Fifty Plus (50+) - Age...weight...drive train?

A little background.....I got back into cycling about 6 yrs. ago after 8 yrs. off the bike. I bought a LeMond TI with a triple. At the time I was about 57 y.o. and weighed about 195-200 lbs. Pretty much out of shape. Here in eastern CT it is suprisingly hilly but it wasn't long before I didn't want that triple. I just found it had gearing I wasn't using once I had gotten some miles in my legs. At age 60 I got a new Masi Gran Criterium with a compact crankset and soon after replaced it with my current standard crankset and 14x25 cogs. This is what I ride at age 65 and 185-190 lbs.

Just wondering how other peoples drive train selections evolved... if they have.

bruce19, I've never really stopped cycling since I was seven years old. Simply because of a knee injury I've moved away from a 53-42 X 12-21, or similar gearing for my bikes to substitutuing a 52-42-30 X 13-27 on my distance bike. I still very much prefer and use the close ratio gearing for rides not involving any hills.

I lived in Avon for quite a few years as a teen, great riding area, great people.

Brad

PS I'm very much aware that UCONN is in town.

Age = 51; Weight = 172 (6')

Steel Roadie: 52-42; 13-26T
Steel Tourer: 48-36-24; 12-28T
CF Roadie: 53-39; 12-28T

The steel road bike doesn't have quite low enough a gear for a long day of hills.

Age: 56
Height: 6'6"
Weight: 199
Gearing: 53-39; 12-27

At some point, I'll switch cassettes to get an 11.

Age:55
Height: 6'
Weight: 172
Gearing:
Roubaix - 50-34 X 11-28
Casseroll - 48-36-26 X 12-25 or 42 X 18
Stumpjumper FSR - 44-32-22 X 11-34

Age:62
Height: 6'
Weight: 170
Gearing:
Cervelo R3 - 50-34 X 11-26
Cervelo P2c TT - 53/39 X 11-23

After 16 years of MTBs up on the hills- First road bike and I got a triple. Gave me confidence that I would be able to manage "Them thar hills". Soon found out that I could manage the road hills only halfway down the cassette in granny so 2nd bike had a compact fitted. Knew that I would never be able to pull a standard crank so that was the reason for a compact. However--I do like to get up in the mountains occasionally and the long extended hills do require lower than 34/27 so that the next bike now has a triple.

Age 64--Weight 150lbs

MTB 44/32/22 and 11/34
Offroad Tandem--48/36/24 and 11/32 (We bend the 34t on the cassette so it cannot be fitted)
Boreas Ignis-50/34 and 11/27
Giant TCR-C- 50/39/30 and 12/25

Boreas is the main ride but the TCR is used for 100 milers or if gravity goes too far the wrong way on the hills.

58 yo, between 195-200 (depending)
I'm not 100% sure what my Jamis has but my Giant is 50x39x30 up front and 11-28 in the back.
My gearing has not changed since I started back riding 5 years ago but the gears I *use* in the normal course of a ride has changed dramatically. Frankly, I must be doing something wrong or be awfully weak or something because the thought of climbing our hills without that granny up front scares the bejeebers out of me. I NEED that 30T chainring.

Age: 50
Height: 6'-1"
Weight: 180
Soma DoubleCross: 50/34 and 12/30

I ride this bike everywhere, from my daily commute to week long tours, weekend century, etc. The daily commute has a couple of 10% grades and the 34/30 combo is easy on the knees, even when I've got 10-15 extra lbs in the panniers.

Age = 50
Weight = 168 lbs
Drivetrain =
Bike #1: 50/34 compact crank, 11-26 cassette
Bike #2: 50/34 compact crank, 11-28 cassette
Bike #3: 53/39 standard crank, 13-28 7-speed freewheel

Age: 58
Weight: 185
Drivetrain: 53-39 x 12-25, 12-27 for long, steep days

At 57 I'm within pounds of where i was in my 20s, right around 155 (I did have some fat years...)
In my 20s I rode 52/42 and 14/26
then 52/42 and 13/28
then 52/39 13/28
then 50/34 and 12/27

Now, 52/42/30 and 11/28

So I've gone progressively lower. The truth is that I with I had those low gears in my younger days. I'd have ridden a lot more. Doing our local mountain with 42 and 26 was crazy hard and when I was young. I pretty much had to stand the whole way. I'm a lot happier now.

It depends on a lot of things, how steep and how long the hills are and the weight of the bike.

