# New bike is too easy to pedal - what to do?



## Smudge524 (Aug 6, 2016)

Just went from a 24 speed Specialized (3x8) to a 2017 18 speed Giant Talon 2 (2x9). In the higher gears, the Specialized was difficult to pedal which I liked for fitness reasons. The Talon in its highest gear is just too easy with little resistance, and I know I do not get the same level of workout/exercise. Is there anything that I can do to make this bike harder to pedal? Thanks!!!


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## eb1888 (Jan 27, 2012)

You need a larger front large chainring. Some triple cranksets have a 48(mostly hybrids). Or a mountain 42 triple. Talk to the tech guys in service at the shop. And you would have been better off on 29 wheels. Maybe your shop will do an exchange. 27.5 hardtails are mostly useless unless you're very short. Only Giant tried that scam and they've given up on it for 2017 because of few sales mostly to newbies.


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## Le Duke (Mar 23, 2009)

Pedal faster, for a longer period of time.

If this is a 27.5 model, 38x12 at 90rpm is 23.2mph. Try doing that for an hour, come back, and tell us it's too easy.


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## nbritton (Jul 26, 2016)

Smudge524 said:


> Just went from a 24 speed Specialized (3x8) to a 2017 18 speed Giant Talon 2 (2x9). In the higher gears, the Specialized was difficult to pedal which I liked for fitness reasons. The Talon in its highest gear is just too easy with little resistance, and I know I do not get the same level of workout/exercise. Is there anything that I can do to make this bike harder to pedal? Thanks!!!


Yeah, that's why I still use a triple with 42:32:24 gearing. The trend for double and single chainring cranks only works if you only use your bike on the trails. For a multi-purpose all terrain bike you need a triple in the front.

BikeCalc.com - Bicycle Gear Speed Chart


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## Smudge524 (Aug 6, 2016)

nbritton said:


> Yeah, that's why I still use a triple with 42:32:24 gearing. The trend for double and single chainring cranks only works if you only use your bike on the trails. For a multi-purpose all terrain bike you need a triple in the front.
> 
> BikeCalc.com - Bicycle Gear Speed Chart


How expensive should this be for my shop to do this? For some reason the shifters are designed for a triple up front so I am guessing that will not have to be replaced.


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## nbritton (Jul 26, 2016)

Smudge524 said:


> How expensive should this be for my shop to do this? For some reason the shifters are designed for a triple up front so I am guessing that will not have to be replaced.


Not sure. A new crankset will probably set you back $100 and you could probably sell the old one for $50. Installation is pretty straightforward, on Shimano cranks you simply take off the chain and loosen two screws on the crankarm and then slide it off.

2016-2017 SHIMANO Product Information Web


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## MasterBaker (Oct 25, 2014)

Push harder. Go faster. Ride further.


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## jeffj (Jan 13, 2004)

Before you swap out all that stuff, your bike came with a Shimano 12-36 cassette. Sunrace makes an 11-36 9 speed cassette. You'd be surprised how much difference that tooth makes at the tall end. You can get the 9 speed 11-36 cassette for about $36 online. For some reason, neither QBP, nor KHS (distributors) list it, but other distributors might. I'm pretty sure your LBS can get one from somewhere. Certainly less expensive than a crankset and chain, but possibly not quite as tall as you like.


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## nbritton (Jul 26, 2016)

jeffj said:


> Before you swap out all that stuff, your bike came with a Shimano 12-36 cassette. Sunrace makes an 11-36 9 speed cassette. You'd be surprised how much difference that tooth makes at the tall end. You can get the 9 speed 11-36 cassette for about $36 online. For some reason, neither QBP, nor KHS (distributors) list it, but other distributors might. I'm pretty sure your LBS can get one from somewhere. Certainly less expensive than a crankset and chain, but possibly not quite as tall as you like.


That 11 cog will get him about a 2 mph increase. I think he wanted more than that.


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## slapheadmofo (Jun 9, 2006)

eb1888 said:


> 27.5 hardtails are mostly useless unless you're very short.


LOL!

You obviously need to get out more.


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## Smudge524 (Aug 6, 2016)

So will upgrading to a triple in front add what I am looking for?


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

Smudge524 said:


> So will upgrading to a triple in front add what I am looking for?


probably, but you'll probably also need a new front shifter and front derailleur to go with it, as well as a longer chain.

I second the comment about pedaling faster, harder, and longer with your current gearing. Though I wonder, if you're wanting to go that fast on pavement for that much, why you aren't on a bike with better road gearing in the first place?


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## Smudge524 (Aug 6, 2016)

Harold said:


> probably, but you'll probably also need a new front shifter and front derailleur to go with it, as well as a longer chain.
> 
> I second the comment about pedaling faster, harder, and longer with your current gearing. Though I wonder, if you're wanting to go that fast on pavement for that much, why you aren't on a bike with better road gearing in the first place?


