FWIW a mate used to play the game of freaking out the competition by running a big chainring (56 or 57 I think) and a straight through cassette. What was tricky to see was that it was actually a 13 up cassette........ So his ratios were fairly similar to a conventional 53/39*11/25 sort of set up.
It worked though.
Nice chain line in his most used gears. Smoother running in those popular gears. And worried competition in his chosen event (duathlon).
Never beat me in a TT though.
Options for increasing chainring size on TT bike
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