Touring - Loaded Touring: How Fast?

When hitting a downhill, what's your "speed-limit" where you stop pedalling and start to apply some brake?

Assume a straight road, good tarmac, and no traffic.

The reason I ask this question is I think that many folks tour with gearing that's too high.
A 44X11 (my highest gear), at 90RPM will get to 30MPH.

It's unlikely I want to get much faster than that, with 50 lbs of gear strapped to my steed.

I have the same max gear as you and sometimes like to pedal down hills if I have a straight open path and just go as fast as I can for fun, sometimes I go too fast, mostly though, I just keep it around 30-35mph. In reality, there aren't many straight and open roads I've come across while loaded down, though I would highly reccomend anyone in the Waynesboro, VA area to ride east on route 250 down from the blue ridge parkway. I got to do that last March on a loaded bicylce (trek520 before I lowered the chainrings) and WOAH! That was fast and fun, pedaling the whole way and actualy had to limit myself at around 47mph, that was a little too fast for me.

. In reality, there aren't many straight and open roads I've come across while loaded down

Well that's my point.

Anything over say... 110 gear inches is kind of useless (unless you want to drop cadence down to 60 or something).

I would MUCH rather have a 22/34 lowend then a 53/12 high

Open up the throttle until the front end begins to wobble!
That's my general rule of thumb for good road descents. But, I stop pedalling on downhills before I start to spin out in 46-11, preferring to let gravity do the work. I just did 430 miles in the North Cascades and came across plenty of steep, long grades where I was hitting 45 MPH or so.

I would MUCH rather have a 22/34 lowend then a 53/12 high

Same here, I want the losest of the low gears I can to make those hills at the end of the day not quite as painful.

On my recent tour around Virginia for the month of May, I think I might have used my high 44 tooth chainring once and even then, it was not needed, give me a 12-22-32 chain ring anyday (although 12 is a little too low, you know what I mean)

The reason I ask this question is I think that many folks tour with gearing that's too high.A 44X11 (my highest gear), at 90RPM will get to 30MPH.

I'm sure many of us don't have enough money to buy two bikes, one for touring and one for riding unloaded (i.e. training/racing with friends). I use my bike for both, which is why my gearing is 52-42-30 (definitely need that 52/13 ratio when trying to race against my friends!!!) and a 10speed 13-29 cassette. sure it's harder uphill when touring, but i just work those leg muscles a little harder! ;) when i get old and weak i'll switch to a smaller crankset :D

I use more of a comfort feel on descents (similar to the the wobble or pre-wobble rule). I've also ridden where there's a nasty crosswind waiting me at the bottom of the hill so anticipation of upcoming conditions is an issue.

I have a big ass 52 on my touring bike. It's a triple and I use a mountain rear, so bottom end is not an issue. It's very handy on wide open flats with a lighter load or if I'm basecamping and and the bike is unloaded. I haven't had a problem with the top end and never really wished I had something smaller.

I have a big ass 52 on my touring bike. It's a triple and I use a mountain rear, so bottom end is not an issue. It's very handy on wide open flats with a lighter load


How fast are you going?
Assuming a 52/12, at 90RPM, you would be holding at about 50kph (31mph).

Unless I have a helluva tailwind, I can rarely hold the 29mph that my 44/11 at 90RPM, allows.

I'm sure many of us don't have enough money to buy two bikes, one for touring and one for riding unloaded (i.e. training/racing with friends). I use my bike for both, which is why my gearing is 52-42-30 (definitely need that 52/13 ratio when trying to race against my friends!!!)



52/13 (yours) = 108 Gear inches for top gear.
44/11(mine) = 108 Gear inches for top gear.

