Michael, If I had to face 4 miles of 12% grade on regular basis, i would rethink my gearing. What works for a mile to a mile and a half might not be so great as the road continues on up. We have hills that steep around here, but not even close to that long. For some double centuries, I would certainly entertain a brief switchover to a 11/32 cassette. I ride the SRAM stuff, making it easy for me to throw on an apex dérailleur and cassette for gearing changes.
I use to live in east Texas where it was flat as all get out and rode with a guy who ran something like a 54/48 up front with a 12/21 in the rear. That gearing worked there. It wouldn't work in other places. Your gearing should match where you are going to ride. No sense in having unusable gears. Joe Joe > Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2011 12:56:34 -0700 > Subject: [RBW] Re: New Roadeo frame. Now what? > From: mhech...@gmail.com > To: rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com > > Joe, my hat's off to you. A 53/12 which is pretty much the stock > racing gear is 119 GI; while a 50/11 is 122 GI. I'm old and decrepit > but 108 GI (48/12; 52/13; 44/11) is all I really need to launch me off > a Vermont mountaintop. At the other end I find a 34/27 (34 GI is OK > most days), but when I head over to my sisters house, which includes 4 > miles of 12% grade up White Face Mt., I need every gear I can get and > still end up begging god for mercy. > > michael > > On Mar 28, 3:44 pm, Joe Bartoe <jbar...@hotmail.com> wrote: > > Geez Michael, > > > > Could you be a bit more specific? > > > > Great answer. I agree with most of what you said, but have some problems > > with the smallish big ring you propose. I experimented with smaller big > > rings for a while and found that I did indeed miss my 50/11 gear. It's nice > > to keep your legs moving after a long climb and many times the smaller big > > ring would spin out. I usually run a 50/34 with an 11/28. I find that the > > only time I really drop down to my small ring is on extended climbs. I know > > this will vary by riding style, but thought I'd give my two cents. > > > > BTW, I'd set it up with the '11 Campy Veloce with compact crank set. You'd > > have to forego the brakes for the Roadeo, but maybe the Velo Orange Grand > > Cru brakes might be a good substitution. > > > > Joe > > > > > > > > > Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2011 12:14:59 -0700 > > > Subject: [RBW] Re: New Roadeo frame. Now what? > > > From: mhech...@gmail.com > > > To: rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com > > > > > Great question. I am going to assume that this is a go-fast bike, > > > built for fast club rides and maybe an occasional rondenee, yes? > > > > > For a drive train you will want a nice compact double, like the better > > > Sugino Alpina, or the Da Vinci, unless you have you heart set on a > > > TA. A 48/34 mated to a Hyperglide 12/27 cassette gives . If you need > > > or want a lower gear (I do) I would strongly recommend springing for > > > the White VBC, which is a beautiful crank and you can set it up as a > > > 44/30 with an 11-28 cassette for an excellent gear range and shift > > > pattern. Still cheaper than TA & musa. For BB anything economical > > > will do, and for this bike i would definitely not go PW. > > > > > Wheels - Open Pro rims mated to either White or Ultegra hubs, > > > depending on whether you prefer sealed or serviceable bearings. I > > > like the White hubs - lighter and cheaper than PW. Some people find > > > them noisy, and they do have a loudish hum which you can hear when > > > coasting below 17/18 mph. > > > > > Silver Down Tube shifters. Faster than BE, cleaner looking than SIS > > > and in many situations, faster too. Least fussy shifters money can > > > buy. If you have never used them you have nothing to loose but your > > > fear. > > > > > Aero levers mated to your hand size. I like the fat Cane Creek/ > > > Tecktro, but some people find the narrower 105's more to their > > > liking. Brake caliper's depend on your fender choice. If you are > > > putting a nice pair of Honjo Hammered (which would look great on this > > > bike) then the first choice should be Paul's Racer Ms, unless you are > > > really up for scouring the internet for old school and using a > > > crescent wrench to set them up. > > > > > Bars are pretty personal but very few people have ever been > > > disappointed with the noodle shape. Nitto Pearl or Tech. delux stem. > > > If you search around you can find lighter, silver posts than Nitto, > > > but they are good posts. > > > > > Saddle, if you want to safe some weight, consider a Terry Ti-Fly. A > > > good compromise between a Brooks or Selle Anatomica and a full blown > > > racing saddle. > > > > > Pedals, a light weight touring pedal - I like the Speed Play Frogs, > > > which work well with my Keen Commuter sandals. > > > > > I have my Ramboulliet set up as a go fast, here's what it looks like: > > > > >http://gallery.me.com/mhechmer#100094 > > > > > Most important of all: ENJOY THE PROCESS; ITS NOT ABOUT GETTING > > > ANYWHERE! > > > > > blessings, > > > michael > > > > > On Mar 28, 2:20 pm, Bike Hermit <bikeher...@biketouringnews.com> > > > wrote: > > > > <https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_D0f7V9H_Bq4/TZDRZfEMkiI/AAAAAAAAAZ...> > > > > > > <https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_D0f7V9H_Bq4/TZDRNq1bBkI/AAAAAAAAAZ...> > > > > How would you build it? > > > > > -- > > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > > > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > > > To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. > > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > > > rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > > > For more options, visit this group > > > athttp://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en. > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. 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