Road Bike Racing - cogs in racing...

i am a newb, i know, but how many cogs are best suited for racing.

primarily for roadraces, but crits too...

is it just a matter of preference and comfort?

sorry, a little out of it, but how many speeds should i look for when buying a new bike?

Most new road bikes will come with a 2x10 setup...

2 front chainrings on the crankset, 10 rear cogs in the cassette.

What works for you might not work for someone else. I personally use either a 53/39 x 11-23 cassette, or a 12-25 cassette if it's really hilly. I also have a 54t chainring to put on, if I'm expecting a fast, flat crit or RR.

Some people use compact cranksets, which use 50t and 36t or 34t front rings.

There are sometimes extra wheelsets for loan at races if someone doesn't have an extra wheelset and happens to flat. They're almost always 10 speed (at least in FL, anyway, but I would imagine it to be the same other places). Sometimes you need to switch things out on the fly and it's harder to do that if you're not running 10 speed.

2 in the front

9 or 10 in the rear (10 being on the higher end bikes)

ok, thanks, ive been looking at used and new bikes, a few used from 2-4 years ago have triples, so was just wondering if that would be better than then 10 i have now.

More important than the number of speeds, are the individual cogs. You want the closest spacing possible between the cogs, that means a difference of one tooth between cogs for mostly flat riding, and a difference of 2-3 teeth on the biggest 2 or three cogs for very hilly riding.

The more speeds, the closer you can get the gearing, but the rest of the details depend on what kind of rides and races you are doing. I have a compact 50/34 with a 12-27 cassette for riding the hills around here, but would probably go with an 11-23 for criteriums. You rarely use your small chainring in crits btw.

I race criteriums on a compact crank, and I've never spun out my 50x11.

^ Agreed, I can spin up to about 40 mph on a 50/12, and I can't get near that speed in a flat sprint.

I also have a 54t chainring to put on, if I'm expecting a fast, flat crit or RR.

I'd been wondering if doing that bothers one's FD much...?

53/39 front, 12-25 nine-speed in the rear. All-around gearing.

I'd been wondering if doing that bothers one's FD much...?

My permanent SRM Setup is a 54x39 and I have no prob with DA FD. Smooth shifting and no rub probs. There is just less room for error in the initial setup (my guess).

53/39 in front, 11-23 in back (Shimano 10 speed), 12-25 for rides with steeper grades. You might consider a 27 in the back for some Steep from Hell in a race, but those are very rare. In 95% of the competitive rides/races I'd participate in if you need a gear smaller than a 39 x 23 you're not going to be fast enough anyway.

50x42 // 12-23

This is Florida btw

42 is for He-man.