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Gearing on your tri bike (for triple cranks)

 
   
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PowerGoat

Jul 10, 12 14:58

Post #1 of 14 (868 views)
Gearing on your tri bike (for triple cranks) Quote | Reply
Hi Group,

I'm interested to know what kind of gearing people use on their tri-bikes when racing on a hilly course. I need to adjust my gearing (researching my options tonight--hoping I can lower my granny) and was curious what others ride with.

Thanks.


(This post was edited by PowerGoat on Jul 10, 12 15:01)


ttram

Jul 10, 12 16:13

Post #2 of 14 (813 views)
Re: Gearing on your tri bike (for triple cranks) [PowerGoat] [In reply to] Quote | Reply
Oh boy. You are better off running a compact with a 12-28 than a triple, for both weight and not needing that much range, unless you are riding some really nasty hills...


refthimos

Jul 10, 12 16:53

Post #3 of 14 (795 views)
Re: Gearing on your tri bike (for triple cranks) [PowerGoat] [In reply to] Quote | Reply
50/36 with a 28 rear should get you up just about everything. You don't see a lot of triples on TT/tri bikes. YMMV.


styrrell

Jul 10, 12 18:27

Post #4 of 14 (767 views)
Re: Gearing on your tri bike (for triple cranks) [PowerGoat] [In reply to] Quote | Reply
For super steep rides I'll put a mtn bike RD on and use a mtb cassette. Those can go to 34 teeth or so and should get you up anything. Shimano mtb RD work with shimano road shifters just fine..
Styrrell


manlin

Jul 10, 12 18:48

Post #5 of 14 (760 views)
Re: Gearing on your tri bike (for triple cranks) [PowerGoat] [In reply to] Quote | Reply
Are the hills long, or are they short rollers? How heavy are you? Would you consider yourself a climber? Heavier guys often have a different approach on rolling hills. They hammer it on the way down and hope that they will have enough momentum to get over each hill. If it is your case, you may not need to change your gears but modify the approach.


PowerGoat

Jul 10, 12 22:22

Post #6 of 14 (708 views)
Re: Gearing on your tri bike (for triple cranks) [manlin] [In reply to] Quote | Reply
Well, it's not that the course is killer hilly, but it's a long ride and I want to be able to spin on all the hills. I'm 128 lbs. and on short rides would be called a climber, but the race I'm training for includes a 336 mile bike, and so I'll want to conserve as much energy as possible. My tri-bike has a triple on it already: I have a 30 42 52 up front and a 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 21 in the back and that 30x21 isn't nearly "easy" enough during the second half of a ride.

I'm already trying to figure out if my crankset can take something smaller than a 30 or if I'll have to go with new cogs and (probably) a long cage rear derailleur.

Maybe I should have asked how low your two lowest gears are.


Rhymenocerus

Jul 10, 12 22:45

Post #7 of 14 (685 views)
Re: Gearing on your tri bike (for triple cranks) [PowerGoat] [In reply to] Quote | Reply
My triple road bike is 12-26 and I can climb 20% pretty reasonably. If you are looking to buy, id go compact.


HotBoudin

Jul 11, 12 3:11

Post #8 of 14 (645 views)
Re: Gearing on your tri bike (for triple cranks) [PowerGoat] [In reply to] Quote | Reply
I live in Houston where the only hills are highway overpasses. Not many triples down here.

My small ring is decorative only.


Kilo Juliett

Jul 11, 12 3:23

Post #9 of 14 (639 views)
Re: Gearing on your tri bike (for triple cranks) [PowerGoat] [In reply to] Quote | Reply
Where do you live? I'm in central Indiana, which has a bunch of rollers and I have a compact 50/34 and 12-23 cassette. I hardly ever use the 34. I would rather have the 16 and 18 cog than the 25 and 11.
2013 Schedule
IM 70.3 Muncie | Ironman Lake Tahoe

(This post was edited by ktj on Jul 11, 12 3:24)


carbonsport

Jul 11, 12 3:23

Post #10 of 14 (638 views)
Re: Gearing on your tri bike (for triple cranks) [PowerGoat] [In reply to] Quote | Reply
Do not try to change your front granny 30 -the bigger drop from your middle could make chain drops more frequent.Your current rear derailleur will accept a cassette with 27 or 28 teeth,an SRAM APEX rear derailleur 32.an sram XX long cage 36.Lots of options.I admire your wisdom which contrasts many of the macho folks here that look on appropriate gearing in a condescending fashion


ttram

Jul 11, 12 17:24

Post #11 of 14 (571 views)
Re: Gearing on your tri bike (for triple cranks) [carbonsport] [In reply to] Quote | Reply
Hey, given that it was about 6 posts down that the OP noted a 330 mile ride and wanting to spin and conserve energy, all of the responses were appropriate for shorter rides, even with steep hills...but you are right, a long ride and wanting to spin is different, particularly at that length. That is not a typical tri bike leg, so please refrain from calling us too macho-

to the OP: easier to put more teeth at the cassette- even with a short cage, you can go 28, but your chain cross might be an issue, but only if you plan to push the downhills, where it might come into play. I am surprised you might have a short cage matched to a triple, though...seems not right to me....


PowerGoat

Jul 12, 12 21:58

Post #12 of 14 (506 views)
Re: Gearing on your tri bike (for triple cranks) [ttram] [In reply to] Quote | Reply
Thanks all.

Carbonsport, good comment about the potential gearing issue. Up to 27 or 28? Super! Good to have options.

Thank you, ttram, for your thoughts about the short cage rd. It's a Shimano 105. I'm not sure how short/long cage-ness is measured, but the centers of the two jockeywheels are 3" apart.

I'll go with the idea of adding to the cassette. No, no pushing downhills. I won't be muscling anything! Well, the bike was a frame that I put together with the help of a shop, so we could have mismatched chainrings and cogs (in the sense of not being true to a "traditional" setup) to get to where I wanted to be in my gearing at that time.


Trexlera

Jul 13, 12 6:51

Post #13 of 14 (455 views)
Re: Gearing on your tri bike (for triple cranks) [PowerGoat] [In reply to] Quote | Reply
Just echoing what others have said, really, but if you put a 27 or 28 on the back, you'll be at nearly 1:1 ratio, and with fresh legs should be able to climb nearly any pavement. I'd try that before going to a mtb rear derailleur and cassette, although it wouldn't be that expensive, it's worth noting, since you don't have to change shifters. I'm kind of shocked you have a 21 as your biggest cog with a triple--that's not thematically correct--but it'll make getting really low gearing easy.


Kenney

Jul 13, 12 7:27

Post #14 of 14 (439 views)
Re: Gearing on your tri bike (for triple cranks) [ttram] [In reply to] Quote | Reply
From his other post, also saying it is an 8 speed

   
 
 
 
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