I know that low gears are critical to me. I went to a triple for Lake Placid on my second try. The bike time was a little better, but the run was day and night. Year one I had no legs, year two I had legs and knocked about 35 minutes off my run split. This year I will focus on keeping gas (food and water) in the tank. I again expect the results will all be seen on the run.

My gear selection choice is simple. Take the biggest hill on the course, figure out what speed you will go up with a moderate HR on race day. Pick a gear that you can spin at that speed at 90 rpm. I might use a 30/23 gear on a 650 bike where a Kona bound rider will go 50% faster than I up the hill. He will be on 39/23 on 700 bike.

This approach will save the knees and ITB bands too.

I agree...

...somewhat I run a 53/39 on my tri bike with a 11-21 cassette. I can see the value of bigger chainrings as I do spend some time in the 53x11 on flat ground. The 39x21 gets me up most hills, but again it is flat. I think a 55x42 and 11x23 is in my future, I just need to score some 10 speed rings.

-SD

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https://www.kickstarter.com/...bike-for-the-new-era

do i think that most triathletes run gears that are too big?...absolutley. do they ultimately result in slower times? only if they use them. they have these monster gears (56-11) and then spend all of their time sitting up in their 42-23. why not put more sensible gearing on there?

tommy

Simple, having a set of 56/42 Shimano 'SuperRings' up front and a straight block cassette in the rear makes your bike, and by association, you, look really fast. ;-)

A 53x11 on the flats!!! On a 700c bike at 95 cadence that is 36 mph! No wonder they call you "super" dave.

Of course many people run with gears that are way too big. Remember, it doesn't matter what your finish time is, you can always make excuses. What seems to matter the most is how cool your bike looks.

"don't you think I shoud run a 12x25 cassette on the Tri bike...to allow a better spin/RPM up hills?"

Asolutely. That's exactly what I run.

I guess I should qualify that by saying my bike has 650c wheels. I certainly can't hold 95 rpm at my AT, closer to 80-85. I've been prepping for a 8k prologue so my speed has been upped in training. Wednesday I found myself in the 11t (50 kph) for a few minutes. I didn't need anymore gear at the time but with a slight tailwind or downhill grade, I may.

The "super" is self-proclaimed, it has a better ring to it than "barely adequate" or "clinging to my youth"

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https://www.kickstarter.com/...bike-for-the-new-era

Damn near everyone is overgeared.

(700c)

Most MOP'ers need a 50 or a 51 big chain ring... and a 39x27 on the back for most courses with hills. I remember watching people walk and struggle their bikes up hills at the 2002 Great Clermont. Only the absolute strongest climbers should be running a 42x23 like most tri-bikes come stocked with and even that's overkill for a hilly course.

To a degree I'd cast some scrutiny on the people who sell tri-bikes with 53 big rings to people who are only ever going to ride 22mph and maybe up to 25... speeds one can do that fairly easily with a 42x11.

My first road bike came with a 53 and I could barely hold 18mph for any length of time... I was lucky enough to have a wise mechanic in Bermuda who saw this and gave me a 50 which I used from early 2001 until the beginning of 2002 when I started to ride fast enough to warrant a return to the big rings. Only people who are riding sub 1 hour for 40k need to think about a 54, and I don't know any triathletes in the amateur ranks who are strong enough to need a 56.

More gear info than you could ever want

http://www.geocities.com/...945/Gears/Gears.html