[CR]Too many gears? or just dumb ratios...

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From: "Grant McLean" <Grant.McLean@SportingLife.ca>
To: "'tom_s_dalton@yahoo.com'" <tom_s_dalton@yahoo.com>, "Brian Baylis (E-mail)" <rocklube@adnc.com>, "Classic Rendezvous Mail List (E-mail)" <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Subject: [CR]Too many gears? or just dumb ratios...
Date: Thu, 12 Sep 2002 15:32:42 -0400

>Brian Baylis wrote: They (the industry) should have stopped at the 7 speed cassette period in my opinion. From there it's been all about who comes out with the next higher number of cogs and how many times they can use the words "carbon fiber and titanium" while pitching their groups, and then jamming it down everyone's throat.
>Tom Dalton wrote: Yes, Campy has definitely way out-Shimanoed Shimano, particularly by going to 10 speed. Worse still, they did it right after going to 9, instead of milking the 9-speed cow for a while. Maybe it's good because it was such a pathetic reaction that Shimano would look petty by trying to go further.

Grant is writing: Guys... How many is too many depends on the ratios and your needs. The number of cogs in the back can't answer that.

Personally, 9 is right for me, if I can get 13,14,15,16,17,18,19,21,23 with 42/52. This is great for the terrain I ride. This combo has the "all-star-Grant-special-ratio 52/18" which is my signiture "hammer my friends" gear. Ironically, Campagnolo 10 speed has only 11-23 which has no 18t or 12-25 which also has no 18t. (side bar: Just how many people need 53/11??) So my point being.. it's not about how many, but whether they are the right ones.

I think lots of 10speed riders buy it for wide ratios (like 13-29, so they don't have to go triple.) Sometimes more is more, sometimes less is more.

The common theme here is like all the topics discussed on this list... hardly ever do "generalizations" about what's good or bad hold true in a vaccuum. It depends on the particular situation. I've learned this a lot reading this list over the past 3 months. In this case think it's more interesting to discuss what ratios are or are not available in different freewheels or cassettes. I'm sure you feel better by ranting against the forward march of technology, but your opinion holds more credibility when you explain why. Tom, I have a question: since Campagnolo has offered a choice of componenets in both 9 and 10 since 1999, and they both fit on the same hub, explain to me how this is "out shimanoing" shimano....

Grant McLean

toronto, canada