Some of you will recognize the title of this short post from the best bit of fiction ever written on cycling – The Rider, by Tim Krabbe. It refers to ‘the rider’, climbing a real mountain in a fictional race, in which he refuses to use the last ring on his cassette (because shifting is a form of pain relief). This was in the 70s, so the actual quote was ‘my 20 was still as clean as a whistle’ (FORTY THREE / 20!).
I have at least one friend who will not go to his 32, no matter how steep the climb is. I have other friends who see a bump in the road and start shifting up the cassette. It’s a curious and stark difference in attitude, and probably one that translates into other aspects of these friends’ lives. But that’s way too philosophical for a hot Saturday afternoon.
Which rider are you, dear reader? I’m somewhere in the middle and it’s one big reason that I put off going to a bigger cassette every time they come out with more rings. My Bianchi has 34/27 and the Colnago has 34/29, which I can still manage, but I do have to admit that a 32 sounds good when the roads gets over 12% or so.
The Vicious Cycle 
They put those gears there for a reason. It seems a waste (and a little irrational) not to use them. Pushing hard for training purposes is one thing, but pain for pain’s sake is best left to the monks, in my view.
See, that’s why you and I aren’t pro cyclists, Steve!
But there are actually rational reasons to not go ‘up the cassette’; namely speed. Climbing Alpe d’Huez (notice I didn’t say ‘Ventoux’!) in a 25 will usually be faster than in a 32, if you have the power-to-weight to do it.
I have a Rohloff hub and since I am a grandpa, I have no hesitation in using the equivalent of the Granny Ring. One replacement knee is quite enough. My power to weight ratio is no power to a lot of weight.
My knee was hurting on the ride yesterday, so I can understand this.
I hope that there is no lasting damage.
I have the “granny gear” on my bikes (one 36/32T the other 34/30T, roughly the same ratio). While I don’t use that bottom gear very often, I’m sure glad it’s there when I need it! In fact I don’t like to admit this, but my 11T is probably cleaner than my 32T cog… 😵
That’s a good point. I don’t see the 11 very much on my rides either!
I haven’t been riding as much this year but I thought I’d challenge myself and see how long I’d stay out of the 32. Don’t think I even made it out of town without getting into it. If I could have I would have stopped to check if I actually had the 32 on. 10-12% and me don’t get along.
So we know which camp you’re in then, Luc! My feeling is that if you have it you should use it…in moderation 😉
LOL, I am a bit different, I use all the rear cassette 11×32 BUT I have a “triple” chain wheel set up and it’s the smallest “granny” gear that I NEVER use unless the uphill is so severe I can’t hardly keep the bike going forward!! I’m always telling myself “SAVE the granny gear”! Kinda silly but that’s just ME. 😉
B.J., I’m an old Triple rider as well, so I understand where you’re coming from. You can climb walls with that thing!