Almost a new beginner

I've been looking to perhaps get a bike and start
riding, but am a bit overwhelmed by the choices.
My one and only bike from the 60's was a single
speed Schwinn, and right now I'm riding
a single speed AMF Road master I inherited
from my father.

My first question, after having looked and talked
to bikers and bike shops for the last three weeks:

How many of those mulit-speed gears do you riders
actually regularly use? 21 to 28 speeds seems like
a lot for riding around on the city streets, even with
hills.

--

-TTFN

-Steven

writes:

How many of those mulit-speed gears do you riders
actually regularly use? 21 to 28 speeds seems like
a lot for riding around on the city streets, even with
hills.

The answer depends on your local topography. Here in Palo Alto,
the 7 speeds on my cheap bike are fine for commuting. I only
shift into the lowest gear when I'm ascending within a steep
tunnel (California Avenue bike tunnel) or one of the few hills
(Page Mill Rd when I'm tired or out of shape). But I bet those
who bike in San Francisco want more. I certainly use all 27
speeds on my road bike when I'm out on an intentionally
challenging ride.
--
"I didn't say it was your fault.
I said I was going to blame it on you."

wrote:

How many of those mulit-speed gears do you riders
actually regularly use? 21 to 28 speeds seems like
a lot for riding around on the city streets, even with
hills.

I bought a 3-chainring, 8-sprocket cassette (for 24 gears) Trek comfort bike two
years ago. I ride almost exclusively in the 2nd range, mainly using sprockets
2-8. Only on steep uphills will I go into 1st range, and only on steep or long
downhills will I go into 3rd range. So maybe once a ride I'll move out of 2nd
range, on average.

So most of my gear combinations go unused. But I sure do use all the rear
sprockets, so I can keep my exertion level about the same throughout the ride. I
wouldn't want to go to a cassette with less than seven sprockets, that's for sure.
To me, for recreational riding, the most important thing is to have a wide range
of ratios available, not the number of ratios available.

--
Craig Holl
Mechanical Engineer; New Berlin, WI
http://www.midwestroads.com/craigholl/bike
*remove all numbers and caps to reply*

On Sat, 10 Apr 2004 04:04:55 GMT, wrote:


I've been looking to perhaps get a bike and start
riding, but am a bit overwhelmed by the choices.
My one and only bike from the 60's was a single
speed Schwinn, and right now I'm riding
a single speed AMF Road master I inherited
from my father.

My first question, after having looked and talked
to bikers and bike shops for the last three weeks:

How many of those mulit-speed gears do you riders
actually regularly use? 21 to 28 speeds seems like
a lot for riding around on the city streets, even with
hills.

When it comes to lots of gears, think about the range, not the number
of choices. Easy for the most extreme hills that you will encounter,
hardest for the downhills, and a few in between.

When I was in high school, ten speeds were the standard. And with
that, I had it set up so that almost all riding was in 6 gears. These
days, I have bikes with 16, 18, and 27 choices. And guess how many I
really use? 6. The overall range is not much different, and I don't
like changing gears every 18 seconds to deal with every subtle change
in the terrain.

Just because they are on the bike doesn't mean that you have to use
them. Some days I do my commute without changing gears at all.

Looking at new bikes these days, the thing to realize is that quality
bikes will be working with 9 speeds in back (18 or 27 total), and some
8 speeds (16 or 24 total)(10 also exists). If it is new and has less
than 8, you can be pretty certain that it is not a quality bike.

You can also avoid all this mess and buy a quality single speed! They
are back in style, for their simplicity and pleasure without all that
crap to break and go out of adjustment.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/singlespeed.html

Like this one would get you lots of envious looks-

http://www.bianchiusa.com/sass.html

Or-

http://www.konaworld.com/kw_index.cfm

There are others out there. And turning a bike into a single speed is
pretty easy. A local bike shop could help you put one together for
much less than the models above. Count the teeth on your AMF gears and
have a bike shop set you up with the same gearing, only fifteen pounds
lighter and better brakes

On Sat, 10 Apr 2004 04:04:55 GMT, wrote:


I've been looking to perhaps get a bike and start
riding, but am a bit overwhelmed by the choices.
My one and only bike from the 60's was a single
speed Schwinn, and right now I'm riding
a single speed AMF Road master I inherited
from my father.

My first question, after having looked and talked
to bikers and bike shops for the last three weeks:

How many of those mulit-speed gears do you riders
actually regularly use? 21 to 28 speeds seems like
a lot for riding around on the city streets, even with
hills.

