they engage in real climbs. I've hit 18% grades on my standard geared road bike, and one single revolution takes at least 90% of my full effort. This sort of "grinding" resembles weight lifting, not an endurance sport. As such, your blood sugar is crushed (like someone who rides at too low of a cadence generally), your knees are damaged, and your ability to even make it up a sustained climb (let alone do it quickly) is greatly impeded. Crushing yourself with an unnecessarily hard gear during the steepest grades ruins the entire climb.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02036206415340768428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7829395277888506402.post-19778862851998349852013-11-07T10:34:49.192-05:002013-11-07T10:34:49.192-05:00Alexander, that is probably do-able. How many gear...Alexander, that is probably do-able. How many gears are on your cassette; is it 9-speed, 10-speed, or 11-speed? We'd probably want to look at using an 11-32 or 11-34 cassette. The 11-36 cassette is not recommended unless you have a hub specifically designed to handle it, because of the additional torque that the low 36-tooth cog can put on your freehub body.Century Cycleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13530591193520958278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7829395277888506402.post-2775730799099361142013-11-05T21:50:25.827-05:002013-11-05T21:50:25.827-05:00I have a road bike with 53/39 crankset, 11-28 dura...I have a road bike with 53/39 crankset, 11-28 dura ace cassette, and thinking about changing to compact crankset and switching cassette to a 11-32 or 11-36 Shimano Deore XT, to ease climbing capabilities. any thoughts or suggestions?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00579929883378906836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7829395277888506402.post-19913314905434639392013-10-14T14:20:40.926-04:002013-10-14T14:20:40.926-04:00It would be impossible for me to say how fast you ...It would be impossible for me to say how fast you could go, because that depends not only on the gears, but on how fast and hard you can pedal, and I don't know you or how fit you are. From my personal experience, I find that a good gear for on-road use (with 700C wheels) is 46 on front, 16 on back, and that's sufficient to go reasonably fast on flats, but low enough to crank up any hill (however slow or fast). For off-road use, with 26-inch wheels, a 32x18 is generally accepted to work pretty well for all conditions, and for 29-inch wheels, a 33x20.Century Cycleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13530591193520958278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7829395277888506402.post-69762508265374899572013-10-14T13:07:42.519-04:002013-10-14T13:07:42.519-04:00thanks, but I still would like to have your views....thanks, but I still would like to have your views...if i bought another bike for road..a 29 inch wheel one..made the rear 26 inch..and added front crank with 52 teeth, rear cog with 22 how fast would it run on road? and for easy mountain climbing, made my ss speed bike front crank 36 and rear 22? or should it be, front 32 and rear 26? do please give it a shot..two bikes, different road travelling conditions.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13049087051844359488noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7829395277888506402.post-64094815085766246612013-09-27T22:07:29.961-04:002013-09-27T22:07:29.961-04:00great article, I have been looking for this descri...great article, I have been looking for this description for a long time and this explains what I need perfectly. thanks for the knowledge, was very helpful in modifying my velo !pmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14687147469957364465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7829395277888506402.post-82302657874104996922013-09-25T10:33:26.532-04:002013-09-25T10:33:26.532-04:00Jaideep, if you're riding a fixie, then you...Jaideep, if you're riding a fixie, then you're on your own. There is no perfect "happy medium" gear for both speed on flats and climbing up hills. The lower you go in your gear for easier climbing, the more that hurts you on the flats, and vice-versa.Century Cycleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13530591193520958278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7829395277888506402.post-55201093116044170612013-09-25T03:51:44.739-04:002013-09-25T03:51:44.739-04:00thanks for the science behind the whole bike mecha...thanks for the science behind the whole bike mechanism of gears, but I have a question- is there not a single gear one can use to speed faster up hill..and also on a flat surface? like a one size fits all? I ride a fixie bike with front wheel 26" and rear 24 inches..number of teeth front 44 and rear is 22..so, could you best advice me with the best possible combination for really fast top speed on a flat and on mountain incline for a fixie. what if i changed front sprocket to a 32 or 34 or 36 teeth? would be grateful for your kind advice.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13049087051844359488noreply@blogger.com