A question for geared folk

I briefly had a 90's peugeout 18 speed racer as my first road bike. I didnt quite get on with it even though it had a decent (all 105) groupset.

I wasnt much faster than my BMX on it for some reason,got overtaken by mtb's and found fast freewheeling unerving.

I sold it and eventually moved onto fixed which has been much more agreeable, im able to get places a lot faster.

Well, I was just wondering, for those of you who have geared road bikes for the city. What sprockets/ratio's are you running?

And which do you feel faster on?

My geared road-bikes are only for the city in that I live in the middle of the metropolis, and sometimes have to get some training done within the North circular.

53/39 x 12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-21-23 (or the 9spd, which is the same, minus the 18t)

Going up a steep but constant gradient, I feel faster on my fixed, but otherwise always faster with gears.

Real men run 53/39 matched to a 12-21 or 12-23 cassette.
Queers use a compact crankset.
Child molesters ride fixed.

50/34 plays 12-26 for me (10 speed). In the city not much in it- think the fix was faster tbh.
Out of Londons famous London the gearie wins though. By a mile or more.

Although having just seen Hippys post it would seem that I need to tell the Mrs that I am, in fact, gay.

got a compact 50/34 - 12/25. not queer. poofs ride triple

Ive got a compact on my geared bike. if I didnt have it Id fucking ***struggle ***on the climbs!

I never use the wee ring on the flat but going up 1000ft Id have no chance on a traditional double, incidentally I am 80 kilos and not unfit.

I commute on a Raleigh Team Banana replica. I run 53-42 at the front and 12-21 (8 speed) at the back (It's not very hilly and I love stay in a nice cadence) - 12.13.14.15.16.17.19.21. Complete with 105 friction shifters.

My nicer geared bike, which I never seem to ride anymore is a Specialized Allez Double '08 Shimano Tiagra 53/39 (upgraded from a poofy Sora compact) and 9 speed cassette. Might upgrade the whole thing to Veloce or Centaur though...

I actually feel faster on the raleigh. Maybe it's because it takes so much more effort to shift that thing about or something...I dunno, maybe I am - It has a much more aggressive riding position.

Just to expand on my earlier comment about fixed and steep but constant gradients, I would have to be fairly appropriately geared of course :)

got a compact 50/34 - 12/25. not queer. poofs ride triple

I knew you'd bite :)

I've never owned a geared road bike (gay gearing or otherwise) but I used to commute on a geared MTB with slicks. I reckon your problem was having a range of gears that didn't include a gear you'd ride if it was fixed, e.g. my sweet gear is 67.5" and I can ride it all day every day, whereas the closest the MTB came was 66" (on middle ring, 2nd smallest sprocket - next step up 12t sprocket = bad) or 65 or 70 (outer ring).

This was after changing to a 12-21t 7sp road cluster. I couldn't get a chainring to fit that would put me in the right zone either.

It just never felt right. Once you've found that sweet gear it's like everything falls into place and I can understand why I was always changing gear before - because none of them were right.

It took 4 months for me to find the one right gear for me, but it was worth it.

I wasnt much faster than my BMX on it for some reason,got overtaken by mtb's and found fast freewheeling unerving.

really? maybe they put some funny stuff in the water in birmingham, or maybe you're weak.

condor: 39/53 - 12/25 perfect
colnago: 42/53 - 12-20 hard as nails

...found fast freewheeling unerving.

yeah, a road bike is not for the faint hearted. they usually come with a health warning

I knew you'd bite :)

Real men run 53/39 matched to a 16-27 cassette.
Queers use a compact crankset.
Child molesters ride fixed.

thats better ;)

39/53 11-25

I want to up grade my whole shitty sora groupset...where is the cheapest place to get a set of 105? or ultegra?

It's all about 12-23 DA

It would be all about 12-23 Record, but I can't afford it, so it's all about 12-23 Veloce with a Centaur groupset.

It would be all about 12-23 Record, but I can't afford it, so it's all about 12-23 Veloce with a Centaur groupset.

Heh, look what I got:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=280237473722

For less than a set of Tiagra shifters! :P

Deal!

I've got the Centaur QS. If you've used Campag before, it's going to feel weird at first (well, it still does for me 750 miles later). Not the usual proud click, but an almost silent, feather-light shift. Not sure I like it as much, but the shifting is quicker and smoother. I've had to get used to doing a light tap for a 1t change, and more like my old Campag shifting action for a 2t jump.

But deal!

I ride compact 50/34 - 12/25. I have a wife and two daughters and don't have sex with men.

My fantasy bike used to have Record but now might have to have Super Record. Record is very beautiful but I cannot be sure if it's beauty is worth the grand or so that it costs.

Ever since you bought that compact, they've been waiting for the big announcement...

New super record?

Yuk

53/40; 12-25; 105 - contemplating changing to compact as I struggle to get my lardy 90kg up the Surrey Hills with current set-up.

Can't you just try a 38t inner? But I'm not going to stop you coming out of the closet.

I would have thought that a big ring would make you more attractive to chaps.

But what would I know?

er...ahem...compact...