Howdy, I did my first short tour back in early November, and found that on my third day, which was seventy miles and had some rolling hills, I started to experience some knee pain. I also struggled while climbing some hills. I fantasize about quitting my job and touring Europe. I don't know if that'll really happen, but I cannot imagine cycling over mountain passes at the moment. My smallest front gear is 32 teeth, and the largest rear gear is 28 teeth. That seems… pretty bad, no? I've been looking at the REI adv1.1, which has a 26t front and 34t rear; that seems like a pretty substantial difference.
So, I'm just wondering, would such a gear ratio be a potential cause of knee pain? If I were to use a 32-tooth rear cassette, what would be a decent front chainring?
by gregn8r1
5 Comments
Is your saddle high enough? Keep raising it bit by bit until it’s obviously too high, then come back down to a height you feel strong and comfortable with.
Yeah, it’s certainly possible. A better gear ratio like the REI bike will help you spin faster and easier going up hills, even if your forward progress is still slow, which means less stress and strain with each pedal stroke. 26×34 should feel much better going up hills loaded (I have 24×34). The bike pictured does not appear to be set up for loaded touring, at least by today’s standards (back in the day, it would have been normal 😉).
That’s a gorgeous group set. You’ll need to replace your derailleur for something with a longer cage then you can replace your freewheel with something else. Assuming friction shift you can go up to 7 speed, there’s a cheap shimano one with a bailout gear for spinning up steep bits.
Back in 1982 that was the best we could do.
Only time I get knee pain is when I mash on the pedals to hard for a day. I spin a lot and keep it easy these days