[docmoya2007]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5v9AhlXtqv4&t=848s

Just sharing another YouTube video I uploaded few weeks back, where I did one of the tough uphill climbs of my region. The climb segment is just 2.15 kms with 218 metres elevation, 10.1 % grade elevation(which can be seen on my Strava account)

The reason why I uploaded the video is, I am a newbie cycle enthusiast. And I am obsessed with choosing the right gear combination. As mentioned in the description of the video, for most part of the climb, I was using the bigger chain ring, i.e. gear no 2(46 T)on the front and rear cassette gear no 4(23 T)on the rear. In the lesser inclined part of the climb, I used the smaller chain ring, i.e. gear no 1(30 T) on the front and rear cassette gear no 3(26 T) on the rear.

Now, the confusion is a young bike mechanic told me to use the bigger chain ring less often in climbs as the wear on the chain and chain ring will be more. If I use the smaller chain ring i.e. gear no 1(30 T) on the front, my preferred combination is with the rear cassette gear no 6 (17 T). But I was avoid to use this combination by fellow BHPian HTC some posts back(post #4866), as it "may lead to chain and other component wear as the chain between cogs would be more crossed in nature".

I would like to know inputs from stalwarts of this thread like ebonho, graaja, ninjatalli, and more, what gear combination will be ideal for the type of climbs I do?

PS I never owned a geared cycle before. I was just starting in the last week of September of last year 2020, and I am loving it. And yes, I lived in a very much hilly place. And my bike is the 2021 Trek Dual Sport 3.

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by docmoya2007

I would like to know inputs from stalwarts of this thread like ebonho, graaja, ninjatalli, and more, what gear combination will be ideal for the type of climbs I do?

Hi. Firstly if you havent already please search for GCN / GTN videos. Im sure they will have something specific on choosing the right gear. They are a great resource.

As a starting point please keep it simple and here are a few pointers.

1. Yes. The chain should not dramatically cross over. So be mindful of which ring is in front and which gear you have chosen at the back.

2. Try and predict a gear through trial error and experience which allows you to tackle the climb with the same CADENCE as you were riding at normally. Whatever gear allows you to maintain the same cadence (as far as possible) - for starters consider that as the right gear.

Ideally you need to be on the right gear before approaching the climb but of course if its a long climb its possible you may have to switch along the way.

Hope this is of some help. Good luck.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by docmoya2007

https://www.Youtube.com/watch?v=5v9AhlXtqv4&t=848s

Just sharing another YouTube video I uploaded few weeks back, where I did one of the tough uphill climbs of my region. The climb segment is just 2.15 kms with 218 metres elevation, 10.1 % grade elevation(which can be seen on my Strava account)

The reason why I uploaded the video is, I am a newbie cycle enthusiast. And I am obsessed with choosing the right gear combination. As mentioned in the description of the video, for most part of the climb, I was using the bigger chain ring, i.e. gear no 2(46 T)on the front and rear cassette gear no 4(23 T)on the rear. In the lesser inclined part of the climb, I used the smaller chain ring, i.e. gear no 1(30 T) on the front and rear cassette gear no 3(26 T) on the rear.

Now, the confusion is a young bike mechanic told me to use the bigger chain ring less often in climbs as the wear on the chain and chain ring will be more. If I use the smaller chain ring i.e. gear no 1(30 T) on the front, my preferred combination is with the rear cassette gear no 6 (17 T). But I was avoid to use this combination by fellow BHPian HTC some posts back(post #4866), as it "may lead to chain and other component wear as the chain between cogs would be more crossed in nature".

I would like to know inputs from stalwarts of this thread like ebonho, graaja, ninjatalli, and more, what gear combination will be ideal for the type of climbs I do?

PS I never owned a geared cycle before. I was just starting in the last week of September of last year 2020, and I am loving it. And yes, I lived in a very much hilly place. And my bike is the 2021 Trek Dual Sport 3.

You are living in a very beautiful part of our country buddy. Truly blessed. That's a steep climb and the fact that at this time of the year you're not wearing even arm sleeves means it's not very cold.

Your speed on the steep parts of the climb was really good but you were mashing high gears.

