drumbum

Howdy all!

I bought a Santa Cruz Blur about 6 months ago. It's been great so far, built up with XT cranks and x9 derailleurs. It's got an 11-32 casette on back. Coming from a Giant hardtail, it's a huge improvement.

I got back on the Giant today and noticed that the gear ratio feels slightly "better" to me. For lack of better words, it feels like the Giant has "more resistance", in that I have to push slightly harder. It feels like my Blur has way too many easy gears (granny gears).

When comparing the small chainring of the Giant to the Blur, the Giant just feels better. I've counted the number of teeth and it's the same.

What can I do to my Blur to make it feel "better"?

Thanks!

ed 

Add some weight or shift to a harder gear.

drumbum

Thanks, but thats not really the issue. I'm looking to add more "resistance" throughout the whole range of gears.

ed 

I mean seriously...this is one of the weirdest things I've heard on the forum yet, Drumbum.

You're saying your bike is too easy to pedal, and this is upsetting to you. Not enough resistance. You're saying the gears are the same ratio, but you don't feel it's hard enough to pedal, right?

Shift up to a higher gear and go faster. That will put more resistance against you.

If you're in your highest gear and it's still too easy to pedal, go out for the Tour de France, man. (haha)

Are you riding off road or on a paved sidewalk? Are you doing any hills?

Seriously, if you're running an 11-32 already...switch your chainrings to larger "trekking" chainrings like a 26/36/48t chainring set. Have you compared the chainrings on your Giant VS. the Cruz? Some of the cheaper bikes already come equipped with the 26/36/48t set b/c they're more of a comfort bike type thing.

Heck if you're not having any trouble whatsoever, just switch to a single 36 or 38t front chainring like Mark Weir. That'll give ya some resistance on the climbs.

You must admit...the vast majority of XC racers out there are using either a 22/32/44 setup or just a 32/44 setup with an 11-32 or 11-34 cassette. They are riding 20lb hardtails and are just wishing to have a delimma such as yours.

How 'bout you describe your trials and the amout of climbing you do...yada, yada...and why you can't just upshift to a harder gear to give you the resistance you desire.

This would help me understand.

MattP.

So the casette and all the chainrings are identical on both bikes?

Al.canoe

I can make two guesses why you have that sensation if the gearing is in fact the same. The Blur, being a big $'s bike, may have lighter wheels, or at least less weight at the rime such as lighter rims and lighter tires. That will allow the bike to accelerate much more quickly making it feel like you are in a lower gear.
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I had a similiar feeling when I moved up to my Stumpjumper SLR from my old hard tail which had clunky wheels. I was faster, got to speed quicker and I was pedalling in higher gears. I had the affect again when I upgraded the Stunpjumper's wheels to Cane creek Zonos. I gained more speed and better cornering. My lap times went down once again.

Another, but less likely possibility is the switch from a hardtail to full susppension. You just feel slower initally on the FS because of the plush ride so you work harder to get the same feeling of speed as on the hardtail. I had a reverse affect when I blew the air seals in my rear shock and locked it out so I could finish the ride. The Stumpjumper felt sportier and faster as a hardtail, but it really wasn't. I was just feeling the trail more.

The feeling might go away when you get used to it. I'd just use my big chain ring more. That's what I do. I didn't want to touch the lower gears as i need them when I ride in the Georgia mountains.

Al