Got this bike cause I do some days on pavement and some days on trails. The shifters are already configured for a triple crank. So I think all I will need is a longer chain and a triple crank.


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## noapathy (Jun 24, 2008)

eb1888 said:


> You need a larger front large chainring. Some triple cranksets have a 48(mostly hybrids). Or a mountain 42 triple. Talk to the tech guys in service at the shop. And you would have been better off on 29 wheels. Maybe your shop will do an exchange. 27.5 hardtails are mostly useless unless you're very short. Only Giant tried that scam and they've given up on it for 2017 because of few sales mostly to newbies.


Dangit! And here I was thinking the XTC Advanced was looking pretty sweet. Too bad it's so useless with those baby tires. *giggles*


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## nbritton (Jul 26, 2016)

Smudge524 said:


> So will upgrading to a triple in front add what I am looking for?


I crunched the numbers, at a 75 rpm cadence your top speed on a 27.5" X 2.2" will be:

38 tooth chainring & 12 tooth sprocket: 19.4 mph
40 tooth chainring & 12 tooth sprocket: 20.4 mph
42 tooth chainring & 12 tooth sprocket: 21.4 mph
38 tooth chainring & 11 tooth sprocket: 21.1 mph
40 tooth chainring & 11 tooth sprocket: 22.3 mph
42 tooth chainring & 11 tooth sprocket: 23.4 mph

So if you notice, a 38:11 is faster than a 40:12, and it's almost as fast as a 42:12. You would have to go to Shimano's trekking product line for a 44 or 48 tooth triple. I think the smart play would be to change the rear cassette first, and then if that's still not enough upgrade to a 42:32:24 triple.

Shimano makes a 11-34 tooth 9-speed cassette, the part number you want to buy is a CS-HG80-9 or CS-HG61-9. The HG80 is SLX while the HG61 is Deore, the SLX is higher quality but ether one will work and both are actually better then what you currently have on the bike.

2016-2017 SHIMANO Product Information Web


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## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

Le Duke said:


> Pedal faster, for a longer period of time.
> 
> If this is a 27.5 model, 38x12 at 90rpm is 23.2mph. Try doing that for an hour, come back, and tell us it's too easy.


This!


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## l'oiseau (May 5, 2015)

Smudge524 said:


> Got this bike cause I do some days on pavement and some days on trails. The shifters are already configured for a triple crank. So I think all I will need is a longer chain and a triple crank.


Shimano? You'll need a different FD. The 2x and 3x are not the same. You are correct, if they are Deore shifters you can switch them for either mode.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

Smudge524 said:


> Got this bike cause I do some days on pavement and some days on trails. The shifters are already configured for a triple crank. So I think all I will need is a longer chain and a triple crank.


You really ought to be using a different bike for the road if you want to optimize things.


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## nbritton (Jul 26, 2016)

Harold said:


> You really ought to be using a different bike for the road if you want to optimize things.


That's great advice if you're a pro racer or cycling is your primary mode of transit, but for us regular folks who are just doing this for recreation I don't think that is a sound use of money.

My full suspension Trek Rumblefish Elite 29er has 42:11 gearing, on one of the paved bike paths I ride Strava tell's me I'm ranked 20th out of all the riders to complete the whole segment. That includes road bikes, and I did it without the suspension even being locked out.

The bottomline is the more calories I burn the more junk food I get to eat.


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## *OneSpeed* (Oct 18, 2013)

nbritton said:


> That's great advice if you're a pro racer or cycling is your primary mode of transit, but for us regular folks who are just doing this for recreation I don't think that is a sound use of money.
> 
> My full suspension Trek Rumblefish Elite 29er has 42:11 gearing, on one of the paved bike paths I ride Strava tell's me I'm ranked 20th out of all the riders to complete the whole segment. That includes road bikes, and I did it without the suspension even being locked out.
> 
> The bottomline is the more calories I burn the more junk food I get to eat.


^ that's terrible reasoning, all of it.


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## eb1888 (Jan 27, 2012)

Smudge524 said:


> So will upgrading to a triple in front add what I am looking for?


Yes and you won't need a new shifter or front derailleur. Why not?
Most front shifters are switchable between 2 and 3 gears. Shimano has a button switch on the underside. And you won't need a new front derailleur. Just some adjusting of the high and low screws.
To see if you need a couple links on your chain set the drivetrain up with the chain around the large front ring and the largest rear gear cog. See how much your rear derailleur is stretched forward. If it seems all the way forward you can put in a link if you want or just not use that cross chaining combination like it's recommended you don't. You don't want to add too many links and have too much slack when in the small front chain ring and smallest rear cog combination. Which is another cross chaining combo not recommended.


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## l'oiseau (May 5, 2015)

eb1888 said:


> And you won't need a new front derailleur. Just some adjusting of the high and low screws.


I've tried this both ways (a 2x derailleur on a 3x crank and a 3x derailleur on a 2x crank) and it didn't work. I can look up the p/n's if you like.