Go into lower gears and spin more. I'm a pussy climber. Any climb more than 2 km (which you can punch up in a higher gear off the saddle) I will go into the lowest front ring and then play with the gears at the back.

Psychologically start high, so that you have gears in spare. Use flats and dips to recover. Keep a steady cadence and concentrate on your heart rate and breathing making sure you don't go into the red till the top (when it's ok for a short 1 or two minute effort).

I tend not to look too far up or ahead to prevent getting disheartened. Also get out of the saddle momentarily on the steeper bits to power through. But control the stomping on the pedals so that your breathing and HR don't spike (they will to an extent every time you stand up). Getting out of the saddle gives your legs and butt muscles a lot of relief, gives you a nice stretch, and when you sit back down, you are ready for another seated stint.

If you stand up on a steady gradient, go up one gear before you stand up. Remember to go down again when you sit back down. However, if you need to stand to get over a steeper bit (like a switchback turn) then don't shift. Power through, standing, keep standing till you start feeling it, and then sit back down. This is a tip given by a pro climber and it really works.

Lastly you should know that since you live there your blood and vasculature and lung capacity is naturally at a level that most of us from the plains will struggle up there.

Cheers, Doc

P.S. I checked you out on Strava. You averaged 7.5 kmph on a 10% climb! Any rider here will tell you that is very very good! However, all your rides are 5-7 km long only. Why?! Increase your distance. You need to develop endurance and distance along with power.

[graaja]

Originally Posted by docmoya2007

Now, the confusion is a young bike mechanic told me to use the bigger chain ring less often in climbs as the wear on the chain and chain ring will be more. If I use the smaller chain ring i.e. gear no 1(30 T) on the front, my preferred combination is with the rear cassette gear no 6 (17 T). But I was avoid to use this combination by fellow BHPian HTC some posts back(post #4866), as it "may lead to chain and other component wear as the chain between cogs would be more crossed in nature".

I would like to know inputs from stalwarts of this thread like ebonho, graaja, ninjatalli, and more, what gear combination will be ideal for the type of climbs I do?

TL;DR version:
Choose the gear that suits your power and the terrain and don't worry about the chain being straight, load on the chain, wear etc.

Longer version:
Yes. The best practice is to use the gear combination that keeps the chain straight. This will mean for the smaller chain ring in the front, use the smallest to middle cogs in the rear, and for the larger chain ring in the front use the largest to middle cogs in the rear.

This will naturally happen when you are riding hills or flats. In flats, you would use the bigger chain ring in the front and start from the middle cog in the rear (lower gear) and go to smaller cog (higher gear) as you gain speed.

In the hills, you would use the smaller chain ring in the front and start somewhere in the middle and keep shifting to the bigger cog (lower gear), as the gradient increases.

On descents, you will naturally find the smallest cog in the rear is not fast enough with the smaller chain ring and will shift to the bigger chain ring.

So, just use the bigger chain ring for flats and descents and smaller chain ring for climbs, and you don't have to worry about what exact combination you are running and if that is loading the chain etc. You may hit the combination that results in a cross chain very rarely if ever.

[goandude]

Hi fellow riders, I had got a Triban RC 120 in early August 2020 and have been enjoying the bike. Did 2 x 200 BRMs in December which I finished in 10:40 and 9:35 respectively. Totally have done about 3000 kms on the bike.

Few weeks ago noticed that the gear changes were getting rough and the pedals were making a rough noise when being rotated by hand, both clockwise and anticlockwise. But with the chain removed the pedals move smoothly. Incidentally, I have been regular in cleaning and lubing the whole drive.

Took the bile to Decathlon where the mech put a chain checker tool and declared that the chain was >1% elongated and had to be changed along with the rear cassette (new 12-32, old 11-34). After the change there has been a big difference in the way the gears change and the overall smoothness of the bike. total cost of replacement was 1300/-.

Didn't expect the chain to wear out this fast but perhaps being my first geared bike I probably did a lot of cross chaining.

[amvj]

I just got a Decathlon Heart rate monitor (chest strap). I had a sedentary lifestyle for the past 5 years. Only recently got a bicycle and starting using it. Thanks to the Chinese virus and that usage has been reduced too. I don't want to suddenly stretch my heart's limits. I am currently 35 yrs old and I am overweight too. I heard stories of people suddenly doing exercise and getting heart attacks.



