RCMoeur 

On my 1x? Most of the time.

I actually have 2 bikes currently set up as half-step (recumbent & tandem), with 6 and 7 in the back respectively. It could be difficult to source chainrings to half-step a 9-speed or greater rear end, though. But that's where the fun is...

EDIT: I went ahead and calculated optimum chainrings for a common 9 speed cassette (11-32). Given the rarity of odd-tooth chainrings in 110 BCD (unless you go with BMX rings), and that many 4-arm chainrings are intended for sets, the only readily-available option I could think of would be a 42-39 on a 130 BCD crank. 42-39 gives a nice even spacing, but with almost-luxurious 5-6 gear-inch steps in the middle ranges (87, 81, 75, 71, 68, 63, 58, 54). At 85 rpm on a 26 or 700 wheel, they're 1-2 mph increments.

squirtdad

95% of the time with my 50/34 and 11x32 setup (really need to climb more hills)

50/50 on my 53/39 13x32 setup (need to get in better shape and climb more hills)

bwilli88 

I either ride a 1x or half step and switch off a lot. Kind of a gearing junkie.

Inusuit

Headwind uphill, little ring. Tailwind downhill, big ring. About 50-50.

JohnDThompson 

When I found that my aging legs couldn't handle the typical large chainrings on my bikes, I started downsizing the large rings. The 54T ring on the tandem went to 50T; 52T and 53T rings on other bikes went to 44T, 46T, and 48T. That allows me to use the full range of gears available on my bikes. But I have a pile of 52, 53, and 54 tooth rings I'll likely never use again.

Manny66 

The BIG ring every time I ride, except when im up a steep climb.

I rode up Azusa Canyon on my vintage Moser 53-42 with a corncob rear..Big mistake.

mackgoo

at least 95% of the time.

Chombi1 

BITD, I was almost always on my big ring (52 or 53T) when I rode...... but Southeast Wisconsin is quite flat.....

curbtender

As soon as I Crest a hill I'm back in the big ring. It's also a lot cheaper to replace when it wears out. That said, we have a lot of hills so I'm probably in it 60 percent of the time.

AdventureManCO 

Wow, thanks for all the replies. Been gone a couple days working out of town, long days, etc. and haven't had a chance to check in.


Not silly at all! Part of the reason I ask is because there is a tendency (partially with me, but probably with many others), to keep a nice vintage bike stock, so that means using the gears that came with it. That being the case, a lot of these bikes came with 50T+ large rings - it started an internal debate: change to make it more useful? Keep stock?

Ha! You're kind of right. Fortunately every English speaker in this thread understood what I meant. We all must be really special/smart!

I'm VERY skeptical...because I've got a 53T on the front of my bike and riding it is frickin hard! haha

That is exactly what I have. 53T in the front with a corncob in which the largest rear is 23T. I switched a few times to the larger chainring and it felt like I was peddling through molasses.

I guess I am way less fit than I thought haha. But yes I'm here in CO and everywhere is a hill. I live on a hill. And I'm on the east side, where it is supposed to be flat.

I think I have a prejudice about the big ring because 1) I haven't found it useful when the terrain is so varied, 2) I have my PX-10 setup as a 1x5 and it is a really fun combo that seems to do just about everything well, and finally 3) principle...past owners shifting between the front chainrings and trying to quickly drop back down to the smaller ring is probably the biggest reason our precious (otherwise pristine) steeds are all mucked up on the chainstay. Yep. I think that is probably the biggest reason. Never dropped a chain on a 1x with a proper length chain...which I really wasn't expecting.

AdventureManCO 

Honestly, a little bit. I just imagine most anyone trying to ride a 53T/corncob out here and it seems incredibly inefficient.

Bad Lag

I ride mine all the time - 42/52 X 14-24. I'm usually in 52X18, sometimes even when I could go to 52X16 (but don't).

There was a 4% grade, 5 mile long hill in Albuquerque where I used my 42, a lot. Remember, though, ABQ ranges from 5,000 to 6,000 feet above sea level. I loved riding there.

RCMoeur 

I take a hacksaw, cut the teeth off, and use them as chainguards for saner chainrings such as 46 and below.

smd4

I have never dropped a chain with a properly adjusted front derailleur. My chainstay is pristine. Sounds like you were riding with people who didn’t know how to adjust their bike.

jethin

I think this is kind of a silly question. Perhaps a better way to phrase it would be “are you a masher or a spinner?” or “what gear inches do you mostly ride in?” And a lot of this has to do with the type of riding you do, terrain, age, fitness, etc.

Just because you push big gears doesn’t make you fast or a monster cyclist. Macho maybe.

If your gearing isn’t working for you you should consider changing it.

SurferRosa

But most likely a lot faster than the guy who parks it in the small ring for the dur. (jme)

Kabuki12

I find, with most of my bikes, that a 14/28 FW can take care of my gearing needs in a 52 or 53 chainring...until I hit a hill! Then I use the precious lil' 41 TA ring , and after that it's the walk of shame

I have to climb to my nest . My house is quite a bit above the houses 2 blocks down the hill. I've only made it on my mountain bike , can't do it on my road bike and I hate riding my mountain bike!
Leaving the nest is GREAT!!! Like the little pig holding the spinner out the window, WEEEE!

bikingshearer 

I use the big ring (52 on most of my bike, 50 on one) almost every ride. I also use my middle ring (42 on most bikes, 38 or so on one) and my dinky ring (24, 26 or 30, depending on the bike) an almost every ride. 90+% of my rides include significant climbs (dinky ring) and descents (big ring), and all rides include good middle ring territory.

I also cheat and ride Campy 10sp triple most of the time, but on frames ranging from 40 to almost 60 years old, so it kind of averages out.

AdventureManCO 

Well, I'm talking about former owners...people who may have never adjusted anything, then just slam the gears, grind up the chainstay, then 20 years later their relatives sell the bike and you get it. Point is that if you only have one gear up front, you are doing no shifting up front, hence much less likely to have shenanigans with the chain since a lot of that happens on the shift (at least for some).

At this point it would be great fun if I was able to ride with just about anybody, even chain droppers and chainstay grinders