General Cycling Discussion - Question about bike gearing and specs--Noob alert!

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pbass
10-15-12, 12:00 AM
I recently got my first road bike and am loving it-a Specialized Allez Compact. Riding nearly every day since I got it. Now, I'm finding myself getting really interested in learning ABOUT bikes more in general (was just an occasional/casual comfort bike/hybrid rider previously and never gave it much thought).
I'm trying to get my head around the specs on the gearing of this bike. The bike "features" "9-speed Shimano gearing", yet the specs say it has a Cassette with "Shimano HG-50, 8-speed, 12-25".

Sure enough, I count 8 rings back there.

http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bikes/road/allez/allezcompact#features
http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bikes/road/allez/allezcompact#specs

So, which is it? If there's 8 back there, how can it be a 9?

Also, my last bike--the hybrid--was a triple(I know that NOW;). I remember the salesman at the LBS advising me to avoid using the extreme gears--I assume that's because of the angle of the chain? Is that still advisable on a compact like I have now?

JanMM
10-15-12, 12:52 PM
If there are 8 cogs on the cassette, then '9-speed' is a typo. Proof readers were asleep.

Small/small and large/large gear combos are generally to be avoided.
pbass
10-15-12, 01:19 PM
If there are 8 cogs on the cassette, then '9-speed' is a typo. Proof readers were asleep.

Small/small and large/large gear combos are generally to be avoided.

Thanks for the reply. Yeah, I don't know squat about bikes, but I can count, so I thought it was weird!

I understand the combo thing too now--I just shifted into all my available combos and was checking out the angle of the chain--I can see how that wouldn't be mechanically optimal in those extreme settings.