I would definitely try ignoring your granny gear. I think you will surprise yourself. And it's a positive feedback loop - i.e., the more you ignore your granny gear, the stronger you get, the less you need your granny, the more you can ignore it, the stronger you get....
I think you'd have to actually count gear teeth to figure out if riding without a granny on your current bike is comparable to riding a compact. I could be wrong, but my guess is that staying out of your granny on your current set-up is actually harder than riding a compact.
I think this is a good thing. Staying out of your granny gear will show you that you don't need a triple, nor do you need a compact. And then you can start looking at a nice double that you will love
forever!
Jessi
p.s. When LaVonne talked about a "27 tooth" she is referring to the number of teeth on your biggest cog in the back, not the number of gears. Most people have a 12-25 (referring to the smallest and biggest cogs on your cassette). What LaVonne meant is that when she switched from a triple to a double in the front, she also switched from a 12-25 to a 12-27 in the back... in other words, while she she took away some of her easy gears up front, she added some in the back. Hope this makes sense!
--- On Mon, 3/9/09, Janet Schneider <janet.schneider@...> wrote:
From: Janet Schneider <janet.schneider@...> Subject: Re: [TeamLUNAChix] Double or triple? To: jessihs@... Cc: TeamLUNAChix@yahoogroups.com Date: Monday, March 9, 2009, 3:37 PM
I heard almost the exact same thing when I bought my bike last year!!! ("well, you're a woman and you are new to cycling, so you should probably go with a triple"). To add to that, he also talked me into a hybrid with flat handlebars. ("well, you're a woman and you are new to cycling, so you'll want to be more upright and be able to see your gear numbers on the handlebar.") I wish I had just gone for the road bike from the beginning!!
Okay - so I have a triple now. I do find myself dropping into the smallest gear when faced with a particularly steep hill. And I have to say that every time I do so, I regret it because I'm spinning like a mad woman just to keep from sliding backwards down the hill and I'm panting like a dog because I'm spinning so fast. Once I lose that momentum, it is hard to shift back up, too.
If I test out not dropping into the smallest gear for awhile, is that about the same as having a compact? Or is the gearing just completely different once you go to a compact?
What does "27 tooth on the back" mean? Right now I have 7 year positions on my back wheel.
Thanks!!
On Mon, Mar 9, 2009 at 3:17 PM, Jessica Hayden-Spear <jessihs@yahoo. com> wrote:
Double.
There is no reason you need a triple. If you really need easier gearing, get a compact. But don't get a triple. They are a mechanical hassle, they weigh more, and you don't need that granny gear anyway! (I don't know you, but I know you are stronger than that. :)
Plus, buying a triple will cost you extra money because you will eventually start to hate your triple and then you'll have to swap it for a double anyway.
Take it from someone who was in your exact position several years ago, and made the wrong decision. I was talked into getting a triple by a bike shop employee ("well, you're a woman and you are new to cycling, so you should probably go with a triple"). To this day it still annoys me that I listened to that guy.
Hopefully I haven't offended anyone who might ride a triple... but I just get so frustrated that no one advised me to buy a double from the start! So now I am providing you with that perspective. :)
I'm thinking about making the move from my city hybrid to a "real" road bike. Among the many things I have to decide, I need to figure out if I should get a double or a triple ring. If anyone has wisdom or even just random thoughts on this, I'd appreciate it!
Hey there, I'm thinking about making the move from my city hybrid to a "real" road bike. Among the many things I have to decide, I need to figure out if I ...
My boyfriend made me take off the triple on my first road bike and go with the double! But I just put a bigger cogset on the back! If you do a double, I...
Double. There is no reason you need a triple. If you really need easier gearing, get a compact. But don't get a triple. They are a mechanical hassle, they...
I heard almost the exact same thing when I bought my bike last year!!! ("well, you're a woman and you are new to cycling, so you should probably go with a...
I would definitely try ignoring your granny gear. I think you will surprise yourself. And it's a positive feedback loop - i.e., the more you ignore your granny...
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