How do you guys measure and view heart rate? I find proper bike computers from Wahoo or Garmin starts from 20K INR. Also, I think these bike computers are overkill for my commuting needs. Also, I think they are not much use without having a proper power meter. Which again are terribly expensive.


I am planning to use my mobile for displaying heart rate while riding. I know the limitations of mobile phone such as screen will dim, battery life, etc. I will use a spare mobile for that purpose. I heard watches are not that accurate for measurement. Also, I am not fond of digital watches. Are there any apps that can show both heart rate and as well as my bike speed and total distance?

[graaja]

Originally Posted by amvj

I am planning to use my mobile for displaying heart rate while riding. I know the limitations of mobile phone such as screen will dim, battery life, etc. I will use a spare mobile for that purpose. I heard watches are not that accurate for measurement. Also, I am not fond of digital watches. Are there any apps that can show both heart rate and as well as my bike speed and total distance?

You can use the app Strava. That should be able to show you all the ride metrics like speed, distance and heart rate.

If you want to monitor your heart rate during the rides, there are so called zones with names like recovery, endurance, threshold, anaerobic etc. Strava will set the heart rate values for each of these zones based on your age and gender. To begin with try to keep your heart rate in the endurance zone most of the time and do short burst of efforts that takes into threshold zone. There are lots of articles that explain about "training with heart rate". Google this term.

Having said that, don't get to much tied up with heart rate numbers. Just enjoy the ride and keep your speed and effort such that you are able to sustain it for a long duration. And do those occasional high intensity bursts and get back to easy pedaling and you should be fine.

Enjoy the rides and have fun!

[amvj]

Originally Posted by graaja

You can use the app Strava. That should be able to show you all the ride metrics like speed, distance and heart rate.
.....
Having said that, don't get to much tied up with heart rate numbers.

Thanks I will check and get back. Hope this functionality is available for Strava free version also.

[sanjbmw2001]

Originally Posted by goandude

Took the bile to Decathlon where the mech put a chain checker tool and declared that the chain was >1% elongated and had to be changed along with the rear cassette (new 12-32, old 11-34). After the change there has been a big difference in the way the gears change and the overall smoothness of the bike. total cost of replacement was 1300/-.

Didn't expect the chain to wear out this fast but perhaps being my first geared bike I probably did a lot of cross chaining.

Good to see you are enjoying cycling..

Don't worry too much about the wear and tear. 3K sounds on the lower side but is within the ballpark.
Secondly - surprised at the change of the rear cassette, if it needs to be changed in the future, look at Shimano, they perhaps will be longer lasting.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by amvj

Are there any apps that can show both heart rate and as well as my bike speed and total distance?

Use the Wahoo app on your mobile. Strap the mobile to your stem or handlebar. Wahoo autouploads to Strava too.

Even when not wearing my HRM, I use Wahoo by default to record my rides.

Cheers, Doc

[kat]

Originally Posted by docmoya2007

I would like to know inputs from stalwarts of this thread like ebonho, graaja, ninjatalli, and more, what gear combination will be ideal for the type of climbs I do?

My 2 cents. I usually try to maintain my cadence at the optimal level instead of focusing on the gears at front and rear. As per various forums and youtube videos, the ideal cadence while riding on flats is between 85 to 95 rpm. Whereas in climbs, it is between 65 to 85 rpm. If this can be followed, the actual gears should not matter. Nevertheless, you need to ensure that cross chaining is avoided as much as possible to minimize wear and tear.

Between, awesome ride and average speed for a 10% gradient climb. Kudos .

[bhp_maniac]

Originally Posted by docmoya2007

Just sharing another YouTube video I uploaded few weeks back, where I did one of the tough uphill climbs of my region. The climb segment is just 2.15 kms with 218 metres elevation, 10.1 % grade elevation(which can be seen on my Strava account)

I would like to know inputs from stalwarts of this thread like ebonho, graaja, ninjatalli, and more, what gear combination will be ideal for the type of climbs I do?

