Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 12,537
Likes: 791
From: Middle of da Mitten
Bikes: Trek 7500, RANS V-Rex, Optima Baron, Velokraft NoCom, M-5 Carbon Highracer, Catrike Speed
Think of the middle ring as 'normal,' the big ring is an overdrive, and the small ring is underdrive. Three ranges of gears. Or as one person in my club says, "The big ring is for the first half of the ride, when you're fresh. The next ring is for the second half of the ride. If you have three rings, you can do three halves of a ride."