I guess it's seldom for me. I have three worn out 12-25 10-speed cassettes (CS-7800, CS-6600, and CS5600), and the 12-teeth cogs on them still look like new.

Fair number of short, steep hills around here. If I decide I want to see how fast I can go, it usually gets used. So probably at least once a ride on average.

I still have a long way to go. I can be a bit of a masher sometimes.

I live in the flats and use the 50X11 ( 32mph) on the slight downhills with the wind. Generally I use it on every ride for a some distance. I am pretty ingrained in doing out and back courses with the wind in my face the first half. We get wind in central ill and I like to go out into a big head wind for 15-20 miles then turn around and burn. In those case I can be in the 50X11 for at least a better percentage of the time. I would guess my last century out 50 and back, with the wind I used it for maybe 2-3 miles of the return 50 but not contiunous only in spurts.

I get into mine with surprising frequency in Houston's flats, though I am using 50/12 compact double.

i use it ever time i get a nice tail wind on a flat. or a nice hill

Only on the long downhills. On the flats, I tend to stay in the 53/15 and my cadence is around 90 to 95.

The other day I was able to use my 50/12 on a flatish road....but on the way back into town I was using my 34/25!

You people really don't use your lowest gear that often???

I use my 53/12 every time I ride. Training rides on flats at around 27-28mph in a draft I use it, you don't have to pedal fast in a draft, no sense spinning your legs out.

highest

I use my lowest less, now that I'm getting acclimated to my hilly surroundings. But, I'll still bail out to the 40/28 occasionally, like on 6% or greater grades near the end of a long ride.:)

I use 50x11 and 53x11 when I'm out cruising @ low speeds. It does not kill my knees. At least in rides lasting less than 30 miles.

It makes me feel as if I'm getting a harder workout when I am forced to go slow for very casual group rides.

I always feel like a fool spinning fast and going nowhere even faster.

dude, seriously?

Neurosport reincarnate?

Don't read too much into my gearing. I'm sure spinning would actually give me the better workout. I just mean when going like 10mph I like the feel of pressure when I peddle.

Yes, the reality is under normal effective conditions - I would never use the 11 unless going downhill and even then... rarely. I get it ;)

For you folks that have short memories or never knew in the first place... I did have my Caad9 as a single speed in 50x14. once gears are added on, its not hard to fathom riding in a few smaller rear cogs. Yeah - not the smartest or most effective gearing choice, but it is what it is and the OP asked how often we use the highest gear - NOT when they ought to use it. Should catch up on your reading comprehension sometime in the near future.... makes the world a clearer place :D

There is a huge difference between a 50x14 and a 53x11

Not when going extremely slow. A difference? yeah. But not that different. Both are ineffective at the speed I'm talking about.

^ indeed!!! When I'm on my bike with 48x11, I spin out relatively readily. On my ride with 53x12, I need a good wind to even consider jumping into that gear on the flats.

:Shrug:

I think it's pretty silly to push such a huge gear when you are going 10 mph, but do whatever floats your boat.

25% difference is hardly a matter of importance @ sub 10mph

Besides... gotta use that last cog sometime right? I bought the damn thing and its one of the only reasons I have to use it! ha ha ha

At least a few times during most of my rides, I'll shift from 34x22 to 50x11. I wish there was some sort of macro button I could push to get me there in one click, but there isn't, so I do the dual handed finger dance instead.

You need downtube shifters ;) - almost as good as a macro button.

I used my 53x11 today in a TT...