With the Roubaix at 50-34 X 11-28, there's no way that I need a triple. The hybrid I have weighs over 10 pounds more and at 48/38/28 x 14-34 I find that I do need the triple from time to time.

For full carbon frames, Specialized for example doesn't market the Roubaix with a triple in Canada. The Tarmac is sold with a double or compact double only.

The base model Allez comes with a triple. The heavier Allez and Secteur are available with triples here.

As far as I know Trek doesn't even offer a triple for any of their drop bar road bikes. You would have to go to a flatbar model to get a triple.

Age: 55, weight 105, height 5'3". All my bikes have triples due to my small motor, aging knees, hilly terrain, and an affection for mountain biking. Also plan to tour, so the stump-pulling gearing will help. Generally the chainrings run low 20s - mid 30s- high 40s. Don't mind spinning out on descents; most of the downhill stretches where I live have stoplights parked right at the bottom!

Age: 61
Height: 5' 9"
Weight: 162

Ti GT Edge: 50 x 34 front, 11 - 32 back
GURU Photon: 50 x 34 front, 11 - 32 back
Calfee Tetra: 53 x 39 x 30 front, 11-27 back
Mercian Vincitore: 52 x 42 x 30 front, 12 - 26 back
Masi Gran Criterium: 42 front, 15 back (fixed)
853 GT Edge: 50 x 34 front, 11 - 27 back
Hercules 3-Speed: 48 front, 16 back
GT Zaskar LE: 48 x 34 x 24 front, 12 - 32 back
DeHon Foldering Bike: No idea what the gearing is, but with 16" wheels it's all skewed anyway . . .

Rick / OCRR

I still very much prefer and use the close ratio gearing for rides not involving any hills.

Rides without hills?? Is that legal? Or even POSSIBLE???

SP
Bend, OR

Rides without hills?? Is that legal? Or even POSSIBLE???

SP
Bend, OR

And no wind In Flatland or 2D land ?

Age 66

Height 5' 11''

Wt. 195 lb

Cervelo 50X34 12X27

Crown Jewel 53X39X30 12X27

If I had to pick one , I would go with 50X34 and a 11X28

71 - 180
compact with 11-37
Yes thats correct.
I wanted my triple back so my LBS set me up with this set up.
I love it, and I can get over the hills easer now.

In my 20s, 150 lbs - a Schwinn Varsity with 39/50 chain rings and 14-28 cassette - Gear inch range 37.6 to 96.4
Now, at 68, 155 lbs - a Surly LHT with 24/36/48 rings and 11-34 cassette - Gear inch range 18.3 to 113.5
Height is still 5' 9"

Just wondering how other peoples drive train selections evolved... if they have.
I got my Litespeed Tuscany in 2001 when I was 56. It came with a 53/39 chainring and 11-23 nine-speed cassette (all Ultegra). I'm now 66 and the setup still works for me.
My Specialized Tarmac (got it Dec 2010) has a 52/36 chainring and 11-28 ten-speed cassette (SRAM).
I'm happy with both bikes. :)

Age:55
Height: 6'
Weight: 172
Gearing:
Roubaix - 50-34 X 11-28
Casseroll - 48-36-26 X 12-25 or 42 X 18
Stumpjumper FSR - 44-32-22 X 11-34

I left out the history/evolution of my road bike.

When I started riding again at age 34 in 1990, weighing about 190, I rode a standard double. In '92 I went to a 53-40 X 13-23 and sometimes 13-26. Climbing hills was a lot harder then.
I was an early adopter of a compact triple with 46-36-26 X 12-21 in '94. Much easier climbing and very tight spacing. In '99 I upgraded to a Campy Racing Triple with 50-40-30 X 13-24. In 2006 I went to a compact double 50-36 X 12-28, didn't like it with my 7 speed rear, went back to a 48-36-26 X 12-21 triple and then to a semi-compact double 50-38 X 12-28 in 2008.

Age - 61
Ht - 6'1"
Wt - 195
Both my single bents have 52-39-30 cranksets with 11-32 cassettes (559/26" rear wheels). Seems about right.

Before the bents, was riding a hybrid with 46-38 crank and an 11-34 cassette (700 wheels). A little short on the high end, which wasn't usually a problem.

