bikepacking gear ratiobikepacking gear ratio

Bike Gear Gear The Incredible $199 Internal Gear Bicycle Hub: Shimano Alfine Explained by Alee Denham June 2, 2022 Table of Contents What are the advantages of internal gear hubs? The easiest gear, also called the low gear, uses the biggest cog (most teeth) in back and the smallest chainring (fewest teeth) up front. Hello! At a cadence of 90 rpm (which is very comfortable and most people can handle significantly more), a 50-tooth chainring and a 12-tooth cog gives a speed of 47 km/h. I recently purchased a 11-36 10 speed cassette and I have a 32 tooth ring (and a 10sp shifter) Id like to offer up that upgrading ones drivetrain (either from 2x to 1x or increasing from 10 to 11-12 gears in back) has gotten even cheaper with the emergence of component brands like Sensah and L-Twoo. What's the gear ratio? This was a great summary and shed some light into drivetrains. If you want a large range (so you can have a high high gear and low low gear) you either need more gears or larger steps between them. So, I got one of my own to resurrect some very well-used Eagle X01 parts and modify my Rival 1 DoubleTap shifter. For reference, lets take a look at the high gear to add perspective to the overall range of each of these bikes and drivetrains. The cable fin is what transforms the Eagle derailleur to work via Exact Actuation; its essentially a smaller version of the original, engineered to change the pull ratio. Firstly, because large chainrings can be 55% bigger than small chainrings (e.g., on a 46-30 crankset), a cassette with a gear range of at least 260% can be sufficient to obtain a complete gear range of 400% when two chainrings are used. to support us + get The Bikepacking Journal. Alright, lets look at the cost. You might be surprised to see that with only 12 gears, weve spanned almost the same range as the 210. Speaking in gear inches is a more immediate and intuitive way to understand the impact of gearing for both climbing and fast travel. $100 NX 11-50T Cassette Ive traveled over 17,000 miles by bike and still cant stop planning my next ride (and helping you plan yours). There is some research showing that 1x drivetrains suffer from slightly more friction due to differences in chain angles, tension, and speed. Resources and inspiration to support your wildest dreams: Affiliate Disclosure: This site participates in affiliate programs, including Amazon Associates. Again, different strokes for different folks literally but Ill share what Ive found. The relative difference between two gears can be determined by dividing the size of the larger cog by the next smallest, and this equates to the difference in cadence between those gears. Others are based on intensity, such as increased distance and duration, and using high gearing and low cadence. Cycling can dish out a lot of stress on knees. $100 Ratio 112 Upgrade Kit We have over 300 original and curated bikepacking routes in our global network spanning nearly 50 countries. Eventually I took the 1x drivetrain leap. They show that the cadence when riding at 7 km/h with this gearing would be 52 rpm, which is worryingly low. Ratio 1x12 Upgrade Kit Review - BIKEPACKING.com A useful tool for visualizing different gear setup is this online gear calculator, an example output of which is below. To keep things simpler, I only present gear ratios on this page and ignore the very minor effect of tire size, but you can include this when doing your own calculations. The Bikepacking Trip Planner Workbook can help you take the next step. Wow, yikes! Place heavier gear in your day pack and lighter items in the bags that will go on the bike. Pay attention to the bike I'm riding, the bikepacking bags I'm carrying my belongings in, the clothes I'm wearing, the bike tools I'm traveling with, and my notes on the various items I'm carrying with me . Obviously we could have picked another arbitrary constant, but it makes sense to make our kit as cross-compatible as possible, Tom adds. An additional disadvantage of using only one chainring is that drivetrain friction is slightly increased while using faster gears because chains are less efficient when going around tighter circles under load. The first thing to consider is your own weight. If you do a lot of riding in developing countries, your odds of finding replacement parts are better with an 8, 9, or even 10 speed cassette. Some rear shifters have the ability to shift multiple gears at once. To summarize the above advice, a range of gear ratios from about 0.8:1 to 1.0:1 up to about 3.8:1 to 4.0:1 is reasonable. If youre into bikepacking, you might also like these: Or, visit the bikepacking and cycling category page for lots more! on my cross bike. Quick primer: Bike drivetrains are described as AxB, where A is the number of chainrings up front and B is the number of cogs on the cassette in the back. We believe travel by bicycle has the power to encourage conservation, inclusivity, and respect for all people and cultures. So a bike with three chainrings in front and a 10 cog cassette in back is a 310. If a gear range of at least 400% is desired (e.g., from 4:1 to 1:1) then with 12 cogs you could ideally have 11 even steps of 13.4% between gears, but even if a cassette with such a range existed (which is currently doesnt, see the Cassettes section below) then the steps would not be constant because tooth counts have to be whole/integer numbers (e.g., a cog with 11.34 teeth is impossible) and so several of the gaps would be 15-20%, which is not ideal for road riding for most people. 