YogaKat

I just checked the chainring and sprocket and you are correct. The technical explanation was very helpful.

Strava shows my max speed on this ride was 24.8mph. I did switch to the highest gear just before the down slope on the right shifter. My left shifter I have only been adjusting in order to keep the ride smooth according to what gear my right shifter is in.

Another thought occurred to me. Going up the big hill, I found that I blew past most with ease yet on the downward ride they caught up or went past me. Upon thinking back, I also realized that I wasn't the only one coasting down. Would this have to do with the fact that I weight about as much as a small kitten? Just a physics thing?

revchuck 

It sounds like you were in the small (front) ring all the time. Use the left lever to shift the front to the big ring if you're going downhill. With the gearing on your bike, I'd stay in the small ring most of the time.

YogaKat

Here's a complete newby question since I have been concentrating mainly on my back shifter. Would shifting to the big ring on the front put the lever in more of the downward position?

chasm54

Yes. But more to the point, you can look down and see which ring you're using. In addition, when you shift to the big ring you'll notice that it immediately much harder to pedal.

YogaKat

After I got on my bike I realized what a dumb question that was since I could simply look. Perhaps I should be careful about posting before yoga and my morning coffee.

I did have a really nice ride this morning. I'm starting to wonder if I am getting to the point that I can only think clearly when I'm riding. haha

chasm54

Dumb questions are better than being afraid to ask. Nobody is born knowing about bikes, you'll get the hang of it. Chuck is right, with a 42-tooth small ring that's where you'll spend most of your time. But the big ring is where you want to be for downhills, or on the flats when you want to crank it up a bit.

sarals 

Yogakat, you're doing great! Don't, don't sell yourself short. Ask questions. By all means!

YogaKat

I just felt a little silly after heading out and realizing that the answer to that particular question was right there on my bike.

Thanks for the encouragement. You all really mean a lot to me. You help me figure all of this out and give me someone to talk to about cycling. Crazy thing I've found is that people that don't do this don't really want to hear about it all the time. Go figure.

Meanwhile, I'm getting ready to head off to bed after riding 9 miles around the neighborhood at 11pm because I wouldn't let my friend beat me at a mapmyride challenge. Not much distance and wasn't the most pleasant 9 miles but it sure felt good.

I shall embrace my silliness and sleep well.

...oh yeah, I did find my lowest gear tonight too. What else is there to do riding around in the dark cold wind, right? hehe

chasm54

So, I've ordered a new bike. Not a racing bike, a tourer - I'm planning a multi-week tour in France nxt year and I want a slightly sportier tourer than the massvely overbuilt, Rohloff-equipped behemoth I've used for my biggest trips.

It's one of these. Very traditional middleweight tourer in British Racing green. I've specified an 11-speed compact double. If that doesn't give me the granny gear I want for touring I'll switch it to the TCR and stick a triple on this one. But it's rather beautiful, don't you think?

They offer a free fitting service. I can tell it was well done because my contact points on this bike will be exactly (to within 2mm) the same distance apart as they are on my custom steel road bike. Interestingly, the fitter and I debated whether I should take the 64cm or 61cm frame, and went with the latter but with a 130mm stem. Just a shade more aggressive.

Looking forward to it. Already planning the France tour, deapite the fact that it's about 6 months away. Too much time on my hands, clearly.

revchuck 

That is nice, especially in British Racing Green! Going with an 11-32 cassette? I used one for a while, and the gaps at the big end are bearable.

YogaKat

Beautiful bike! This American girl can only dream how lovely it would be to tour France.

Heathpack 

@chasm54, I can't see the pics from my phone.

But it's never to early to plan a trip IMO. You don't want to just go out there and hack your way through France now, do you?!

chasm54

@revchuck, yes I have specified an 11-32. That'll give me a low gear of 34/32, or around 29 inches. Plenty low enough for climbing anything unloaded, but as I know from experience, loaded touring is another matter. So I'll test things out over the winter, and if I need to swap it out for a triple I'll use the 11-speed to turn one of my road bikes into a climbing bike.
@YogaKat and @Heathpack, tourng France is a great joy, especially when, as a retired old fart, one has the time to make a proper job of it. I don't plan tours in great detail, because improvising and taking in unanticipated discoveries is part of the fun, but the rough idea is to take the ferry over to Calais or Caen and ride down the Atlantic coast through Brittany and Bordeaux before tackling the French Pyrenees, maybe doing the Cols d'Aubisque and Tourmalet. Then north-east through Provence (Mont Ventoux?) to the Alps, where I think any self-respecting cyclist has to do the Alpe d'Huez before turning for home. Maybe six weeks and 2000 - 2500 miles. Want to come?

Hermes

@chasm54. Lovely mate

Heathpack 

Haha @chasm54, sounds like you don't want to travel with me, I will hyper-plan it and stress you out.

Seriously, from sailing we are used to the concept of doing what makes sense on any given day, you can force the weather and the wind will do what it will do. But I do find that it takes a certain amount of background knowledge to be able to take what comes. You still need to know the available resources and where to find them.

Would love to do a little touring someday with someone who knows what he's doing, though. It's just very hard for me to be gone from work for more than 2 weeks at a time. Stupid job.

LAJ

Very cool, @chasm54. Classy looking rig, as well.

YogaKat

@chasm54 I would love to join you but like Heathpack, my job wouldn't be too happy about it.

IBOHUNT

Very nice @chasm54. Like to 'colour' and(!) it has a place to carry quarts of shine. Win Win
There's some other folks that will be touring France next summer. Might you be joining them?

chasm54

Er, no. I'll be there a couple of months ahead of them, I think. But I confess that I've had a look at the route to see if it would make sense to do a few of the stages. The trouble is, they climb Mont Ventoux (for example) at the end of a 180km stage. That might not be beyond me, but on a loaded tourer it would be a hell of a day. So I think I might settle for doing some stages in stages, so to speak - at least in the mountains.

sarals 

Chasm, that is a BEAUTIFUL bike! British Racing Green, of course! How could you not use that color (colour)? I'm seriously jealous vis a vis your tour plan. That's a dream for me! I'm not a climber, but I'd love to tackle the iconic climbs in France. BTW, I watched the GCN videos covering some of the climbs - just great! Enjoy, and keep in mind how jealous I am while you're enjoying that tour

sarals 

@YogaKat-I just sent you a Strava follow request.

YogaKat

YAY! I got it and approved.



Eeek, Look what's happening here tomorrow:

IBOHUNT

Rule 9; that is all

YogaKat

Shoot. I keep hearing about these rules but I have yet to find them. Do I have to get a certain post count to find them?

Please tell me there are not 34 of them.

IBOHUNT

Nope, not 34 of them. Only 95 and counting. I only look at 5,9,10, and especially 42. Never ever, ever(!) violate #42

Velominati ? The Rules