If you say it does work, tell me what p/n's. Seems to me the pull ratio is different on a 2x vs a 3x FD.


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## Smudge524 (Aug 6, 2016)

nbritton said:


> I crunched the numbers, at a 75 rpm cadence your top speed on a 27.5" X 2.2" will be:
> 
> 38 tooth chainring & 12 tooth sprocket: 19.4 mph
> 40 tooth chainring & 12 tooth sprocket: 20.4 mph
> ...


So, in your opinion, upgrading to a triple crank will have little impact and not help in increasing the intensity of my workout?


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## eb1888 (Jan 27, 2012)

l'oiseau said:


> I've tried this both ways (a 2x derailleur on a 3x crank and a 3x derailleur on a 2x crank) and it didn't work. I can look up the p/n's if you like.
> 
> If you say it does work, tell me what p/n's. Seems to me the pull ratio is different on a 2x vs a 3x FD.


The XT front derailleur on my 2x Trek Superfly 9.8 is one example. I pulled the 2x crankset and added a SLX triple. I didn't do anything to change the derailleur(except height) or cable. 
You need to set the Low(L) so the chain tracks through the derailleur in the granny without any cable tension. Then adjust the cable tension to track the chain correctly when you shift up one gear to the middle ring. Sometimes the barrel adjuster can help fine tune this. Then you use the High(H) screw limiter to set the large ring tracking correctly. There is no pull ratio on front derailleurs.
It's all how you adjust it. Takes about 20 minutes.
Or if you just can't do it take it in and let a service tech do it at your lbs.


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## nbritton (Jul 26, 2016)

*OneSpeed* said:


> ^ that's terrible reasoning, all of it.


WTF???

I own a car, truck, and a motorcycle. I bike solely for recreation and exercise. I love food. The more calories I burn the more food I can eat. My reasoning is flawless.


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## tigris99 (Aug 26, 2012)

My bikes aren't my primary mode of transportation and I own a road bike too. For multiple reasons. I have the way I like my 29er (and Fat Bike) set up for trail use. Don't want them universal. Road bike is faster especially for long rides. Tired of burning up trail tires riding in pavement. And the list goes on.


Nothing wrong with a single bike for everything but trying to spec a mountain bike for riding at speed on pavement isn't easy and you sacrifice other things.

My advise though is if it's "too easy" to pedal then maybe you need to find tougher places to get your mileage (more hills). Or instead you can get a good workout by increasing your mileage. Improve your endurance. Just because it feels easier to pedal doesn't mean your not getting a good workout, just getting a different kind of one. And spinning a bit faster isnt a bad thing at all. 



Sent from my XT1565 using Tapatalk


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## eb1888 (Jan 27, 2012)

Smudge524 said:


> So, in your opinion, upgrading to a triple crank will have little impact and not help in increasing the intensity of my workout?


Shimano Deore M590 9 Speed Triple Chainset | Chain Reaction Cycles
Put this on with the 48t big chainring and you'll get all the workout you want. $75.


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## nbritton (Jul 26, 2016)

tigris99 said:


> I have the way I like my 29er (and Fat Bike) set up for trail use. Don't want them universal. Road bike is faster especially for long rides. Tired of burning up trail tires riding in pavement. And the list goes on.


Sure that's all fine if you have money to burn, but most people don't. Money is a finite resource and most people don't have enough of it.

His primary goal appears to be exercising while mountain biking, so telling him to buy a whole new road bike is just ridiculous, especially when all he needs is a $25 cassette and possibly a new crankset.


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## noapathy (Jun 24, 2008)

Le Duke said:


> Pedal faster, for a longer period of time.
> 
> If this is a 27.5 model, 38x12 at 90rpm is 23.2mph. Try doing that for an hour, come back, and tell us it's too easy.


OK, one more time this because it seems to be getting overlooked.


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## 779334 (Oct 10, 2014)

nbritton said:


> WTF???
> 
> I own a car, truck, and a motorcycle. I bike solely for recreation and exercise. I love food. The more calories I burn the more food I can eat. My reasoning is flawless.


2000 good calories are not the same as 2000 bad calories. A calorie isn't just a calorie. You can eat less and still gain weight. It's all about insulin level control.


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## boomslang64 (Feb 18, 2015)

If you burn more calories than you eat, you lose weight. Period.


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## nbritton (Jul 26, 2016)

Smudge524 said:


> So, in your opinion, upgrading to a triple crank will have little impact and not help in increasing the intensity of my workout?


No that's not really the message I was trying to get across. Upgrading to a triple will increase the intensity of your workout. I was mainly trying to point out that the difference between upgrading to a 42 tooth chainring vs a 11 tooth cassette was negligible.

Standard off the shelf Shimano MTB cranksets don't usually have more than 42 teeth, but as eb1888 has stated you can upgrade to a 48 tooth trekking crankset. Your bike will be outside of the standard MTB configuration but it should work just fine nonetheless.