Oh, and to confuse things, first bent had a 56-50-40 crank with an 11-34 cassette. (20"/406 wheels)

Age: 56
Weight: 186
Height: 6'

ORbea- 50/34 with 12/25
Scattante - 50/34 with 12/26
KHS (fixed gear): 48 x 17
On-One (single speed mountain bike): 32 x 16
Dahon Speed P8 folder: 52 with 11/34 (I think--only ridden it 3 times so far)

train safe-

As teenager 190 lbs + 6'2" I rode a Schwinn Varsity 50/39 and 14-28. Now at 54years old 230lbs +6'1" my Miyata has 52/47/34 and 14-34, and my old roadster has a Sturmey 3 speed hub + 48 and 22.

55
5'11" - 172
Tarmac - 53/39/32 - 12:25 or 16:26 or 11:27
Simoncini - 50/34 - 12:25
MTB - Commuter, standard MTB triple set up, no idea?

Age:62
Height: 6'
Weight: 170
Gearing:
Cervelo R3 - 50-34 X 11-26
Cervelo P2c TT - 53/39 X 11-23

Since I was a copy cat and copied BD's post, I also did not put in the history either. I had an SR in the late 70s and early 80s that had the 52/42 12-25 5 speed cassette. I then got a Softride bike and it had a 52/42 with a 12/25 7 speed cassette. In 2006, we moved to Northern CA and I purchased a Trek Madone with a 52/39/30 and 12/27. When I purchased my Cervelo in 2008, I got a 50/34. With the 42 / 25 combination, climbing cadence was slower and seemed harder. The lower gearing of the triple and compact double seemed to match my style and cadence selection. I like to spin faster climbing. With the new range of cassettes that are available, I think the triple will be phased out of production because the demand will be low and therefore the cost too high. I ride several different cassettes depending on the terrain as well as have a couple of different wheelsets.

I think the triple will be phased out of production because the demand will be low and therefore the cost too high. I ride several different cassettes depending on the terrain as well as have a couple of different wheelsets.

Agreed - I only use the granny on my Tarmac when the climb gets really ugly. Shifting into the little ring is problematic. I willl probably but a compact on it this spring.

When the Simoncini was my only ride it had a 52/42/32 and 13:26, it rides much nicer since I changed out the drive train and switched to a compact.

Gears? Bikes have gears? :)

5'9", 163 lbs, age 62 Been working out one way or another for decades. So don't take my word for anything.

My gears of choice are 48-34 chainrings, 14-28 6-speed (until this past fall only 5-speed). That low gets me up almost anything. I almost never use the 48/14 combination. When I had a 52T chainring (and on another bike which still does), the 14T cog got no use at all. Only time I could use it was going downhill and for that I don't need to pedal!

You gearing may vary, of course...

5'9"
150 lbs
Age: 51

Crank: 52/42/30
Cassette: 13-30

Bad knees and steep local hills - gotta have that 30-30 to keep the cadence up and the knees happy.

Since I was a copy cat and copied BD's post, I also did not put in the history either.

After all these years it's good to see I can still be a bad influence. :D

Most of the cyclist on this thread are riding at a much lower weight that mine, but here it is>

Age: 61
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 230

Specialized Tarmac E5 S-Works 50-34 X 11-27 9-Speed
Gunnar Roadie 50-34 X 12-25 10-Speed
Jamis Sputnik 46 X 17 Single Speed
Surly Long Haul Trucker Triple with very low gears, not sure what they are.

Just been riding a little over 4 years. No history except the bikes I had in grade school.

age:53
5'8"
Nishiki 44X17 clinchers, 44X16 tubulars
Serotta 53/39X12-25
Waterford 44X17 clinchers, 44X16 tubulars
Madone 53/39X12-28
I find riding hilly terrain much easier on my Madone due to the lower gearing allowing me to sit vs having to rock my heavier, higher geared Colorado II up and over the hills.

Oops!
183 lbs (that's 18 lbs more than when I had no children and could ride all weekend every weekend).

Serotta 53/39X11-23 tubulars

I'm 56, 5'10" and 155 pounds, live in flat-to-rolling south Louisiana and currently ride 47x41 with a 13-23 (six speed). That's "crossover" gearing (i.e., no "double-shifts"). I use the 41/23 mostly on rides around the neighborhood with my 8 year-old daughter. I've yet to spin-out on my 47/13 in a hard sprint. Works for me, see?

Age: 63
Ht: 5' "9"
Wt: 215
Various road bikes and one cylocross, all compact double or triples with gears ranging from 50-34/11-28 to 52-39-28/11-32.