You sound like you're looking at triple front chainrings. I ride a double, 18
gears of which I use about 11. When I ride triples I shift more. You ride a
single speed and if it's suitable to the terrain you're doing now, you might not
need a triple but that's where the best pricepoints are so just don't shift
there should you get one.

The 21 you're talking may be a freewheel and not a cassette. Freewheels are more
difficult to swap out than cassettes. Freewheels also place more stress on the
rear axle, so if you're heavy[er], the casette system makes a better choice for
you. All in all, lots of variables but the key is to get a bike that fit.

Craig Holl wrote:

wrote:

How many of those mulit-speed gears do you riders
actually regularly use? 21 to 28 speeds seems like
a lot for riding around on the city streets, even with
hills.

I bought a 3-chainring, 8-sprocket cassette (for 24 gears) Trek comfort bike two
years ago. I ride almost exclusively in the 2nd range, mainly using sprockets
2-8. Only on steep uphills will I go into 1st range, and only on steep or long
downhills will I go into 3rd range. So maybe once a ride I'll move out of 2nd
range, on average.

So most of my gear combinations go unused. But I sure do use all the rear
sprockets, so I can keep my exertion level about the same throughout the ride. I
wouldn't want to go to a cassette with less than seven sprockets, that's for sure.
To me, for recreational riding, the most important thing is to have a wide range
of ratios available, not the number of ratios available.

Ah, then I wonder, can you pick the gears you want, or are they sold
as sets? Like I mentioned, I haven't gotten down to specifics yet, there
is so much to learn these days... g

I've been thinking of perhaps riding to work a couple days a week, with some
recreational riding on the weekends.

--

-TTFN

-Steven

sittingduck wrote:

wrote:

How many of those mulit-speed gears do you riders
actually regularly use? 21 to 28 speeds seems like
a lot for riding around on the city streets, even with
hills.


It's not the number of gears, but the RANGE of gears that is the issue. The
more range you have from hight to low, the better off you can be. It depends
you YOUR needs.

Well, so far, my needs aren't yet. g I may be riding to work a few days
a week, with some recreational riding on weekends. Unfortunately, it's
almost all downhill to work, so the ride back home after work will be
a pretty good workout, as it's about 600-700 ft difference in elevation
in 12 miles.



--

-TTFN

-Steven

William Holiday wrote:

On Sat, 10 Apr 2004 04:04:55 GMT, wrote:

How many of those mulit-speed gears do you riders
actually regularly use? 21 to 28 speeds seems like
a lot for riding around on the city streets, even with
hills.

You sound like you're looking at triple front chainrings. I ride a double, 18
gears of which I use about 11. When I ride triples I shift more. You ride a
single speed and if it's suitable to the terrain you're doing now, you might not
need a triple but that's where the best pricepoints are so just don't shift
there should you get one.

It seems like there is an over abundance of triples out there, and all the
new bike sales shops push them. I'm trying to look at as many as I can,
and haven't completely ruled out a single, although the hills around here
make me think that's not going to be a viable option. g For just
getting ready to ride with relatively short hops of 2-6 miles r/t, I can avoid
most of the hills, but for longer rides, no.

I do like the KISS principle though, so if a triple, or even a double
isn't really necessary, I'd look for less. g



The 21 you're talking may be a freewheel and not a cassette. Freewheels are more
difficult to swap out than cassettes. Freewheels also place more stress on the
rear axle, so if you're heavy[er], the casette system makes a better choice for
you. All in all, lots of variables but the key is to get a bike that fit.

Ah, ok, I don't yet know the difference between a freewheel and a cassette.
Hasn't come up in conversation with the bike experts at the 6 bike shops
I've been to so far... Something else to learn... g

And being heavier, that's a good thing to know/learn. I'm looking at about
22 miles r/t for work.

--

-TTFN

-Steven

Well, so far, my needs aren't yet. g I may be riding to work a few days
a week, with some recreational riding on weekends.

Beware.

Biking is extremely addictive.

After a time, you will want to go faster, climb higher hills and go longer.
That is when you will appreciate the range of gearing available on your bike.

Gears are like condoms. You probably don't need them too often. but when you
do, you REALLY need them, and right now!


http://members.aol.com/foxcondorsrvtns
(Colorado rental condo)

http://members.aol.com/dnvrfox
(Family Web Page)

Gears are like condoms. You probably don't need them too often. but when you
do, you REALLY need them, and right now!

Also the fact that the bigger you need, the better off you are.