--- On Wed, 4/28/10, Daniel Artley <dartley@baltimorecountymd.gov> wrote:
<<Why did Campagnolo have only a low gear or 42 x 24? Because that's only as low as real men needed!>>
Consider the gearing arrangements preferred by many racers "back in the day" - fast shifts with few double-shifts (i.e., shifts on both front and rear derailleurs). The Campy Record Strada cranks (144 BCD) of the 1970s and early 80s would accept down to a 41 tooth inner ring. A Nuovo or Super Record front derailleur can easily handle the 11 tooth difference between 52-41 or 53-42 chainrings under race conditions. A 52-41 with a 13-15-17-19-21-23 freewheel (my gearing on my early 80s Ciocc) provides a fast-shifting "racing crossover" pattern with only one double-shift in the mid-range. The down side to a crossover pattern is that some gears are essential duplicated which in effect turns a "12-speed" into an "8-speed". Other racers preferred "half-step" patterns where the front derailleur was used more often.
Steve Whitting
Prairieville, Louisiana USA
Website at http://ciocc-cat.angelfire.com/