So your setup isn't doing anything for your quest to pwn your friends, that my setup couldn't do for you.
:D




when i get old and weak i'll switch to a smaller crankset :D


HEY! As I approach 40, I resemble that remark! :eek:

I have the same max gear as you and sometimes like to pedal down hills if I have a straight open path and just go as fast as I can for fun, sometimes I go too fast, mostly though, I just keep it around 30-35mph. In reality, there aren't many straight and open roads I've come across while loaded down, though I would highly reccomend anyone in the Waynesboro, VA area to ride east on route 250 down from the blue ridge parkway. I got to do that last March on a loaded bicylce (trek520 before I lowered the chainrings) and WOAH! That was fast and fun, pedaling the whole way and actualy had to limit myself at around 47mph, that was a little too fast for me.

While I don't doubt you reached 47mph (I regularly hit about that on this hill (http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/2528/monsonroadhill0pi.jpg)), are you SURE you were pedalling the whole way???

To spin that gear at 47mph would take a cadence of about 150!

:D :D :D

While I don't doubt you reached 47mph (I regularly hit about that on this hill (http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/2528/monsonroadhill0pi.jpg)), are you SURE you were pedalling the whole way???

To spin that gear at 47mph would take a cadence of about 150!

:D :D :D

I was pedaling as I recall, but not nescesarily adding to the speed at all, just pedaling FAST cause it was fun, but by holding back I meant by braking, not slowing my pedaling, it was just too fun to think about what I was actually doing :D
Well, besides trying not to lose control and blend in with the local roadkill :lol:

52/13 (yours) = 108 Gear inches for top gear.
44/11(mine) = 108 Gear inches for top gear.
So your setup isn't doing anything for your quest to pwn your friends, that my setup couldn't do for you. :D

doh! i guess you're right!!
:p
well... than i may still be young and (feel) strong, i apparently haven't reached the wisdom of 40-year old men :D hehehe!

now I understand when we do sprints on our higher ratio they beat me! they all have 53/11 or 53/12 !!! maybe I should switch my 13 cog to a 11 !!!! :rolleyes: (of course this has nothing to do with my friends being stronger than me ;) )

Oh, you just had to ask the question, baiting me all the way. I love these discussions, but I get kind of tired of the typical "touring" attitude.

First of all, I have to say, speak for yourself and, to each his own. You say, "I think that many folks tour with gearing that's too high." Granted, that is your opinion, but what are you trying to accomplish? Are you just seeking reinforcement of how you like your bike geared and want everyone to conform to your way? I'm not going to make the statement "I think that many folks tour with gearing that's too low", because if that's the way they like it and it works for them, then it's fine with me.

Personally, as I've stated many times on the Forum, I love to go fast and the rides I do in Colorado, Montana and New Mexico give me plenty of opportunity to go fast. Going fast is the thing that get's me the most excited about riding my bike. Is that OK with you? Is it allright for me to have my fun? I realize it's not fun for other people, but I don't go telling them they have to go faster to enjoy their ride.

My touring bike has a 52/42/30 with an 11/32 in the back. I absolutely love the 52/11 and I use it all the time whenever I'm going downhill and getting into the high 20's and beyond. I would hate to give it up and that's why I specifically bought the touring bike that I did. To answer your original question, I can hit a cadence of 120-125 with the 52/11 and be going 45-48mph before I spin out. I have only been up to around 50mph on my fully loaded touring bike, so I haven't reached my braking point unless the bike starts to wobble (which it has before when I have an uneven load). I've hit 60mph on my unloaded road bike and was beaming with delight (fortunately, I "can" afford to have two bikes).

As for the low end, my 30/32 has worked fine. There have been a few climbs where it's gotten tough, but that's something else I enjoy, pushing myself a little and working hard. Is that OK with you? If I can't go over 4 mph then I might as well get off the bike and walk it before I fall over. If I start having problems on the low end, I might change out the small chain ring or get a 34 on the back, but I'm not about to give up my high end gears.

A saying I came up with that is just part of my makeup is "Why coast when you can still pedal?" I like going as fast as I can.