1x drivetrains have been mainstream for a few years now, so experienced riders are increasingly faced with making the switch as we consider new bikes. Brands considered were Campagnolo, IRD, KCNC, Miche, Shimano, SRAM, and SunRace. YouTube has several reviews, but I was also in a local bike shop recently and the owner and another customer were singing the praises of Sensah 1x. We inspire and inform through original bikepacking routes, stories, and coverage of the gear, news, and events that make our community thrive. Taking the same values as in the What Determines Cycling Speed? Will I miss being able to make large shifts in front? This might be true, all other things being equal, but its also true that derailleurs and shifters continue improving in terms of design and materials, which could cancel out that effect. Simpler mechanically: No front derailleur or shifter to maintain, adjust, or replace. To make this extra clear, lets plot both on the same axis. At the moment, most drivetrain manufacturers have only figured out how to cram 12 speeds into standard cassettes (a few have managed 13). About 1300 miles ago I switched my primary bikepacking bike from a 210 Salsa Fargo to my new 112 Chumba Stella. In the early days of geared bicycles, hub gears were very common in certain markets, especially the UK, but have since been completely replaced by derailleur systems for racing. At an elevation of 1500 meters, a cyclists available power is generally reduced by about 10% compared to sea level due to the reduced oxygen (see the Environmental Effects on Cycling Speed: Wind, Elevation & Air Temperature page). Unloaded, and unwise, but it was fun. My 1x is something like 80 while another 3x bike that doesnt limit me is about 120. Values for gear inches typically range from 18 (very low gearing) via 70 (medium gearing) to 125 (very high gearing); as in a car, low gearing is for going up hills and high gearing is for going fast. The Blackburn Grid Handlebar Bag is a must-have addition for any bike setup with its low-profile and fuss-free access to your phone, snacks, tools, gloves . The question then becomes: how much will you enjoy these benefits, and are they worth the tradeoffs? Tire diameters from as small as 650B x 35mm up to 700C x 40mm are common but wouldnt change the result by more than about +/-2 rpm. To illustrate, here are five bikes that Ive ridden in the past 8 months and what their granny gear translates to in gear inches. On singletrack, I strongly prefer the 112 to my old 210. Gear ratios/inches : r/bikepacking - Reddit Most, but not all, of the 1x benefits and concerns Ill explain below apply to setups with newer wide-range cassettes. As explained in the Cassettes section below, using a larger cassette may not be ideal because it would have larger spacing between the gears and may not be compatible with the rear derailleur. Its basically derived from a formula and provides an indication of the mechanical advantage of different gears. Unbeknown to me, on the day we posted the news release back in late October, he ordered one, installed it, and has already put a fair share of miles on it. A better option may therefore be to use a what is occasionally called a super-compact crankset, but is more often referred to as a gravel or adventure crankset. Truth be told, I was a little burnt out on tinkering with mullet drivetrains after that big post last year. Weve put thousands of miles on Eagle GX derailleurs and they seem invincible. Still, its not a big deal given that Im riding loaded and usually not in a hurry. Of course, in a 1x setup there is only one chainring, and its number of teeth influences how easy or hard all the cassette cogs will feel. Its hard to quantify the expected difference in cost, but I think that compared to the overall cost of cycling and bikepacking this difference is unlikely to be a big factor for most people. To keep my pedaling cadence and power reasonably constant, I try to minimize the number of gaps between gears that are more than 15%. Its pretty easy to install, works flawlessly, and you get the quick, crisp shifting and excellent gear progression that Eagle is known for, as well as the reliability that comes with it. The hardest / highest gear is the opposite: smallest cog and largest chainring. Gravel and dirt roads of varying quality are my sweet spot, but Im making an effort to get better at singletrack and Ill ride pavement as long as its safe. However, this is about as good as it gets, in my opinion. As we see it, road and gravel 1x drivetrains always seem to fall a bit short, both in range and the fact that they never have enough of a low climbing gear for loaded bikepacking. None of them are perfect. For instance, like James Hayden did when he won the 2017 