# Should I Try to Ride in the 53 Gear Most of the Time or 39 Gear?



## LouisVuitton (Aug 31, 2009)

So if I'm riding a standard double 53/39 with an 11-25 cassette, what's the most efficient way to ride gearing wise? Should I always try to ride in the big 53 gear as much as possible? Or should I always be on the 39 gear and gradually keep downshifting on my cassette as I increase speed and then when I finally need to go faster than the 11t cog, then shift my front to the 53t?

What do the pros do?


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## overgeared (Mar 22, 2011)

in reality chainring choice is much less of an issue than maintaining a decent cadence, so i wouldnt get too hung up on it. i beleive that most amateur riders will, if honest, tell you that they spend the majority of their training time in the small ring because if aiming for about 90rpm then 11-25 covers most of the range of speeds they will ever ride at. on the other hand a race situation will be that much faster, so most probably race the majority of their time in the big ring. of course the range of speeds is a bit wider and will need a bit more chainring switching on hilly terrain.

what the pro´s do isnt so important as why they do it. again, they spend most of their time in the chainring that best covers their range of speeds. with the drafting and power they have that probably means the big ring, but it wouldnt be smart to just ride the big ring as a matter of policy because the pro´s do.


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## bbelanger (Jan 15, 2011)

Thanks Overgeared. Your perspective makes sense to me. I've been wondering the same thing as the OP. I tend to ride in my big ring (53) almost all of the time. I find unless a hill gets to be 8-9% grade or more, I prefer to be in my big ring. I've been worried that I'll wear out the big ring too quickly by doing this + overly stress the chain when I'm in the front big ring but using lower gears at the back for climbing. Guys at my LBS looked at me sideways when I told them I ride pretty much all the time like this.


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## CHT (Mar 1, 2001)

bbelanger said:


> I've been worried that I'll wear out the big ring too quickly by doing this + overly stress the chain when I'm in the front big ring but using lower gears at the back for climbing. Guys at my LBS looked at me sideways when I told them I ride pretty much all the time like this.


If you are using lower gears in the back and the big ring upfront a lot, you will definitely put more stress on your drivetrain. This is commonly known as "cross chaining". How much stress is anyone's guess, but generally speaking there is a "cross over" point where going to the small ring up front will get you the same gearing as "cross chaining". Gear inches are gear inches. In a race, I don't think or care much about cross chaining since I'm focused on other things, but on a training ride I would try and minimize cross chaining.


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## LouisVuitton (Aug 31, 2009)

Thanks Overgeared. That makes a whole lot of sense. I do spend most of my time in the big ring and rarely the 39t unless i'm doing a major climb. I was definitely curious because there are approximately 3 gear combinations that produce the duplicate speeds. So in essence, I was wondering if there was a pedaling/power inefficiency by staying 39t ring when I can maintain the same speed and cadence on a different combination on the 53t ring. Now, I know it doesn't really matter.


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

When I lived in pancake flat Virginia Beach, I rolled out in my small ring for the first ten minutes or so to warm up and then it was big ring only for the ride. Here in the PNW, the big ring sees use on the flats and descents, but the small ring rules everything else. I see people riding their big rings/big cogs all the time with the rear derailleur parallel to the road (in the bad direction). It's just a matter of time before they snap it off.


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## Andy STi (Sep 13, 2009)

I'm a big ring rider and I always have been. The big ring just feels better to me. 53x18/19/21 are good cruising gears. Of course I use the small ring when I need it but I am not afraid to cross chain. I don't understand the whole concern with cross chaining. I have been riding/racing since 1985 and have never been concerned about it, a little extra wear is not going to hurt anything.


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## Salsa_Lover (Jul 6, 2008)

cross chaining wears faster your cassette and chain.

Also shifing cross chained under pressure can make you Schleck your shifts.

I ride on the big ring on flats and rolling hills

the 39 is for climbing or for city commuting


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## heathb (Nov 1, 2008)

Like was mentioned chain crossing is the main problem. 

Flip your bike upside down or put it in your work stand and shift the gears. Start in the 53x25, notice any noise? Start shifting to a higher gear in the rear cassette cluster until you hear very little noise coming from the rear deraillieur, which would indicate the chain is more in line with the pulley wheels and rear cassette. Usually the 3rd or forth sprocket down on the cassette from the 25 is where you should be using the 53 chainring, for the 25/23/21 the small 39 tooth chainring is the better choice to preserve your drive train.

Racing here in Kansas is mostly all done on the 53, except on short steep hills.


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## rm -rf (Feb 27, 2006)

I'm most efficient at* 90-95 rpm*, so I shift as needed to stay close to that range. If the ride is hilly, I'm in the small ring, or if it's mostly flat, I use the big ring. (I have a compact 34-50 crank, which moves the speeds down a few mph at each gear combination.)

From Mike Sherman's gear calculator. 

The chart is for 39-53 and 12-25 at 80 to 100 rpm. Black is 53, Red is 39. You want avoid the 53-25 or the 39-12 (but use them temporarily if needed--it's OK.) So if the road ahead looks like you'll be staying *over 16-17 mph*, use the big ring, otherwise use the small ring. A 12-25 is more common than an 11-25, but the idea is the same.


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## psycleridr (Jul 21, 2005)

I agree with Andy. I don't think I ever gave cross chaining a thought. Just ride. As far as your gear combos it also depends on your cadence. I ride most of the ime in the 39 and also have a 12-25 in the rear, but I can maintain 24mph consistently (on flat sections) in the 39 cause I have a high cadence and I end up spending the majority of my time there. The big gear comes out in large group rides as the pace goes up as well as downhill sections.


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## nyvram (Apr 11, 2002)

i'm a big guy (190s) and i can put out alot of power in the flats even in headwinds.

i used to ride in the 39 almost constantly but suddenly one day i switched to the big one and found i could generate the power to keep it spinning and increase my speed 3-4 mph while seemingly putting in the same amount of effort.

this was of course before i bought a power meter  but the point is, try switching to the big gear whenever possible and see if you're comfortable. i was clearly underachieving before by just assuming i would get too tired using the big ring.

also, i've found that if i'm generating a good wattage (say around 280-300) and i hit a roller, i can often power over it in the large ring if i'm ready for it. it seems if i switch to the small ring i immediately die on the climb..probably a mental game..but i try to always stay in the big ring as long as possible even with rollers.

ps super cool chart! i'm now going to mentally remember '16-17mph+ remember to get on the big ring' ;-)


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