Oh, you just had to ask the question, baiting me all the way.

Baiting you? If you consider this "baiting" don't EVER go into the Politics/Religion forum.
Your head will explode.




I love these discussions, but I get kind of tired of the typical "touring" attitude.


A rather peculiar thing to say... in a touring forum!




First of all, I have to say, speak for yourself and, to each his own. You say, "I think that many folks tour with gearing that's too high." Granted, that is your opinion, but what are you trying to accomplish? Are you just seeking reinforcement of how you like your bike geared and want everyone to conform to your way? I'm not going to make the statement "I think that many folks tour with gearing that's too low", because if that's the way they like it and it works for them, then it's fine with me.


You did notice that my statement was framed by the question "Loaded Touring: How Fast?"
If someone's speedlimit is around 30 or so, then a 52/11 is a total waste of weight and gearing.

Unless of course, you prefer an inefficient 60 rpm cadence!



Basically, I find it kind of humorous that you'd get your panties all in a bunch because I stated my opinion that "many folks tour with gearing that's too high".

I like to see if I can get a good speed wobble going and then crash into a tree.

How fast are you going?
Assuming a 52/12, at 90RPM, you would be holding at about 50kph (31mph).

Unless I have a helluva tailwind, I can rarely hold the 29mph that my 44/11 at 90RPM, allows.

No idea as I don't have a 'pooter. I tend to higher cadences as I ride fixed gear most of the time. I'll have to pay more attention as to how often I actually use the ring...

Bikepacker67 - I'm glad you found my post humorous, and you're right, I got my panties in a bunch because, if you couldn't tell already, speed is kind of a sensitive issue to me. Like you said, your statement "The reason I ask this question is I think that many folks tour with gearing that's too high" is not that bad and is just your opinion, but it set me off because of all the other statements like it I have read on the Forums. For me, so many touring cyclists come across like they think everyone is clueless in figuring out what gears they should have on their bikes. I can't count the number of times I've read someone say something like "Anything over say... 110 gear inches is kind of useless" without qualifying the statement to only apply to them. Without qualifying these statements, they are just totally false. It sounds like you'll agree with me that 127 gear inches is not at all "useless" if the rider uses it regularly at high cadences. Your later statement, "If someone's speedlimit is around 30 or so, then a 52/11 is a total waste of weight and gearing", is much more accurate and I will agree with you.

I'm sure many of us don't have enough money to buy two bikes, one for touring and one for riding unloaded (i.e. training/racing with friends). I use my bike for both, which is why my gearing is 52-42-30 (definitely need that 52/13 ratio when trying to race against my friends!!!) and a 10speed 13-29 cassette. sure it's harder uphill when touring, but i just work those leg muscles a little harder! ;) when i get old and weak i'll switch to a smaller crankset :D

I use my road bike for CC touring and have had MTB tranmission fitted. 48,36,26 chainrings with a rear 11/32. I can tackle good hills going up maintaining a good cadence ( 80 RPM gives me 8.5kph) and still have a top gear that is slightly higher than a 12/53. Works well for me. I have decended on hills with gentle corners at speeds up to 80kph.
Cheers Brian

You're quoting gear inches that are too high for the gearings you're talking about.
A 26" wheel with a narrow-ish slick/light tread will have an actual diameter of around 24.5". Likewise, a 28"/700C wheel with a narrow road tyre will have an actual diameter of around 26".

Thus, a 44/11 gear with (nominal) 26" "touring" tyres, gives ~98 gear inches, not 108! Not even true 26" x 44/11 gives more than 104...

I'm not an expert on gear inches but I think Bikepacker67 has it right if he has a 700c bike with 28 tires on it. My bike computer instructions say that a 700x28c tire has a circumference of 84.6 inches which I think results in a 26.94 inch diameter which would make a 44/11 be 107.8 gear inches which is pretty darn close to 108. Am I missing something with my calculations?

You're not missing anything.