TCR, Ive taken an 11-32, 11-speed Shimano cassette and replaced the first four cogs (11-12-13-14) with the first four cogs from a 12-25, 11-speed cassette (12-13-14-15) to obtain a custom 12-32 cassette with only the final jump between gears being 14% and all other steps being less. Gravel bike setup explained: gearing, wheel size, tyres and more Mountain bike double cranksets offer even lower gearing options (e.g., 26/38 or 28/42). Better chain retention: Without the need to accommodate shifts between chainrings, a single ring can use a narrow-wide tooth profile that holds the chain more securely. Thus its hard to make definitive statements about 1x versus 2x without knowing more. It also depends on how much you pack, and where you ride. After doing my research and talking to the folks at Chumba who built my bike, I believe 1x drivetrains are here to stay. The emphasis is on self-sufficiency and packing light. No that isn't something you fix overnight, but a bikepacking trip sure helps. Hopefully someone will fill this gap in the market soon. The top gear may be larger than needed and the spacing of that cassette is not ideal, so other options are listed in the Cassettes section below. I would advise people with larger cassettes like the standard 10-51 or 10-52 to buy a replacement long before it is needed to be sure you have it available when needed. I'm looking to bike across Europe, crossing the Alps and other challenging climbs. Drive Efficiency 5. The build is tough and it shows, with its 16kg/35lb weight. Most of my city riding and commuting is done on a 48-19 gear ratio. I havent talked much about 3x drivetrains in this post. Each shows the bike, wheel size, and drivetrain on the left, then the granny gear ration (front x rear) and gear inches. On mountain bikes, having only one chainring has significant advantages because it gives better chain retention on rough terrain, rear suspension works better if the chainring size doesnt change and it eliminates the need to make clunky shifts between chainrings under power. Im in the process to build up a Fargo. Here, I think the newness of 1x drive trains is overstating its benefit. The Ratio 112 Wide Upgrade Kit allows you to easily hack an 11-speed SRAM road shifter to work with a 12-speed Eagle MTB derailleur. and has provision for touring racks and fenders, or cargo cage bags. On undulating trails where the slope is always changing, wider steps help you reach your desired gear in fewer shifts. Please use the Contact Form to inform me of any missing or incorrect information. Conversely, the Marin Pine Mountain at 22 gear inches was a little hard on the old knobbies. Follow These Steps, 18 Bikepacking Tips and Tricks For a Smoother Ride, Bikepacking in the Rain: Tips for Riding and Camping in Soggy Conditions, 210 has a wider range (but both ranges are pretty good). So while technically we have 20 gears to choose from on a 210, in practice we dont actually need all of them. Its an individual preference, but many people adjust quickly. And I cant quite say this one is perfect either, as Eagle components arent cheap, after all. Touring & Bikepacking Bikes The Fastest Bikes of the Tour Divide Ultra Race (4,400KM Non-Stop) by Alee Denham June 17, 2022 Table of Contents Handlebars Aero Bars Saddles Seatposts Tyres Wheel Size Frame Material Drivetrains Gear Ratios Pedals Brakes Suspension The Most Popular Tour Divide Bike Summary Update: The Top-10 Tour Divide Bikes for 2022 Not every 1x or 2x system will compare similarly. I shared many of these when I began my research, but eventually I learned that some are well-founded and some arent. Especially on undulating terrain, I actually appreciate the larger steps because I can get to the right gear with fewer shifts. To summarize, the lowest ratio needed for most people when doing typical self-supported, ultra-distance cycling events will be somewhere in the range from 0.8:1 to 1.0:1. And the high gears rating tell you how much youll be limited on good flats or downhills. We installed and tested one with a well-used Rival 1 mechanical shifter and an equally worn Eagle X01 derailleur and cassette. Your experienced riding buddy in digital form: 140 mobile-friendly pages packed with how to's, problem solving tips, and hard-earned wisdom from the trail and road. BIKEPACKING.com is dedicated to exploration by bicycle. Wider steps (benefit on certain types of terrain): This one is either a benefit or drawback depending on the terrain. Over time, and industry improvements to 1x components, I wonder if road bikes will ever go 1x. Remember that a longer chain or at least a couple of extra chain links is often needed when installing a larger cassette so that the chain is not too short when you inevitably shift into the large chainring and largest cog. Proper gearing is something you just have to feel out based on the situation, as well as your own skill, strength and biomechanics though starting low is never a bad idea. The 210 offers the widest range of gearing which is great for a grueling expedition. That plot actually looks pretty good! Each of those items will matter more to some riders than others, depending on your