need enlightment on SS

Gags wrote:
"amirm" wrote in message news:nYtxc.73-
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etserver.com...
Probably not relevant since I commute in Canberra. but what's the
special deal about SS? My slow wit, I know. The gear combo I use every
day during commuting range between 42X17 and 52X12. Although the
majority of the distance is ridden on 42X13, I still guess an SS would
be too wasteful. Can someone shed some light?

Cheers,

Where in Canberra do you ride??? I was commuting from Ngunnawal to
Campbell for 18mths or so and it was great as pretty well the whole trip
was on bike paths or back streets and there was not much in the way of
hills (Going up behind the war memorial was probably the hardest part of
the trip).
I commuted every day and can still remember one -8degrees morning when
my water bottle froze and I couldn't have a drink without sticking it
inside my jacket for a while to defrost. I never wore any sort of ear or
head warmers and it was always the first 5 min or so that I didn't like
in the mornings (used to get killer ice cream headaches) but then I
would warm up and it would be OK.
This week I have just finished building up my singlespeed mtn bike and
it has definately worked my legs harder than I normally do on the 27
speed. I am still playing around with gear ratios and went from a 36/15
to 36/13 but I still need a slightly higher gear. I am now planning to
put a larger cog on both front and rear to get a slightly higher gear.
If you have a spare bike, give it a crack......I did it on the cheap and
knocked the pins out of a couple of old rear clusters to separate all
the cogs and the little plastic spacers. I now have a selection of cogs
of various sizes and enough spacers to put either side of the one that I
am using so that the chain is straight between the front and rear cogs.
We have had a bit of rain down here in Melb this week and so the SS has
been great as I can just hose it down and then oil it up again in about
2 minutes flat.
Ride on.
Gags


Hey Gags

Yeah, I used to live in Ngunnawal up to last year. I used to cimmut
from there to Black Mt labs. Then work moved a little further to ANU
Last year I moved to Amaroo. Next week my work will move to Barton. It'
just getting further and further! No complaint there, though. :

Sub-zero temps tease my toes. With liner socks and shoe covers, stil
after 30 minutes of riding, they get really cold. Oh well

I take it you're no longer in Canberra, pity

Unfortunately, my four bikes are either used or are too new to conver
to SS yet. maybe some time in the future

Cheers, Amir


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Originally posted by amirm:
Although the majority of the distance is ridden on 42X1

Spending excessive time in little-little or big-big (or one away) i
bad. A much better gear to spend your day in (with less wear and tear
is 52X16, which is around the middle of the cassette and gives almos
exactly the same gear

I strongly advocate adjusting derailleurs to lock out the two bigges
and two littlest sprockets, to ensure good chainline. ;

Regards

Suz


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suzyj wrote:
exactly the same gear.

I strongly advocate adjusting derailleurs to lock out the two biggest
and two littlest sprockets, to ensure good chainline. ;P


Whew hate to try that with the daughter on her trailer bike. Never seen
so much use of the 28-28 combination!

DaveB (with a whole new perspective on what constitutes a "big" hill)

suzyj wrote:
Originally posted by amirm:
Although the majority of the distance is ridden on 42X13
Spending excessive time in little-little or big-big (or one away) is
bad. A much better gear to spend your day in (with less wear and tear)
is 52X16, which is around the middle of the cassette and gives almost
exactly the same gear.
I strongly advocate adjusting derailleurs to lock out the two biggest
and two littlest sprockets, to ensure good chainline. ;P
Regards,
Suzy


Too right. However, I think your recommendation is more relevant to
bike with a 39-52 front and 12-23 cog in back

My gear set up is slightly tweaked to give me a better combo in terms o
gear ratio, convenince of gear change and also as you said avoiding th
use of last two gears on each end of the range. You see, both 42X13 an
52X16 will give the ratio that's good for most of my ride. However, mor
frequently than upshifting from that point, I need downshifting in m
route. With a 11-23 cog, I don't have 16. 15 is slightly heavier and i
already in the middle, allowing me to downshift only two more gears an
also creating funnier angles of the chain. With the purposeful upgrad
from a 12-23 cog in the back, and from a 39 to a 42 chainring in front
I have created a more convenient and responsive range of gears in th
back without the need to use the two smallest gears in the back. Th
large chainring is used in like overdrive conditions, hence less fron
shifting and trimming

Cheers, Amir


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Originally posted by amirm Too right. However, I think you
recommendation is more relevant to a bike with a 39-52 front and 12-2
cog in back

I think Suzy's comment was a little tongue in cheek, given the smiley

Some of the.. ah 'guys who favour big gear/top end speed?' use the smal
cogs occasionally. Puts hand up. At the same time, I need the lowe
gears for getting up those farkin hills!! Crit racers puts hand u
again will use big ring to small cog during a race. You don't want t
be stuck in the small ring if a break goes but you still need to spin t
flush lactic acid, etc

hipp


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In article ,
hippy wrote:

I currently don't have a shower at home (hot water unit blew up)

Ouch. That does make it hard...

--
Shane Stanley

Originally posted by amirm:
With a 11-23 co

I see. I had assumed 12-23 or somesuch. Third from the end is quit
okay. I'm far to wimpy to spin out a 53/11. Indeed my primary bike a
the moment runs 53-42 on the front and 13-21 seven speed on the back

On my race bike I usually run a 49-39 for a on the front, with 12-2
nine speed rear, as that put the chain in the middle of the cluster fo
most of a D grade crit. That also means I can get my short cage Choru
derailleur to work with a 13-28 cassette, which was a blessing fo
Fitz's and the Alpine

Cheers

Suz


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amirm wrote:
Too right. However, I think your recommendation is more relevant to a
bike with a 39-52 front and 12-23 cog in back.
My gear set up is slightly tweaked to give me a better combo in terms of
gear ratio, convenince of gear change and also as you said avoiding the
use of last two gears on each end of the range. You see, both 42X13 and
52X16 will give the ratio that's good for most of my ride. However, more
frequently than upshifting from that point, I need downshifting in my
route. With a 11-23 cog, I don't have 16.
[snip]
Cheers, Amir.


Ah, sweet 16. I was dying for a 16 spr when I had an 8sp cassette
Moving to the 9sp 12-23 was _exactly_ what I needed for the (flattish
cycle leg at Mooloolaba. If I ever get the power to outspin the 12, I'l
consider trying an 11

Ritc

PS. maybe a 44 up front


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