|   Choosing gear ratios. | B R H
Oct 29, 2002 12:58 PM | | I've been trying to pay attention to what I use and what I could do without. Right now I've got 9-speed 12/34 and 44/32/22. I have absolutely no need for the 22/34 for sure. I'm still not sure about the 44/12 but I rarely find myself going that fast anywhere but downhill when I end up going even faster just coasting anyway. So I'm debating keeping the 12 (vs. 11... even considering just a 13). I'm also seriously considering going 8-speed in hopes of reducing dirty drivetrain shifting problems (I have to thoroughly clean my chain every single ride as it is right now). How do you guys choose? |
| Dropped from 32 to 30 big cog | pedalAZ
Oct 29, 2002 1:04 PM | | The 32 spun out a lot, whereas the 30 doesn't. The flip side is, with a 32 or 34 you might just stay longer in the middle ring, and wouldn't have to shift the front down to the 22 as much in tech sections. |
| Re: | B R H
Oct 29, 2002 2:34 PM | | I've found that I can really only stay in the middle ring up to about 26 on the cassette. I basically avoid middle 30 and 34 because of the horrible chain noise under load. The last time I tried I heard those awful sounds for a few hundred feet (climbing) and then my chain (PC-99) broke. My chainline looks good to me, but I've never actually tried to measure it. I'll be checking that soon though.
I used to use 22/34 but now I've found that I actually do better stopping at 22/30. I think I'd be just fine with 22/28 or even better with 24/32. I've tried stopping at 22/26, but I just don't have the leg strength for that.
Have you tried running a 24 chainring? I'm curious if 2 teeth would make a difference with chainsuck. I doubt it, but it was another option I'm considering if I stuck with 9 speed and went with Shimano 11/32 cassette.
Do you find 44/11 or even 44/12 really necessary? The only place I'm thinking I actually used 44/12 and maybe could have used more was the final stretch of pavement at Sea Otter (on the Laguna Seca racetrack). I can't remember for sure though. |
| 44/11 on pavement or smooth downhill singletrack/fireroad nm | pedalAZ
Oct 29, 2002 5:59 PM | | |
| re: Choosing gear ratios. | ^^Dr Evil^^
Oct 29, 2002 1:08 PM | | Single speed riders do pretty good with one gear alot of the time, a 34 is a over kill for most places, changing to fewer or not as low gears will work for most people (you can always put on a 34 if you go to the mountains)
A 27 or 30 low in the back will work often,and having closer ratios makes shifting work a little better to. |
| 34x20 most of the time | shiggy
Oct 29, 2002 4:13 PM | | using a 41x26 right now for the winter and because I have been sick. I will use a 34x18 or 36x20 for rides with shorter/flatter climbs. |
| Ideas | ®i© Wi©to®
Oct 30, 2002 12:04 PM | | I've tried a lot of diferent (and werid) 8 and 9 speed combos. My findings:
- Running a road cassette (12-27t) with a 20t inner ring was okay, but I had more shifting trouble and more chain fall-offs. The smaller diamater difference on the cassette holds more junk, and the overall wear of the drivetrain is of course higher.
- 22x32t is still a useful gear, if you keep you cadence high enough. I use is as a 'knee saver', having the luxury of an FS rig and staying seated on even the roughest climbs.
- I think 44x12t is just too little for long, easy descents. 44x11t is perfect, even for the marathon racing I do.
I'd say stick with the 12-34t 9-speed cassette, as it's bigger ratios give you more clearance for junk. Change the 22t to a 24t ring. You'll be able to remove a couple of links from you chain (two?) and you won't have a silly low top gear. Overall your drivetrain should have slightly less wear (theoretically - hmmm), too. |
| I'm running 24/34/46 XTR and 11/30XT cassette ... | Kittmer
Oct 30, 2002 2:52 PM | | And it's pretty good. I can grind up the steepest hills until it's faster to walk, and going fast on flats or downhill is easy with the bigger rings.
Kittmer |
| |
