Hybrid Bicycles - What gear do you cruise in?

On flat ground?

I have 3 gears on the left and 7 on the right..

Just curious what you guys are usually riding in and how fast you are going!

i am usually in jeans and sneakers :-D

jk. i switch up gears often. i cruise in whatever gear i have the energy for at the time.

On flats I usually use 3 on the left (48t) and 5 on the right (17t) which corresponds to a gain ratio of 5.6 (http://sheldonbrown.com/gears/) on my 700/28c wheels.

On flat ground, I'm usually on the second chainring (2 on the left) and in 6th or 7th gear on the right/back of the bike. Sometimes 8 if I am feeling energetic. I'm not sure how fast that is because I don't have a speedometer.

On flat roads with no cross wind or head wind, I can cruise comfortable with the largest chainring (48t) and the smallest rear cog (13 or 11t... I forgot) But that hardly ever happens. I don't know how that translate in speed. But last weekend, I was able to maintain a constant distance from some roady in lycras. Most of my ride have elevation changes and stops. :(

I cruise on the large chain ring in 6 & 7th gear most of the time. It makes it easy to come to a stop or hill climb by just dropping to the center chain ring. My cruising speed is around 20 mph most of the time. I'll use 8th once in a while if I just feel like maxing out my speed down hill.

I typically ride on back farm roads where there isn't much traffic (or any intersections) to worry about, so on the flats I'll cruise in a pretty high gear and between 22-25 mph. Usually my third (48t) chainring, and my 7th or 8th gear (13t or 11t).

If I'm on a different route with more traffic and/or intersections, I'll cruise on the 3rd or 4th gear on the third chainring, 17-18 mph on the flats. If I'm riding where there's more traffic, it's usually more of a utility ride, heading over to do some errands at my MIL's house or something like that.

My chain usually hangs out in the middle cog. Generally shift the chainring first.
Picking a cog for the current situation. Trying to be road or path
cognizant.

I stay on the largest chainring on the crank and from 5-6 in the back. I could easily cruise on flats on 8 but it is really hilly here in south central KY.

48/17 or 48/15 depending on how the engine feels ...38/15 if it's windy.

It's all about the most comfortable cadence for me so that usually puts me in the 4-5 chainring.
Ernest

Jeezus some of you are monsters. I cruise (which to me means making time but not busting my butt) in the middle chain ring (42T) and maybe 6th or 7th on the rear which is an 11-32.

Middle on the front and variable on the back. For both the Cypress and the Bianchi.

I opt for what's the most comfortable - and honestly never paid attention. I have 48X36X26 chainrings, and a 9 spd 11-32 cassette.

I am normally in the middle chainring, because it gives me finer changes between gears, and spend most of my time in the middle to smallest cogs. Then I go to the big chainring for big hills, or when I am trying to find a new max speed..... The little chainring, doesn't get much use at all.

I'm doing my best to stay out of the "granny gears" ie: the smallest chainring. I got it into my head that the granny gears are for *******. I am gear-tarded, I mean I can't figure out the number I'm in. I try to stay on the second chainring and depending on the terrain second chainring + 3 but it really depends. I hit incline the minute I leave home, which makes me sometimes slip down to granny gear for a few blocks till I warm up.

When I'm having a speed demon moment, I use the largest chainring. Then I can get to 32 km/h or maybe higher on a flat road.

48x22 trying for 48x20 by November one. Outdoor riding will be about kaput by then here. Was at 38x22 in April. Taken a lot of time and mileage, almost 2000 miles to move up a chainring. Course, I'm 55 and my legs were low grade dog food when I started in April 08. The crash that chipped my elbow "operation" and put me in a half-cast for the rest of the summer in July 08 didn't help much either. But thats another story.

First time I replaced the (9 sp) cassette on my hybrid I went for a 13-23 combo, and I have stuck to that range for later replacements. This way I feel I can always find "the ideal gear", even if there are only subtle changes in terrain, wind etc. As a result I change gear a lot; with this set-up I find it very easy to keep my preferred cadence. My cassettes last longer too now, as cog wear is more evenly distributed.

With 3 front and 7 rear I'm usually comfortable with 2-7, 3-6 or 3-7 on the flats. Unfortunately I don't have a lot of options on downhills except to pedal faster.

I seem to use "largest chainwheel and 3rd thru 5th rear cog most of the time although I've noticed that I like to use the "middle chainwheel" and 3rd thru 5th. rear cog when using MUP's/Path's, seems to be a lot of "stop or slow and go" using MUP's and the middle chainwheel's gearing works best, jmho. I hardly ever use the "smallest chainwheel (22T)", unless I'm hauling my utility trailer full of foodstuff's for the week!!:thumb: (lowest gear: 22T X 32T)

I use the middle chainring (38t) and 5th gear (17t) on the rear.

After getting into a semblance of shape, I seem to stay most of the time in the 48 front and the 3 smallest rear chainrings (although I don't do the smallest rear THAT much). For hills, usually the third in the from smallest at the rear with the 38 in front (front is 48/38/28), and I get out of the saddle.

My favorite gear combo is 52x16. It appears to give me the speed I want and I can maintain a good cadence whereas I don't burn myself out mashing or spinning. Its perfect for me until I get to a hill...

I spend most of my time in 48x21 or 48x18. Occasionally I'll get in a good draft during a group ride and cruise in 48x15, but it's pretty rare that I find a draft that is just my speed, usually I'm just dropped.

So far 2 and 4 but I just returned to cycling after 17 years. Things may change.

I stay in 2 and 4 a lot too.