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Overlapping gears using Gear Ratios- Help me understand

11K views 10 replies 7 participants last post by  Camilo  
The old theory was that a larger front chainring and rear cog was more efficient and was smoother but this was more a trackie belief.
A better way to use the overlap is to anticipate gear changes especially when racing. When climbing and you will need to shift down, use the 39-14, When on the flats, shift to the 53 - 19 when the pace eases. This way, you avoid some double shifts and avoid "Schlecking". If you aren't racing, drop the 11 and use a 12-25. the 16 will be more useable thah the 11.
 
33-37 calls for a 53-14. That will give you a leg sped of around 110 - 125 rpm. The 39-13 combo gives too much chain bounce which can lead to aderailed chain. Most pro road sprinters are in the 120 rpm range in a 53-11 to get 40+mph. !20 Rpm is a good combo of leg speed and power.
Since you haven't mentioned needing a big gear for 40+speeds, I would recommend a 13-25. The 53-13 combo can give you 40+ downhill and the 15-16-17-18-19 cogs give you lots of options in the middle of your cassette for speeds from 15-25mph. the 16 and 18 cogs your present cassette is missing are very handy.
I have found that when riding solo, I end up at around 85-90 rpm and pacelines call for 90 - 100. Cadence when climbing drops to around 70 - 80.
I've been riding, racing and/or coaching for 30+ years so the info above is solid. You may find your ideal cadence may vary 5-10rpm from above but observing a pack of good riders will show the same variation.