A new cassette will run you $30. The crankset eb1888 recommend is $75, and you could probably resell your old crankset for $45. Ether solution will work.

9-speed triple FC-FD compatibility


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## nbritton (Jul 26, 2016)

noapathy said:


> OK, one more time this because it seems to be getting overlooked.


High cadence is not an enjoyable experience, at least for me. The best compromise between minimal neuromuscular fatigue and optimal VO2 is around 75 rpm according to this study:

Optimal pedaling rate estimated from neuromuscular fatigue for cyclists. - PubMed - NCBI


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## blkangel (Aug 8, 2014)

Wait for the average person owning more than one bike is not a sound use of money but you own a car, truck and motorcycle? Now I am perplexed.


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## *OneSpeed* (Oct 18, 2013)

boomslang64 said:


> If you burn more calories than you eat, you lose weight. Period.


may be true, but that's not the point. working out is not an excuse to eat nothing but doughnuts and potato chips every meal of the day.


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## nbritton (Jul 26, 2016)

AshevilleMTB said:


> 2000 good calories are not the same as 2000 bad calories. A calorie isn't just a calorie. You can eat less and still gain weight. It's all about insulin level control.


Yes insulin control is important. When I said eat more junk food I didn't mean that literally. I eat quality food, most of it is high protein and I usually stay away from filler carbohydrates as much as possible.


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## eb1888 (Jan 27, 2012)

*OneSpeed* said:


> may be true, but that's not the point. working out is not an excuse to eat nothing but doughnuts and potato chips every meal of the day.


It's not an excuse it's a necessity otherwise he'd be dead.


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## nbritton (Jul 26, 2016)

blkangel said:


> Wait for the average person owning more than one bike is not a sound use of money but you own a car, truck and motorcycle? Now I am perplexed.


I never said it was and I'm not the average person, I make more than most people do. I still wouldn't buy a separate $1000+ road bike, that's duplicating functionally with no practical gains. It doesn't allow me to do any more then what I can already do with my all-terrain bike. I don't care about being number 1 on the Strava leader boards or fitting in with the pack.

I do actually have two bicycles though, my old mountain bike and my new one. Right now I'm working on converting my old one into a urban commuter with baskets and fenders, I think that's practical because it gives me new functionally by being able to carry things and ride in wet weather.


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## noapathy (Jun 24, 2008)

blkangel said:


> Wait for the average person owning more than one bike is not a sound use of money but you own a car, truck and motorcycle? Now I am perplexed.


Welcome to most of the "stuff" he posts...


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## nbritton (Jul 26, 2016)

noapathy said:


> Welcome to most of the "stuff" he posts...


Sorry that I'm logical and pragmatic, I know you guys aren't use to that.

A motorized cycle is the most efficient mode of long range transportation. It uses less gas, you can park it practically anywhere, and it's easier to get around in grid-locked traffic because you can lane share. Plus it's fun to ride. However, you can't take more than one passenger with you and you are not protected from inclement weather.

A car is ideal if you need to carry multiple passages with you or need protection from inclement weather. It uses less gas then a truck because it is lighter and more aerodynamic.

A truck can carry cargo and has enough ground clearance to go off road.

An urban commuter bicycle is a sustainable low carbon footprint way to get me around the local community. It can get me a few miles down the road to the grocery store or to work. I don't have to fight with heavy traffic since I can ride on the sidewalks.

An all-terrain mountain bike is fun and it can get me just about anywhere on the planet, I can put it, and my motorcycle, in my truck if I need to bug out when the SHTF. Mountain biking is a great way to exercise because you get a balanced mix of anaerobic, aerobic, and fat burning activity.

As you can see each mode of transportation above has a clear purpose, and when you have a spouse having one car and one truck makes a lot of sense. The same can't be said for a road bike, it's an inferior technology since it can only travel on well maintained roads and can't go as fast or as far as a motorcycle, or even a scooter for that matter. You can't even take it on gravel roads.


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## typo (Jul 30, 2015)

i like turtles.


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## noapathy (Jun 24, 2008)

nbritton said:


> Sorry that I'm logical and pragmatic, I know you guys aren't use to that.
> 
> As you can see each mode of transportation above has a clear purpose, and when you have a spouse having one car and one truck makes a lot of sense. The same can't be said for a road bike, it's an inferior technology since it can only travel on well maintained roads and can't go as fast or as far as a motorcycle, or even a scooter for that matter. You can't even take it on gravel roads.


So you can take the car off road then, eh? Pragmatic my a$$.


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## nbritton (Jul 26, 2016)

noapathy said:


> So you can take the car off road then, eh? Pragmatic my a$$.


Why would I take the car off road? I have a truck for that. Did you even read what I wrote? Gas isn't free, a car is substantially more efficient then a truck and a motorcycle is even more effiecient. You're looking at 90 mpg for a scooter, 60 mpg for a motorcycle, 30 mpg for a car, and 15 mpg for a truck.