50 yrs, 5'7", 138#
50/34 and 11/28, but only because that's what came on the Felt. My hybrid has a triple, which I need because of it's weight. The road bike is more than sufficient in comparison. I have only used the lowest gear on the Felt a couple of times, but I am reaaallllly good at avoiding hills.

Almost 65.

36/24 11/32 on the mountain bike.
52/42/30 12/28 on the 8 speed road bike. Probably will change this over to a 50/34 compact double

I can't believe all you "low weight" guys! If you ever saw me and I weighed less than 170 lbs I'd be in the first stages of decomp.

Age: 50
Weight: 145-150
Gearing:
Schwinn Aluminum 52/43 12/23 (bought new in 89 rode for 21 years, currently on trainer)
Caad 9 Came with a compact, couldn't stand it (always crosschained or shifting) went to a standard 52/39 12/27 which is still several more gears below the Schwinn. No hills to ride here.

50 yrs, 5'7", 138#
50/34 and 11/28, but only because that's what came on the Felt. My hybrid has a triple, which I need because of it's weight. The road bike is more than sufficient in comparison. I have only used the lowest gear on the Felt a couple of times, but I am reaaallllly good at avoiding hills.
Shame on you ! Hills will get your blood pumping, make your lungs burst and cause your legs to fall apart. Now why wouldn't you want to do that ?

My hybrid has a triple, which I need because of it's weight. The road bike is more than sufficient in comparison.
How much different are the weights of these two bikes? 5lbs? 10lbs? Surely it isn't so much that a hill you can get up on one bike you can't get up on the other in a similar gear. Yes, no?


No hills to ride here.
Come visit New England where one of the native crops is the short steep hill. We grow a lot of 'em even in the "flat" parts.

Jimm, my hybrid is 36 pounds without the basket - disk brakes, triple, nice strong frame, a real workhorse and a great bike. The roadbike is 17 with the seat bag. That is practically 20 pounds lighter. Add that along with fat tires compared to skinny ones and a different geometry. I feel a huge difference. At least, it is a huge difference to me. Also, the hybrid is a mans 54. The road bike is a woman's tall (about a 53.5?) with a little different geometry. The womans tall fits me better than the mans 54.
Bruce19, I am a girl thus the lighter weight for height. ;)

36 pounds ? Ouch... must be steel. Mine is about 28. I was told by the LBS that the road bike is 17 1/2 pounds ( I think it's about 18 but who cares ?). so that's a 10 pound difference. I'd still need the triple on the hybrid though.

Toronto is a city full of ravines and geological artifacts from the last ice ages like drumlins, moraines and eskers so we have plenty of short steep hills and some nice long climbs up some shorelines from the last glaciation.

I live near foothills to large mountains. Nothing is flat going north to south, but I can go east to west flat.

36 is a lot, but I have many accessories. One must have accessories on a hybrid. The only accessory I don't have are fenders. I don't need them here because if it does rain I hole up in the house glowering. Luckily the rain dries up fast.

Bruce19, I am a girl thus the lighter weight for height. ;)

I'll do a lot of things to lose weight but a gender change is not one of them. :)

51 y.o. 185 lbs. Nishiki = 52/42, 14-28. Trek 1500 = 52/42/30, 12-25. Secteur = 50/34, 11-32.

The Nishiki got me into road bikes 23 years ago, at 185 lbs. Stopped riding after grad school for various reasons (hills, knees, back injury, four kids, life in general). Got the bug again in 2004 but I have only been riding consistently within the past three years. I bought the Trek in 2008 for the 30x25 "granny" (LOL) but after some conditioning found myself riding mainly in the middle ring, so I decided to try a compact set-up on my next bike. That's the Secteur. It came stock with 50/34 12-25 gearing, which I quickly determined was not low enough for grades over 6%, so I swapped out the RD and slapped on the 11-32 cassette. I now have a bailout low that beats the original triple. I'm sure my gearing needs will change again, but for now the Secteur seems to have adequate capability without resorting to a triple.

Weight is down from 200 to 185 lbs in the past year. Aiming for 165.

Jimm, my hybrid is 36 pounds without the basket
Good heavens! That's not a bike, that's a human-powered truck.

I can't believe all you "low weight" guys! If you ever saw me and I weighed less than 170 lbs I'd be in the first stages of decomp.

+1... the over 50 Clydesdales appear to be laying low in this thread! :)

Age 52
Weight 200
Old Schwinn Superior with a Nervar 40/54 and a ultra 6 14-21.
I'm a Illinois flatlander.