SELECTING GEARS
Liam Holohan reveals how there’s strength in numbers
Gearing, like so many aspects of road cycling, has advanced over the years and while the pro riders often lead the way in establishing techniques and habits we’re all keen to follow, it’s worth remembering that the gear selection of an elite rider – whose life evolves around racing and generating power in the saddle – may be far from the right choice for you.
“Gears are used to keep you in your optimal cadence range, making you more efficient across different terrain. Gears may seem simple enough but I 01 READ ON
“Whatever groupset you ride, read the manual. Each system works slightly differently and this is especially true when it comes to electronic shifting. For example, the SRAM e-Tap system comes with an app, enabling you to customise your shifting. Traditional shifters will suffer from cable stretch, meaning that over time you will need to micro-adjust the indexing. Learning how your system works and keeping up with servicing will ensure your gears run smoothly and reliably.” 02 RIGHT RATIOS
“Think about your event. What terrain are you likely to encounter? Are you racing a high-speed crit or tackling steep climbs? This will dictate your gear ratio. There are online calculators where you can input your gearing and estimated often see mistakes, even among the elite riders, when it comes to mastering them,” says Liam Holohan.
Neverthless, there are some lessons to learn from the pros when it comes to finding the right gear setup for you. speed and it will tell you your cadence. Use this to work out if your smallest and largest gear are suitable, keeping you in your optimal cadence range.” 03 MAKE ADJUSTMENTS
“You can adjust the ratio either by changing your cassette on the rear wheel, or your chainrings on your cranks. As you gain experience, you’ll come to learn the right ratio for you. An important point for junior and youth riders is that your largest gear is restricted, so you will need to make sure your bike complies with the rules.”
04 DOUBLE TIME
“Most cyclist will have a ‘double’: two chainrings on the chainset of the bike, most commonly referred to as the big and little rings. Shifting between these two often causes the most problems, whereby the chain comes off. Even pros fall foul of this, as Andy Schleck showed when he lost the yellow jersey in the Tour de France in 2010. To minimise your risk of this, install a chain catcher; it’ll stop the chainring ‘dropping’ when you switch to the small ring. When you do shift between the two, make sure you’re seated and ease off the power for a moment as you make the transition. Don’t try to shift both the front and rear derailleur at the same time.”
05 TOW THE LINE
“Poor chain line – whereby the chain is on the big ring, but largest sprocket on the rear – is another common gearing error. It not only costs watts but raises the risk of the chain coming off. Work on getting the feel for what gear you’re in and use training rides to rehearse making that shift to and from the big ring in good
time. Practise scanning the road ahead to anticipate chainring selection and shifting in good time before you need to apply pressure to the pedals.”
06 TAKE CHARGE
“An issue with electronic shifting is battery life. Have a charging point where you store your bike to trigger the habit of charging your bike, head unit, lights etc. Making maintenance and charging post ride a habit is going to help minimise missed training opportunities.”
“SCAN THE ROAD AHEAD
TO ANTICIPATE CHAIN RING SELECTION AND SHIFTING IN GOOD TIME”