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## nbritton (Jul 26, 2016)

typo said:


> i like turtles.


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## tigris99 (Aug 26, 2012)

Can't go as far as a scooter, car etc or take gravel roads on a road bike..... Not sure where you got that very poor misconception.

A road bike can go on gravel, I see it constantly. What do you think a CX bike is? A road bike that's been adapted for off-road use.

And you say don't need to take a car off road you have a truck... So why would a road bike need to go off-road. That's why we have mountain bikes.

And guess what, gas ain't free, a bicycle doesn't use any. So it's mpg is infinite. Many people ride bicycles as far as they desire. They just made the choice to travel a healthier and less costly way. They trade time for better health.

Oh and guess what, the costs of ownership of anything with an engine is far higher than a bicycle. Not to mention that you have to stop for gas every so often. 5 days of commuting = 0 dollars in fuel, depending on the distance it may not take more than an extra few minutes. In my case it's as fast by bike than by car most days. 5 days in gas costs you what??? Me it's about $10-15 in our car.

Road bikes are not inferior by any stretch. They are tried and true, tuned for a specific purpose. Maximum efficiency under human power on maintain roads. Hybrid bikes offer decent road efficiency with the ability to leave the roads now and again (not much difference between these and the basic entry MTB). Mountain bikes are purpose built to handle the discipline they are designed for.

Sent from my XT1565 using Tapatalk


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## Rock Surf (Aug 28, 2010)

typo said:


> i like turtles.


Lol, I was literally thinking the same thing. I didn't think it was possible, nor have I seen anybody else with that much neg rep.

To the OP, Perhaps do some climbing.


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## Fajita Dave (Mar 22, 2012)

nbritton said:


> Why would I take the car off road? I have a truck for that. Did you even read what I wrote? Gas isn't free, a car is substantially more efficient then a truck and a motorcycle is even more effiecient. You're looking at 90 mpg for a scooter, 60 mpg for a motorcycle, 30 mpg for a car, and 15 mpg for a truck.


Then why take a mountain bike on-road? The road bike gives me a very different workout than my mountain bike. I can push a whole lot more power through the road bike which the mountain bike just doesn't seem to handle in the same way. Doing a 100% effort 30 mile road route on the mountain bike makes me feel exhausted but I never feel like I had a good workout. Doing the exact same route at 100% effort on my road bike leaves my legs feeling like they actually got a workout without making me feel exhausted. Its easier to pace yourself and ride longer on a road bike which will burn more calories.

A good brand new road bike is only about $800 and you wont need to touch a damn thing on it for thousands of miles. Its all about having the right tool for the job...

The OP doesn't need any different gearing. 90rpm is perfectly acceptable as a cadance for almost anyone. 21mph on flatish road with a mountain bike is probably more than a TDF rider can sustain for to long. I can't even average 21mph on my nice carbon road bike. If the OP is trying to say its to easy to pedal downhill then they're going to need enough gearing for 40+mph.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

A road bike will just make it easier and require even higher gearing. Speed is irrelevant, install solid tubes on your mountain bike and you'll never complain about being under-geared again. Also you'll never get a flat tire.


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## noapathy (Jun 24, 2008)

nbritton said:


> Why would I take the car off road? I have a truck for that. Did you even read what I wrote? Gas isn't free, a car is substantially more efficient then a truck and a motorcycle is even more effiecient. You're looking at 90 mpg for a scooter, 60 mpg for a motorcycle, 30 mpg for a car, and 15 mpg for a truck.


And the same argument can be made for using the right tool for the job in cycling. Unfortunately, you seem to see only what you want to see.


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## Shark (Feb 4, 2006)

blkangel said:


> Wait for the average person owning more than one bike is not a sound use of money but you own a car, truck and motorcycle? Now I am perplexed.


Exactly


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## DethWshBkr (Nov 25, 2010)

Sheesh. My Remedy with a 1x11, 30 tooth chainring, 10 tooth rear, I top out at roughly 26 mph for an uncomfortable cadence. I do a "hybrid ride" where I do 8 road miles to the trails, 10miles on trails, then the 8 miles back. It's a rough ride and I do not need another gear. Again, this is a 30 chainring, 10 rear....


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## Smudge524 (Aug 6, 2016)

Thanks for all the replies but this just has me so much more confused. Not worried about more speed. Just want to be able to add more resistance to higher gears so I am forced to push harder and get a better workout. Spending another $800 on another bike right now is out of the question. Maybe I bought the wrong type of bike (ugh) but I was hopeful that I could add a triple crank and be where I wanted to be.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

I'd start with an 11t on the cassette for sure. Did you ever mention what size front ring you have?


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## DethWshBkr (Nov 25, 2010)

Smudge524 said:


> Thanks for all the replies but this just has me so much more confused. Not worried about more speed. Just want to be able to add more resistance to higher gears so I am forced to push harder and get a better workout. Spending another $800 on another bike right now is out of the question. Maybe I bought the wrong type of bike (ugh) but I was hopeful that I could add a triple crank and be where I wanted to be.