That's a hell of a climb to do with the large one on the front. Judging by the gradient, etc. you might give it a try with the middle one or preferably the smallest one. You can always do fine adjustments with the rear cassette.

I always tend to select the smallest one on the front and then play around with the rear gears on steep climbs. Changing front gears is troublesome in the middle of a climb and definitely would be taxing on the bike.

Another good idea would be to invest in a cadence sensor. The ideal gear ratio would be the one that would allow you to maintain a cadence of 70-90 rpm depending on your heart rate, and fitness levels in general. Keep climbing

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by goandude

Hi fellow riders, I had got a Triban RC 120 in early August 2020 and have been enjoying the bike. Did 2 x 200 BRMs in December which I finished in 10:40 and 9:35 respectively. Totally have done about 3000 kms on the bike.

Few weeks ago noticed that the gear changes were getting rough and the pedals were making a rough noise when being rotated by hand, both clockwise and anticlockwise. But with the chain removed the pedals move smoothly. Incidentally, I have been regular in cleaning and lubing the whole drive.

Took the bile to Decathlon where the mech put a chain checker tool and declared that the chain was >1% elongated and had to be changed along with the rear cassette (new 12-32, old 11-34). After the change there has been a big difference in the way the gears change and the overall smoothness of the bike. total cost of replacement was 1300/-.

Didn't expect the chain to wear out this fast but perhaps being my first geared bike I probably did a lot of cross chaining.

Usually the rule of thumb is three chains to one cassette.

Three cassettes to one chainring/s.

There is no mechanical evidence that supports changing the chain and cassette as a set, IF you have replaced the chain on time, before it wears beyond the wear limits and starts eating the cassette teeth.

What you should ideally do is replace the chain, index the gears, and ride a bit. Let the chain settle (a new chain stretches a bit initially under force). Then re-index again if necessary (poor shifting in some cogs, slipping under load).

If the chain continues to slip then you know the cassette needs to be replaced as well. Do this within 100 kilometers or you will ruin your new chain as well.

There are ways and tools for measuring cassette and chainring wear as well, but its not as straightforward as those for the chain.

The 11-34 on the RC 120 is a great climbing cassette, and faster at the top ratio as well. Pity that its not available loose, and 12-32 is the only option.

Keep the 11-34. I'm almost 100% certain its not worn and can be used with at least 2 more new chains in the future.

Cheers, Doc

[Roads&Wheels]

Originally Posted by amvj

I just got a Decathlon Heart rate monitor (chest strap). I had a sedentary lifestyle for the past 5 years. Only recently got a bicycle and starting using it. Thanks to the Chinese virus and that usage has been reduced too. I don't want to suddenly stretch my heart's limits. I am currently 35 yrs old and I am overweight too. I heard stories of people suddenly doing exercise and getting heart attacks.

I was in a similar boat sometime back. Like a lot of people, bought an MTB(Rockrider ST100) in June'20 and had been riding since then. Started with under 10 km and have gradually moved up to 50 km rides now. I was also worried about the heart rate part, more after getting a Garmin watch. I constantly saw 140 to 160 as average heart rate during my rides on Strava. Consulted a doctor today and got an ECG done just to be sure. Seems all is fine.

Wanted to get this done also as I am planning to get a road bike (as soon as one is available). Trek Domane AL2 is the top choice now in my budget. Also looking at the Triban RC 500.

I am 37 years old (5'10"at 74 kgs).

Cheers

[Mi10]

Originally Posted by kat

.
Regarding duathlons, what are your targets? In recent past, I did a 10-40-5 self supported duathlon in 3 hours, 11 mins (including breaks). This year, I am planning for a 15-60-10 within 5 hours.
And the most important one, which bike is on top of your mind? I am smitten by aero disc brake models but off late, all bike prices have increased by at least 20-30% compared to pre-covid levels. Will have to wait and watch.

I have never attempted a Duathlon so far, so no specific targets at this time except finishing it in one piece . Will probably attempt one in next 2-3 months.

regarding Bike upgrade, it is a two phased one. First is to get a nice and fast TT bike and follow it up with a good replacement for my Merida R400 (as a training bike - which can be something like a climbing bike). Not really thought about brands at this point of time.