Originally Posted by dough.boy
i'm new to the cycling scene and am trying to maximize all my energy on the right gears.
I "understand" everyone when they are referring 50/34 t to 12-27 cassette...but I don't really understand the actual mechanics.
Can someone explain this to me...
lowest gear would be 34/27; highest gear 50/12?
how big of a difference will I see in the cassette when it's 11-25 to 12-26? (# just as ref)
I'm trying to find right crank to cassette ratio for me
If you have a bike or can get one to use do the following:
1) find out the number of teeth on the front rings (count or look for markings)
2) find out the number of teeth on each rear cog (count or look for markings)
make a gear chart with those numbers with a set cadence (90 is good)
http://www.machinehead-software.co.u...alculator.html <<<that one is fun
Then get on the bike and get up to a 90 RPM cadence on a long flat road...change the gears and note what each gear combo feels like at the same RPM. Then the numbers will mean something...
The simple point: the more inches you move per pedal the harder it is and you gotta know what gear inches you feel good in at your RPM of choice. Once you have that down you can look at the numbers and understand what they mean to you.
Then repeat the same for a hill to see what gear inch you like to climb in...
see
http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/k7.html for the range per cog set and pick the one you need...
for me 50/34 w/ 11-23 but for the bbiigg hills then 11-27...