Easiest thing is to put a larger chainring on the bike, as was stated earlier.

There IS a lot more tova "good workout" than resistance. Any idea what your cadence is? If your cadence is no where near 95, you are wasting a massive amount of workout ability. Maintaining a cadence of 90-100 can be extremtly difficult to maintain if you are not used to it, and will give you a solid workout.


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## *OneSpeed* (Oct 18, 2013)

Smudge524 said:


> Thanks for all the replies but this just has me so much more confused. Not worried about more speed. Just want to be able to add more resistance to higher gears so I am forced to push harder and get a better workout. Spending another $800 on another bike right now is out of the question. Maybe I bought the wrong type of bike (ugh) but I was hopeful that I could add a triple crank and be where I wanted to be.


i'm sorry, we're 53 posts into this and your simple question still hasn't been answered.

the idea with a bigger chainring (wether 2x or 3x) is that a taller gear is harder to push due to a higher speed, and you will "get a better workout."

you can also swap your tires to a more aggressive/knobby tread. this will offer more rolling resistance and slow you down a bit but not a lot. if your doing regular rides on the road this may not be the best idea. you'll chew through knobby tires unless you use a really hard compound which is also a bad idea.

so yes you can replace the cranks with a 3x setup, keep your current front derailleur, and lengthen the chain. you could also just replace the big chainring on your 2x crank with one that is slightly larger.

what size are your two front chainrings now? also what is the range of your cassette?

the other obvious answer to a better workout is climbing more hills, and do it faster. push yourself more.


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## noapathy (Jun 24, 2008)

Smudge524 said:


> Thanks for all the replies but this just has me so much more confused. Not worried about more speed. Just want to be able to add more resistance to higher gears so I am forced to push harder and get a better workout. Spending another $800 on another bike right now is out of the question. Maybe I bought the wrong type of bike (ugh) but I was hopeful that I could add a triple crank and be where I wanted to be.


Simply pushing harder on the pedals isn't always giving you a better workout. It's just like at the gym. You can do strength training for absolute power, but also more reps for endurance. Both are necessary for different situations, but one without the other isn't a good balance.

I still feel the question was answered near the beginning by Le Duke and later by whomever suggested finding some hilly terrain. Farther and faster will give you the endurance factor and the hills will add the strength building component. If there aren't hills handy, you can always start doing some intervals to simulate them (at least to a point). Whether your current ride the best tool for the job doesn't matter as much as the amount and type of effort.


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## Scotth72 (Mar 15, 2004)

Make the brakes drag. All it will cost you is brake pads. Maybe a rotor or two down the road.....
Bigger tires at low air pressure works too. Or, perhaps, just find a hill to climb.


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## Danibee (Dec 24, 2015)

*OneSpeed* said:


> ^ that's terrible reasoning, all of it.


including earlier posts. 🍄🌳


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## LyNx (Oct 26, 2004)

Can't believe I'm going to join this train wreck, but OP seems to be sincere in wanting some help :skep:

What is a "Better" workout? What exactly are you looking to get from your "workouts" riding a bike, are you looking to build leg strength or fitness? If you are looking to build fitness/cardio, spinning faster is what does this, not pushing a bigger/harder gear, if you want to build leg power, then look for hillier routes to ride and ride then slower, while seated in your hardest gear  :skep:



Smudge524 said:


> Thanks for all the replies but this just has me so much more confused. Not worried about more speed. Just want to be able to add more resistance to higher gears so I am forced to push harder and get a better workout. Spending another $800 on another bike right now is out of the question. Maybe I bought the wrong type of bike (ugh) but I was hopeful that I could add a triple crank and be where I wanted to be.


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## jeffj (Jan 13, 2004)

Fill your seat tube with lead fishing weights, get the heaviest, knobbiest tires you can find, and ride them with just enough air to keep from pinch flatting, get some 'desert protection' tubes, and put lots of slime in them, wear some ankle weights, ride in the heaviest boots you can find, and add the shortest cranks you can find (at least 165mm or less). That'll give you a workout.


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

J.B. Weld said:


> , install solid tubes on your mountain bike and you'll never complain about being under-geared again. Also you'll never get a flat tire.


Don't forget to bring a spoke wrench, a truing stand, four steel tire levers, and a gorilla to help you when those wheels rattle themselves into oblivion.

I don't think OP is riding enough. I did 55 miles of pavement on a 29er hardtail last weekend. 32 front ring, 11-36 rear. Had a blast, probably did it slowly. If you want a better workout, ride faster, ride up hills repeatedly, and ride more often and longer. If you want to get somewhere in a hurry, that's a different story. Pushing a harder gear than necessary is just going to injure your knees.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

mack_turtle said:


> Don't forget to bring a spoke wrench, a truing stand, four steel tire levers, and a gorilla to help you when those wheels rattle themselves into oblivion.
> 
> I don't thing OP is riding enough. I did 55 miles of pavement on a 29er hardtail last weekend. 32 front ring, 11-36 rear. Had a blast, probably did it slowly.


you're doing it wrong.


