Looking for an unscientific answer to an unscientific question on gearing

[veggieburger]

Have a 13/26 on the cross bike. Buddy gave me a 13/29.

I'm most concerned about going from a 26 on the high end to 29. I guess my question is - will I feel those 3 extra teeth? Will it be noticeable on a steep climb? Getting older and softer around the edges, ya know.

[Jaybee]

Probably yes? It’s more than a 10% difference.

[LouDeeter]

Yes, you will notice it and appreciate it on a steep climb.

[cash05458]

Definitely I would think...I always used 25 and a few years ago as getting older went to 27...certainly noticed the help!

[Vientomas]

Yes and yes.

[veggieburger]

Thank you!

[FlashUNC]

Yes, you'll notice it. Will it make the climb any easier? No.

[tctyres]

Originally Posted by FlashUNC

Will it make the climb any easier? No.

Well, this depends on how steep the climb is and how the OPs quadrant analysis breaks down. If the 29 puts their cadence in a more comfortable zone for the same speed, then that would be easier.

Obviously, a cassette does not change the grade or the OPs W/kg.

[ultraman6970]

Yes you will.. actually (from what we used to measure back in my country and some spanish books, because depends on the tires and wheels and this is the way we see to the issue, not as a ratio)... if i remember right each extra teeth gives you 45 cm less per pedaling revolution... so with 3 extra teeth you might be traveling like 135 cm less per pedaling revolution.. or like 4 feet less per pedaling.

Another way to see it... the larger the cog the more torque it can do, thats why the larger the cog the lighter it feels, well you travel less distance per pedaling revolution aswell.

THe opposite, the smaller the cog the harder will get but you get more distance per pedaling revolution.

You will feel 3 extra cogs. Will turn a lot lighter.

[mulp]

Definitely, I changed my gearing with a similar step up in the number of cogs and am not going back!

[prototoast]

I progressed from a 25 to a 28 and that felt good, then to a 32 and that felt better. You'll definitely notice it, and almost certainly appreciate it.

[benb]

Yah I think you will definitely notice it.

Even going from a 12-25 to a 12-27 is noticeable.

Lowest gear always works out like this IMO:

- You have a minimum cadence you can climb at without exhausting the slow twitch muscles in your legs/hurting your knees/having to walk
- As the grade of hill you're climbing at goes up if you keep yourself above that min. climbing cadence your power level/HR goes up.
- Where this hill + your lowest gear falls on your power curve determines how long you can ride up that grade without having to walk.

Example:
- Grade is X
- Your min comfortable cadence is 75
- In order to keep cadence greater than 75 on grade X with you low gear you need 350w
- You can hold 350w for 5 minutes
- It takes 10 minutes to ride up that hill at 350w

You would know you can't climb that grade with that gearing without having to stop and/or walk.

If you don't want to ride at/above threshold on a particular grade you basically have to have a low gear that allows you to ride slow enough to not go over threshold at a cadence your legs tolerate.

[Black Dog]

The paceline hive mind nailed it! Yes and Yes!

[veggieburger]

Originally Posted by Black Dog

The paceline hive mind nailed it! Yes and Yes!

You guys get me.

Thank you.

[Hindmost]

As we get older we notice all of our teeth.