3 cranks vs. 2 - cougarguard.com — unofficial BYU Cougars / LDS sports, football, basketball forum and message board

bYuPride · 05-30-2007, 08:47 PM

My bike has 3 cranks and my FIL has 2 on his bike. I never use the 3rd crank because I feel like I'm cheating. Do a lot have road bikes have the 3rd?

Quisqueyano · 05-30-2007, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bYuPride

My bike has 3 cranks and my FIL has 2 on his bike. I never use the 3rd crank because I feel like I'm cheating. Do a lot have road bikes have the 3rd?

It's called a triple. (as in 3 rings). I ride one. I rarely us the small ring. But it is nice to have a bail-out gear. You will probably use it when we ride the canyon.

Archaea · 05-30-2007, 08:51 PM

Wusses. Unless you ride mountain bikes, real men don't use triples.

Hey and throw on a 11/21, not some whimpy ass 12-25.

creekster · 05-30-2007, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Archaea

Wusses. Unless you ride mountain bikes, real men don't use triples.

Hey and throw on a 11/21, not some whimpy ass 12-25.

Are you really riding an 11-21? what are your chain rings? More evidence that I am the sag wagon for your Ulcer experience.

Archaea · 05-30-2007, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by creekster

Are you really riding an 11-21? what are your chain rings? More evidence that I am the sag wagon for your Ulcer experience.

11-21s are hard to come by. I usually ride an 11-23, but I do it on any hill. Perhaps that's why my IT bands hurt sometimes. For a flat ride I'd love an 11-21, with a fiftyfive up front.

bYuPride · 05-30-2007, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Archaea

Wusses. Unless you ride mountain bikes, real men don't use triples.

Hey and throw on a 11/21, not some whimpy ass 12-25.

Whatever.. My bike just came with the triple. and I'd do it again!

and what's the 11-21 and 12-25 crap?!... you can't just through out this mumbo jumbo to someone as slow as me and not explain!

Archaea · 05-30-2007, 09:10 PM

Back cogs have a number of cogs. The smallest cog has usually either eleven or twelve cogs. The more cogs, the easier it is to spin it.

The other number is the biggest cog, usually 23 is standard on a double, but sometimes you get a 21 if you want pure power. I've heard but never seen a 19. Climbers for long sustained climbs over hundreds of miles may sometimes want a 25, or 27. They spin easier. I have two 23s, a 25 and a 27. You will need to replace the cog sets every couple thousand miles. Your gears will start to slip as the teeth are worn off.

mtnbiker310 · 05-31-2007, 04:08 PM

Oh, they're just talking about the rear cassette (i.e. the cogs in the back). A 12-23 just means the cogs range in size from a small 12-tooth cog to a 23-tooth cog. Obviously, the smaller cog, the faster you can go, but you'll have a hard time going up hills. The larger cog gives you the ability to chug up steeper hills.

On a road bike, a standard double-chainring setup is a 51-tooth big ring and 39-tooth small ring. A compact crankset is 50-34. This gives you a wider range of gear ratios. On a mountain bike, a typical triple chainring is 44-32-22.

For road cassettes, a typical setup is 12-23 (for older bikes like mine that has 8 cogs) or 11-25 (for newer 10-cog setups). Mountain bikes typically run 12-32 or 12-34 cassettes.

Check out http://www.hostelshoppe.com/tech_gearcalc.php to get an idea of the gearing ratios the various chainring/cog combinations can give you.

bluegoose · 05-31-2007, 07:15 PM

Pride, don't listen to Arch and Q. Arch couldn't afford all three chainrings, so he had to settle for only 2 of them. If he came up here for a few rides, he'd be begging for a triple, or at the very least a compact double. 39-21 wouldn't get you over a freeway overpass around here. Maybe in the desert, but not in the mountains. Its suicide for the old knees.

Once you go triple, you never go back. 30-25 all the way for me. I have no shame (or knee pain).

Quisqueyano · 05-31-2007, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluegoose

Pride, don't listen to Arch and Q. Arch couldn't afford all three chainrings, so he had to settle for only 2 of them. If he came up here for a few rides, he'd be begging for a triple, or at the very least a compact double. 39-21 wouldn't get you over a freeway overpass around here. Maybe in the desert, but not in the mountains. Its suicide for the old knees.

Once you go triple, you never go back. 30-25 all the way for me. I have no shame (or knee pain).

Once again, I'm here minding my own business and I get dragged in to the conversation. Whats up with that?

05-30-2007, 08:47 PM	#1
bYuPride Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Salt Lake City Posts: 1,058	3 cranks vs. 2 My bike has 3 cranks and my FIL has 2 on his bike. I never use the 3rd crank because I feel like I'm cheating. Do a lot have road bikes have the 3rd? __________________ Get your BYU license plates http://dmv.utah.gov/licensecollegiate.html#byu You do not have to wait for your current registration to expire. Get your freakin' plates on your vehicle and be TRUE BLUE!!!!!! "I'm on my beater bike" Translation: I had this baby custom-made in Tuscany using titanium blessed by the Pope. I took it to a wind tunnel and it disappeared. It weighs less than a fart and costs more than a divorce.

05-30-2007, 08:51 PM	#3
Archaea Assistant to the Regional Manager Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: The Orgasmatron Posts: 24,338	Wusses. Unless you ride mountain bikes, real men don't use triples. Hey and throw on a 11/21, not some whimpy ass 12-25. __________________ Ἓν οἶδα ὅτι οὐδὲν οἶδα

05-30-2007, 09:10 PM	#7
Archaea Assistant to the Regional Manager Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: The Orgasmatron Posts: 24,338	Back cogs have a number of cogs. The smallest cog has usually either eleven or twelve cogs. The more cogs, the easier it is to spin it. The other number is the biggest cog, usually 23 is standard on a double, but sometimes you get a 21 if you want pure power. I've heard but never seen a 19. Climbers for long sustained climbs over hundreds of miles may sometimes want a 25, or 27. They spin easier. I have two 23s, a 25 and a 27. You will need to replace the cog sets every couple thousand miles. Your gears will start to slip as the teeth are worn off. __________________ Ἓν οἶδα ὅτι οὐδὲν οἶδα

05-31-2007, 04:08 PM	#8
mtnbiker310 Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 94	Oh, they're just talking about the rear cassette (i.e. the cogs in the back). A 12-23 just means the cogs range in size from a small 12-tooth cog to a 23-tooth cog. Obviously, the smaller cog, the faster you can go, but you'll have a hard time going up hills. The larger cog gives you the ability to chug up steeper hills. On a road bike, a standard double-chainring setup is a 51-tooth big ring and 39-tooth small ring. A compact crankset is 50-34. This gives you a wider range of gear ratios. On a mountain bike, a typical triple chainring is 44-32-22. For road cassettes, a typical setup is 12-23 (for older bikes like mine that has 8 cogs) or 11-25 (for newer 10-cog setups). Mountain bikes typically run 12-32 or 12-34 cassettes. Check out http://www.hostelshoppe.com/tech_gearcalc.php to get an idea of the gearing ratios the various chainring/cog combinations can give you.

05-31-2007, 07:15 PM	#9
bluegoose Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Northern California Posts: 2,919	Pride, don't listen to Arch and Q. Arch couldn't afford all three chainrings, so he had to settle for only 2 of them. If he came up here for a few rides, he'd be begging for a triple, or at the very least a compact double. 39-21 wouldn't get you over a freeway overpass around here. Maybe in the desert, but not in the mountains. Its suicide for the old knees. Once you go triple, you never go back. 30-25 all the way for me. I have no shame (or knee pain).