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

The tire or having FUN on MY bike?

I have installed solid tubes on a bike before. Maybe it depends on the tire and rim, but that was absolutely the most intense tire install ever. Took an hour for four mechanics to wrestle it on. Pnuematic tires are popular for a reason. Sorry for the thread derail.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

mack_turtle said:


> The tire or having FUN on MY bike?


Having fun on your bike.


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

You're not having fun on YOUR bike, so there! I would have been riding trails, but about a foot of rain fell on my region that day. So it was ride roads, or sit in the house all day. I chose the former.


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## Le Duke (Mar 23, 2009)

My 34t was just barely small enough to get me up a rough climb today.

Can I trade bikes with you, OP? I could have used some of that easy pedaling magic today. Woof.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


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## burtronix (Jun 5, 2006)

It's not the bike that's too easy; it's the trails. Find some bigger hills with more technical features. When you finally do decide to upgrade, it should be so you can tackle even more challenging terrain.


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

OP never answered the simple question: what size are the rings and the cassette on the new bike?

the answer is simple: replace the big ring on your bike with a larger one and if the cassette only goes down to 12t, get a cassette with an 11t cog. you don't need anything more complex than that.

for an ever simpler solution: ride harder. get into the big gear, find a hill, and ride up and down the hill over and over again. ride faster, ride farther, and/or ride for a longer period of time. it's that simple. pushing a harder gear just for the sake of pushing a harder gear is not going to give you a "better workout," it's just going to blow up your knees.

if pushing the tallest gear on your mountain bike for a sustained period of time is "too easy," then you should look into a career as a professional racer.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

mack_turtle said:


> Don't forget to bring a spoke wrench, a truing stand, four steel tire levers, and a gorilla to help you when those wheels rattle themselves into oblivion.


But you gotta admit they'll give you a hell of a workout!

I have a secret patented install technique and can usually git-r-done in a few minutes by myself. Yes, bring a spoke wrench.


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## noapathy (Jun 24, 2008)

GiantTurd said:


> The only right bike is a Fat bike, you all are wrong. Fat is the best road bike, mountain bike, enduro bike, DH bike, period. Quit giving all this info that is unimportant.


Some day your parents will take the training wheels off.


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## Rock Surf (Aug 28, 2010)

GiantTurd said:


> The only right bike is a Fat bike, you all are wrong. Fat is the best road bike, mountain bike, enduro bike, DH bike, period. Quit giving all this info that is unimportant.


You forgot Park and Strava. Fat Bikes kill the KOM.


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## Usman22152 (Aug 25, 2016)

Smudge524 said:


> Just went from a 24 speed Specialized (3x8) to a 2017 18 speed Giant Talon 2 (2x9). In the higher gears, the Specialized was difficult to pedal which I liked for fitness reasons. The Talon in its highest gear is just too easy with little resistance, and I know I do not get the same level of workout/exercise. Is there anything that I can do to make this bike harder to pedal? Thanks!!!


I also, experienced this, thanks for the Q. Now I know what to do.


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## Rock Surf (Aug 28, 2010)

Usman22152 said:


> I also, experienced this, thanks for the Q. Now I know what to do.


Climb?


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## Boomchakabowwow (Sep 8, 2015)

find some hills?


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## noapathy (Jun 24, 2008)

Usman22152 said:


> I also, experienced this, thanks for the Q. Now I know what to do.


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## Curveball (Aug 10, 2015)

nbritton said:


> The bottomline is the more calories I burn the more junk food I get to eat.


The more calories that I burn, the more beer I get to drink.


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## Curveball (Aug 10, 2015)

J.B. Weld said:


> But you gotta admit they'll give you a hell of a workout!
> 
> I have a secret patented install technique and can usually git-r-done in a few minutes by myself. Yes, bring a spoke wrench.


And don't forget the hand sledge. Or the tire lube.


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## Curveball (Aug 10, 2015)

noapathy said:


> Some day your parents will take the training wheels off.


My dad did that to me at the top of the Whistler Bike Park.

That was not a fun day...


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## Curveball (Aug 10, 2015)

Since I have no particular interest in being very serious today, maybe the OP could sell me his "too easy to pedal" bike.

I have all manner of really big hills and mountains to ride and could definitely use a bike that's too easy to pedal. The easier the better, as far as I'm concerned.


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## MOJO K (Jan 26, 2007)

Smudge, If you're still here I might have a solution for you. I've got a fixie (58cm frame I think/size LG) set up 53x16 with cross tires. $75 and she's yours ( double hip replacement will keep me off this one). I live in VT, but I'll be in CT next week. Shoot me a PM.


