Road bikes how many gears

This is expressed as 4. This is the gear I would use on the flat. It is going to take quite a lot of effort to get it moving, but when I do I will move quickly. This would be the opposite end, the small ring on the front and the biggest on the back. The reason for this is that they are the closest together, meaning you get a really low ratio.

On the bike I ride this is 34 teeth at the front and 32 at the back — so really close. This would be the gear I am using on the very toughest of climbs allowing mean to spin the wheels quickly to get my cadence high. A compact crankset typically has a 50 tooth 50T big ring and a 34 tooth 34T little-ring.

When choosing cassettes, you can choose a cassette that has a narrow range of ratios but closely spaced between each cog, or you could choose a cassette that offers a wide range of ratios but at the cost of bigger jumps between cogs. Choosing a bike that has more speeds reduces the tradeoff some, and gives you more versatility. If you live in an area that has more varied terrain, a wider-ranged cassette may be the better choice to help you get up those hills.

The key learning from all this information is to make a conscious choice when you purchase a bike as to the gear range that you want. Geared bikes use to be called ten speeds, as that was the standard. Today, however, there are a lot more options.

The gears in the front are called chainrings and the gears on the back are called cogs that make up a cassette. The bike chain then connects both of these sets together.

Most road bikes have two chainrings on the front, although one or three can also be found. Then the number of sprockets at the back, usually between 9 and 12 is multiplied to give you the number of gears available. So a bike with 2 chainrings up front and 9 sprockets in the back will be called an speed bike A rider can use any combination of gears.

If a bike has three chainrings and 10 sprockets at the back it would be 30 speed 3 x A wide range of gears allows for more easy gears going uphill and harder gears going downhill. Two chainrings are far more popular than three for both professionals and recreational riders.

In fact, there are now a growing number of cyclists who prefer no gears at all. One type of gearless bike, nicknamed fixies, are fixed gear bikes. Fixed gear bikes, as the name suggests, also have one gear.

Fixies have devoted following but they also had very practical uses in the past. They provide the simpler double-chainring shifting up front with a small enough small chainring for easier climbing, too. Triple cranksets are an option for those who climb high and aren't super strong, too.

The third chainring sometimes called the "granny gear" offers even easier climbing than the compact crankset's smallest chainring.

When considering how many rear cogs to get, keep in mind that you'll have plenty of gears even if you get a 9-cog cassette. If you go to a bike with more cogs you can't increase the number of cogs unless the bicycle accepts that cassette , you can either choose a wider range of gears or more-closely spaced gears.

The latter is excellent for racing and training because it makes it easier to fine-tune pedaling effort. Wider gearing offers easier low gears so it's ideal for mountain riding and for when you're not in tip-top shape. How the Gears Feel To figure out how easy it is to pedal the gears, you have to know a little more about the chainrings and cogs. They are referred to by the number of teeth on them. This means that the small chainring has 39 teeth and the large has 53 teeth and that the cassette has a small cog with 12 teeth on it and a large one with Meanwhile, a compact drivetrain could have a crankset with and tooth chainrings and the cassette might be the same To know the size of every cog and chainring, you usually have to count each one cogs and chainrings are often marked but the marks can be hard to see.

Know Your Numbers Don't let the numbers confuse you. The key thing to know is that for chainrings, larger numbers mean it's harder to pedal and vice versa. For cogs, it's the opposite: the larger the number, the easier it is to pedal and vice versa.

Our advice is that it depends a lot on how and where you ride. If you like the hills, ride fairly long distances, sometimes carry gear and aren't training all the time to be in optimum fitness, a compact is a nice way to go.

You get the easy shifting of a double crankset with gears that make most climbs manageable. A triple crankset gives you a third, even smaller chainring than what's on a compact crankset. So, it's great if you scale steep climbs, carry loads and travel long distances. Even if you don't use the small chainring all that much, it can be a lifesaver at the end of a long ride when a tough climb stands between you and home.

Triple-chainring drivetrains shift slightly more slowly than doubles, which is a consideration if you're riding for a good time in a century, for example. If you're not sure which is right for you, we recommend coming in and trying the various drivetrains to feel how they work for you. It's also helpful to talk to your friends who ride and see what they recommend since you'll likely be hitting the road with them and enjoying similar rides. Cassette Considerations You also need to decide on the range of gears on your rear cassette.

In the table to the right is a guide to some commonly available sizes and what they're designed for:. The Fun Part Now that you have an idea how to decide what type of road machine to get, it's time to come into our store and do some tire kicking and test riding to see how the models compare in person.

This will complete the picture and give you a chance to see what you get at the various price points. Here are a final few helpful tips: Shopping Guidelines. Thanks for reading.

We look forward to helping you select the perfect road bicycle! Road Bikes. Mountain Bikes. Kids Bikes. Folding Bikes.

Other Bikes. Accessories For You. Accessories For Your Bike. Gift Cards. Rentals and Tours. Are you: A new cyclist? Into improving fitness medium to long rides? Interested in touring? Training for an event? Getting into road racing or triathlon? Here's how the sizes compare: Size What it's good for x 20c thin, primarily for time trails and lighter riders x 23c normal, for most conditions, racing and training x 25c thicker, longer wearing, more shock absorption x 28c thick, longest lasting, ideal for touring, commuting and heavy riders About c Wheels Some time-trial bikes, as well as some compact, smaller models come equipped with c wheels, which are smaller diameter than s.

Here's what's involved: Chainrings and Cogs There are sprockets on the front and back of the bike. In the table to the right is a guide to some commonly available sizes and what they're designed for: The Fun Part Now that you have an idea how to decide what type of road machine to get, it's time to come into our store and do some tire kicking and test riding to see how the models compare in person. Here are a final few helpful tips: Shopping Guidelines Buy once. It's less expensive to get the frame, wheels and components you want initially than to upgrade later.

Proper fit is much more important than getting a good deal. And only by coming in to see us can we size you and ensure that you're looking at the right size bicycles. Manufacturers pack as much value as they can into each bike model. But, sometimes compromises are made in component specification or frame quality to reach a more attractive price point. If a bike you're interested in has parts or features that appear to be uncharacteristic for its price, try to figure out if any corners were cut.

Or ask, and we'll explain why the price is so good. It's best to pick out the features and components that best meet your needs, then see what the bike costs. Be prepared to spend a little extra because usually you'll want a few important accessories with a new bike such as a bottle and cage, a cyclo-computer, a new helmet, etc. Also, if you don't already have pedals, you may need to purchase these too. Specialized Allez.

All too often, corners are cut to meet price-points in the entry-level road Specialized Tarmac. For the construction of the Tarmac, we utilized advanced aerospace composit Specialized Allez Sport. Trek Emonda SL 6 eTap. Emonda SL 6 Disc has all the advantages of an ultralight carbon road bike, Giant Contend 3. Smooth, fast, and fun. This versatile aluminum road bike has been revamped This is a difficult question, and those in need turn to Sheldon Brown who, despite his passing in , is […].

This is a difficult question, and those in need turn to Sheldon Brown who, despite his passing in , is still regarded as the greatest bike mechanic who ever lived. Sheldon gave us the definitive answer. Even a single speed bike will move you faster with less effort than walking — bicycles are efficient machines. So you only need one gear, unless…. SRAM solved the problem with their Automatix hub range.

You only need two gears, unless…. Three gears work nicely — a pulling off gear, a low gear for hills, and a high gear for the flat. So you only need three gears, unless…. Maybe you live in Scotland, or similar environment where there are lots of very steep mountains and no one has bothered to build Alpine roads that zig-zag gradually up the side.