goals and riding style. Jokingly referred to as the 'dinner plate', the wide-ratio cassettes found on today's MTBs (this Shimano cassette runs from 10-51T, for a 510% ratio . So you can think of gear ratio as a way of quantifying the highness or lowness of any gear. $215 GX 10-52T Cassette There are options, such as parts and tricks to make road shifters work with mountain derailleurs, and solutions to modify road derailleurs to work with larger cassette cogs. Most casual tourers and bikepackers arent bothered by this well just relax and coast or eat a snack on the go but speed-hungry folks will miss their stiffer gears. especially in terms of those granny-gear ratios. With the mainstreamification (yes thats a word) of 11 speed cassettes, it became possible for mountain bikers, and to some extent gravel riders, to get acceptable range with just a single chainring. With a crank that has 46 or 48 teeth, the teeth are not as high as on a normal road crank, so it can be a problem to move the front derailleur low enough for crisp and reliable shifting. As mentioned above, Miche and IRD sell 11-speed, wide-range cassettes that have a 12-tooth smallest cog. However, riding long hours with a heavy load can also wear on your knees if not immediately, over time. Please keep the conversation civil, constructive, and inclusive, or your comment will be removed. Many leisurely loaded tourers wont care either. 1x Basics Quick primer: Bike drivetrains are described as AxB, where A is the number of chainrings up front and B is the number of cogs on the cassette in the back. For the sake of comparison, how about a classic 262.2 mountain bike with a 39 MTB drivetrain, lets say a 42-32-22 crankset and 11-32 cassette? Or even worse fear of being left in the dust by your riding partners if your gearing isnt right for the terrain. Using a 30-46 crank with an 11-34 cassette gives a reasonably low gear of 0.88:1, a top gear of 4.18:1 and thats a range of 474%. Frame geometry improvements: Without the need for multiple chainrings and a front derailleur, frame designers can create bikes with shorter chainstays, wider tire clearance, and other nuances of bike geometry that improve handling, especially in the gravel and MTB categories. Also, the focus on gear ratios is somewhat useful, but the data is abstracted from what is ultimately the key fact, which is gear inches. The limiting factor for how large of a cassette cog a rear derailluer can handle is not the length of the derailluer cage, which many people incorrectly assume, but it is how low the upper pulley wheel can be positioned. More and more gravel bikes and some road bikes are now equipped with only one chainring. Anyway, that's my take on it. But, then again, $615 is nothing to blink at. Some people find that riding with their feet wider apart is less comfortable and again the wider chainline and smaller chainrings often dont work well with road front derailleurs. Gear inches is one of several relative measures of bicycle gearing. The difference isnt huge, but its enough that road shifters dont have the capacity to pull that much cable. Being able to sustain 200 watts (or 800 vertical m/h) even when fatigued and having a total weight with bike and equipment of 85 kg are rough values and may be over-estimates for typical ultra-distance cyclists. More here. Based on your anticipated speed and minimum tolerable cadence, are the gear ratios on your bike sufficient? During the course of another project, the two found themselves having to modify SRAM road shifters. If you need to be efficient on both steep climbs and extended gradual descents, a 1x might not offer enough range. My next gravel bike will almost certainly be a 1x, as that kind of speed is definitely not necessary on my gravel bike, which I mostly bought for recreational bikepacking. While there is duplication among gears in 2x or 3x gears, that duplication simply allows you to avoid switching gears both front & rear to achieve your desired gearing. Its also worth adding that there arent too many dangers in the install process. Thats just not enough range on a bike that I was also using on the road, so it was a simple step to realise the potential of using our shifter modifications to hook up road and MTB drivetrains.. But a modern 212 drivetrain that includes a wide-range cassette can have an ultra-wide range, larger than both a new 112 and that old 210. The frame geometry is much closer to a touring bike, with a long . I have strong reservations about whether that is a good idea due to having to compromise either gear range or spacing compared to what can be achieved with two chainrings. I'm sure drivetrain questions have been hashed out pretty well here, but I'm wondering if people have advice/experience specific to the rocky steep terrain of the Colorado Rockies under a bikepacking load. First, you need to either know the rate of climbing you can sustain, known as VAM and measured in vertical meters per hour (e.g., 800 m/h, as shown on many bike computers or activity tracking websites) or your sustainable power in watts (e.g., 200 watts, measured using a power meter or estimated on activity tracking websites).