tacking hills with a CAAD9 Compact (34t front, 27t rear)?
04-27-10, 08:10 AM
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tackling hills with a CAAD9 Compact (34t front, 27t rear)?
I got a CAAD9 roadie with a compact chain ring last year (with the number of teeth as in the title, the ratio is 1.26) which I haven't really taken on hills yet but would like to do so this year.
I've no idea how suitable the ratio is for climbing. Of course the rider matters (I went to spinning all winter so the legs are used to push against resistance) but would also love to hear some anecdotal evidence. Is this ratio too hard for hills (a touring bike would have it around 0.75)?
Thanks,
-jl
I've no idea how suitable the ratio is for climbing. Of course the rider matters (I went to spinning all winter so the legs are used to push against resistance) but would also love to hear some anecdotal evidence. Is this ratio too hard for hills (a touring bike would have it around 0.75)?
Thanks,
-jl
Last edited by jeanluc; 04-27-10 at 08:39 AM. Reason: typo in title
04-27-10, 08:36 AM
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That gearing is considered to be about as climb-worthy as it gets, short of a triple crankset or a mountain bike. I have the exact gearing on my Specialized, and it climbs like a goat. If you really wanted to, you could swap your cassette for an 11-28 instead of your (probable) 12-27 cassette, but there's not a whole lot to be gained from that. Where are you located?
04-27-10, 08:41 AM
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not a particularly good thought out thread... You'll get answers all over the place and none that are going to be helpful. Especially this one. A lot of people on here are going to look at your gearing as way too low for anything other than Everest and others will see it as not low enough, still many others will say it's just right. The old Goldilocks syndrome.t
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04-27-10, 08:48 AM
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Depends on the hills and the rider. Around here, I'll generally ride with a low of 39/23. But my rides are mostly just rolling hills at maybe 5-7% grade max, no real climbs. Go out and ride. You'll figure out what you need pretty quickly.
04-27-10, 08:50 AM
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Worry less. Ride more.
FWIW my bailout gear is 39/23 and I get by ok with medium hills.
FWIW my bailout gear is 39/23 and I get by ok with medium hills.
04-27-10, 09:08 AM
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True. Gearing depends on your terrain, sustainable power to weight, and desired cadence. Obviously this will vary amongst individuals.
That said, 34x27 is a pretty low gear, and it's likely that you will find it more than adequate for hilly, not mountainous terrain.
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04-27-10, 09:32 AM
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I think you'll be fine with 34x27, as others have mentioned you could try an 11-28 for a small improvement, but otherwise a triple would be the next best option.
04-27-10, 09:50 AM
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04-27-10, 10:00 AM
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I have 34/28 low gear and tack hills with no shame. Sometimes I just don't want to shift, other times (like 12%+) I just go faster by keeping cadence higher and tacking a bit.
I used to be against it, thinking that riding a perfectly straight line was the "pure" way to ride a hill. Then I got over myself and decided to do what works best for me (and my power/weight).
I used to be against it, thinking that riding a perfectly straight line was the "pure" way to ride a hill. Then I got over myself and decided to do what works best for me (and my power/weight).
04-27-10, 10:03 AM
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04-27-10, 10:16 AM
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You'll be fine, that's perfect for recreational riding. I'm running 50/34 front 11/23 rear in a reasonably hilly area.
