Should use use big ring and big gear ??

[widowmaker]

A quick one this, on a roadbike with a twin ring crank, should you use the big ring along with the big gear on the cassette ?

I always thought this was a no-no as it would stretch the chain ???

 

[Midlife]

"crossing over" (big ring, big cog.........small ring, small cog) increases drivechain wear and can be a bit noisy so not recommended for long periods.

For 5 speeds I'm not sure how relevant it is as the size of the freewheel is small but still best avoided if possible.

Shaun

 

[widowmaker]

The reason i ask, is that i was out with my usual cycling buddy and a couple of his workmates tagged along, i watched them climbing a hill which i struggle on and they were using the bit ring and the big cog, whereas i was using the small ring and big cog.

They were on 20 speed Carbon Giants though and i was on real steel

 

[Woz]

Not recommended, but IMHO big ring and big sprocket is a bit softer on the drive train than small ring small sprocket which
have a much smaller chain wrap radius. Modern chains and profiled teeth have made it less taboo. They may have
been riding a compact chainset which is designed without redundancy at the expense of decent chain lines.

 

[widowmaker]

They were riding compact chainsets.

 

[Old Ned]

Modern 10 speed chains are more flexible than older style ones and it isn't such a big issue these days. I find a lot of riders doing it as it does give a smoother ride than small/small.

 

[mattsccm]

Generally it creates a poor chain line. In theory any chain line that isn't straight is wrong but that would screw up the derailleur principle wouldn't it?
Actually I find 10 speed stuff is more tolerant than older stuff. Narrower chains may be the reason.
Anyway. By all normal rules they were wrong. You should tell them so in no uncertain terms.
Bet they were "new" cyclists without a traditional club upbringing.

 

[widowmaker]

Generally it creates a poor chain line. In theory any chain line that isn't straight is wrong but that would screw up the derailleur principle wouldn't it?
Actually I find 10 speed stuff is more tolerant than older stuff. Narrower chains may be the reason.
Anyway. By all normal rules they were wrong. You should tell them so in no uncertain terms.
Bet they were "new" cyclists without a traditional club upbringing.

I told them, it goes against everything I truly believe in

And yes (although I am not knocking them for riding) they were kids from the Wiggo effect who just walked into their local LBS with their credit card and walked out with a Carbon bike and £500 worth of fashionable clothes

 

[wassertreter]

They may have been riding a compact chainset which is designed without redundancy at the expense of decent chain lines.

You mean over a triple chainset, right?

 

[Old Ned]

Bet they were "new" cyclists without a traditional club upbringing.

A lot of my very experienced cycling mates do it all the time but it seems very rarely that they use the small chainring at all!

Like I said above, modern chains are very flexible so it's not nearly so bad a practice as it used to be.