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## Smudge524 (Aug 6, 2016)

mack_turtle said:


> OP never answered the simple question: what size are the rings and the cassette on the new bike?
> 
> the answer is simple: replace the big ring on your bike with a larger one and if the cassette only goes down to 12t, get a cassette with an 11t cog. you don't need anything more complex than that.


The crankset is a 24/38 with a 12x36, 9 speed cassette. I am thinking of just replacing the crank with a triple 26/36/48. I can do this for $100. I plan to leave the current 12x36 cassette on, but this is a cheap option to replace if the 26/36/48 doesn't get me to where I want to be.


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## Smudge524 (Aug 6, 2016)

MOJO K said:


> Smudge, If you're still here I might have a solution for you. I've got a fixie (58cm frame I think/size LG) set up 53x16 with cross tires. $75 and she's yours ( double hip replacement will keep me off this one). I live in VT, but I'll be in CT next week. Shoot me a PM.


Ok, thanks....Ill let you know!


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## l'oiseau (May 5, 2015)

53/16 is about the same ratio as a 36/11. Just change the cassette.


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## oneupme (Jan 4, 2016)

To actually answer the OP's question:

Good triple crankset for $60
Race Face Ride Crankset OE > Components > Drivetrain > Cranksets | Jenson USA

You'll need to hunt for a 3x compatible front derailleur that fits your bike. You should definitely be able to find one for less than $30.

Plus installation of the above, looks like maybe $150 total if you need to ask a shop to do everything for you.


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## Smudge524 (Aug 6, 2016)

oneupme said:


> To actually answer the OP's question:
> 
> Good triple crankset for $60
> Race Face Ride Crankset OE > Components > Drivetrain > Cranksets | Jenson USA
> ...


Bike shop quoted me $100 to go to a triple (26/36/48 I think) with installation. They said that they only need to replace the chain and crank.


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## MOJO K (Jan 26, 2007)

l'oiseau said:


> 53/16 is about the same ratio as a 36/11. Just change the cassette.


I'm assuming he's on the 27.5 version Giant. 53/16 x 700c... no coasting...no down shifting= no joke. Take the fixie to the hills and you increase power and cadence. There's nothing else quite like it.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

MOJO K said:


> I'm assuming he's on the 27.5 version Giant. 53/16 x 700c... no coasting...no down shifting= no joke. Take the fixie to the hills and you increase power and cadence. There's nothing else quite like it.


Depending on tire sizes the 36/11 will be near identical and I agree that's plenty of gear, too much on a fixie for me. The fixed gear will kick your @ss for sure but it might also ruin your knees.


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## MOJO K (Jan 26, 2007)

Having dealt with the rocks in CT, I'd opt for the 11t cassette before running a 48t chainring.


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## idividebyzero (Sep 25, 2014)

How is 38x12 not enough resistance for a workout? Do you live in an MC Escher painting where every direction is down hill?

Put in reps where you slow down and then accelerate up to speed, you lose resistance with speed so when you go too fast just hit the brakes and start again.


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

Smudge524 said:


> Bike shop quoted me $100 to go to a triple (26/36/48 I think) with installation. They said that they only need to replace the chain and crank.


I would ask them if they are 100% certain that your front derailleur will work with a triple.

I still think a cassette with an 11t cog is a suprior option, unless you are only riding on flat, smooth roads 100% of the time and your main goal is to go FAST or to build up yout legs until you look like a frog.


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## l'oiseau (May 5, 2015)

Yeah I'm 100% sure I had a Shimano Triple FD that would not work on a double Shimano crank. I had the BS put the triple on, and they were confident that the double FD I had on there wouldn't work. And then I eventually switched it back and learned that the triple was no go for a double. That might have been due to tooth number, I did have a 48 on the triple.

I'm trying to remember what the issue was going from the triple to the double FD, but it was obvious it wasn't going to work when I tried to adjust it. I believe the p/n's are different as well between a double and triple FD.

I should have remembered better or figured out what the issue was, because I see this question a lot and I see both answers. I bet there are some that will work both ways and some that won't.


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

The inside part of the "cage" on a triple FD hanged lower.


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## noapathy (Jun 24, 2008)

idividebyzero said:


> Do you live in an MC Escher painting where every direction is down hill?


Thinking about this just inspired a brilliant solution to the problem. All that's needed is for OP to move from this magical Escher-like place to where all our parents grew up going to school. I've always heard it's uphill both ways (and often in the snow)!


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

Nope, that will not work. Then he would "need" a fat bike.


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## bakerjw (Oct 8, 2014)

nbritton said:


> Sure that's all fine if you have money to burn, but most people don't. Money is a finite resource and most people don't have enough of it.
> 
> His primary goal appears to be exercising while mountain biking, so telling him to buy a whole new road bike is just ridiculous, especially when all he needs is a $25 cassette and possibly a new crankset.


\

n + 1 .....


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## noapathy (Jun 24, 2008)

mack_turtle said:


> Nope, that will not work. Then he would "need" a fat bike.


There is no spoon.


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