Comments on: Gear Ratios: How to Select Touring Bike Gearing https://www.cyclingabout.com/gear-ratios-how-to-select-touring-bike-gearing/ Bikepacking, Bicycle Touring, Equipment, Testing, Videos Wed, 27 Dec 2023 16:21:45 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.2 By: Alee | CyclingAbout.com https://www.cyclingabout.com/gear-ratios-how-to-select-touring-bike-gearing/#comment-4655 Tue, 13 Mar 2018 23:09:00 +0000 https://www.cyclingabout.com/?p=5334#comment-4655 In reply to Alee | CyclingAbout.com.

Or a RoadLink to fit a new 11-34t cassette and chain. https://www.wolftoothcomponents.com/products/roadlink

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By: Alee | CyclingAbout.com https://www.cyclingabout.com/gear-ratios-how-to-select-touring-bike-gearing/#comment-4652 Tue, 13 Mar 2018 22:59:00 +0000 https://www.cyclingabout.com/?p=5334#comment-4652 In reply to M E.

Yeah, the 130 BCD stuff isn’t ideal for any hills. I’d suggest a new crankset, ideally something from this list: https://www.cyclingabout.com/low-climbing-gears-road-bike-crankset/

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By: M E https://www.cyclingabout.com/gear-ratios-how-to-select-touring-bike-gearing/#comment-4647 Tue, 13 Mar 2018 14:17:00 +0000 https://www.cyclingabout.com/?p=5334#comment-4647 In reply to M E.

Just realized that my 130 bcd crank won’t fit anything smaller than a 38t chainring. There goes that idea! Looks like a cassette swap is my only option unless I want to buy a new crank.

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By: M E https://www.cyclingabout.com/gear-ratios-how-to-select-touring-bike-gearing/#comment-4646 Mon, 12 Mar 2018 16:12:00 +0000 https://www.cyclingabout.com/?p=5334#comment-4646 Thanks for this! Recently purchased a used cyclocross bike with a 46/38 up front and 11-26 10 speed in the rear. It’s great for 90% of what I do, but when going up a hill, on gravel I don’t quite have the low end that I’d like. This is especially true when lugging around my 2 year old in the trailer and now I have ~60 pounds of weight I’m towing. My rear der. can only accommodate up to a 28 tooth cog, so not too terribly different than what I have now. Would going to a 36t chain ring be a better, and cheaper, option for me?

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By: Muse Kidd https://www.cyclingabout.com/gear-ratios-how-to-select-touring-bike-gearing/#comment-4555 Tue, 13 Feb 2018 13:34:00 +0000 https://www.cyclingabout.com/?p=5334#comment-4555 In reply to Alee | CyclingAbout.com.

Well that’s good news, because I’m using bar end shifters and the front is friction. I was concerned that the width of the cage might be more narrow and I’d have trouble with adjusting the trim, but heck… this sounds good! Thanks for the speedy reply. Cheers!

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By: Alee | CyclingAbout.com https://www.cyclingabout.com/gear-ratios-how-to-select-touring-bike-gearing/#comment-4554 Tue, 13 Feb 2018 10:28:00 +0000 https://www.cyclingabout.com/?p=5334#comment-4554 In reply to Muse Kidd.

They can be interchanged in many cases (you’ve got to have a bit of luck on your side with the combo). It’s not usually a function of the chain width, but rather the cable-pull ratio from 9-speed shifter to 10-speed front derailleur that counts.

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By: Muse Kidd https://www.cyclingabout.com/gear-ratios-how-to-select-touring-bike-gearing/#comment-4553 Tue, 13 Feb 2018 08:36:00 +0000 https://www.cyclingabout.com/?p=5334#comment-4553 Hey Alee… while ya got that fancy measuring tool out, how about giving us the specs for the widths of 7,8, & 9 speed chains? How much difference do we see between them? I’m wondering specifically if I can use a 10-speed front derailleur with a 9-speed set up? Same with 10 speed front cranks? Are they so much more narrow that a 9 speed chain won’t work on them properly? Thanks in advance and keep up the great work.

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By: Steve Klackle https://www.cyclingabout.com/gear-ratios-how-to-select-touring-bike-gearing/#comment-4334 Fri, 22 Dec 2017 16:39:00 +0000 https://www.cyclingabout.com/?p=5334#comment-4334 Getting set up for better touring bikes for my wife and I.

I post this in this discussion line because it’s mostly a touring GEARING question (I’ll get to that!)

Let’s pay attention to these givens: i.e. responses should please address mostly gearing/groupset rather than debate other things and go off on long tangents.

Bikepacking…….Bike Touring…….call it what you want (that’s a whole different topic).

For the majority of our touring riding…….not thinking a ton of technical single track, but might run into some occasionally. Mostly gravel, two-tracks, pavement, cobble, etc. But yet……single track capable (more-so without the load). Thinking racks with smaller panniers (Ortlieb gravel’s- front & rear)…….not thinking bikepacks. Racks with some capability for also putting stuff on top. (so not really low-riding in front). Willing to add a few pounds to the gear for comfort/convenience……so NOT ultra type set-up. In my mind the ultra is a different rig altogether…….so I’d set up a different bike/rig to go lighter-weight singletrack shredding with the guys (perhaps a 1x). Thinking anywhere from a week (only 1 set panniers or perhaps just a dry bag on the top of rack)……..to perhaps month+ longer tours (both panniers and other places on bike). Thinking unsupported……yes camping with the lightweight gear…..not totally credit cards.

Be sort of nice to get same bikes for both her and I…..around 54cm and I’m tall, so 60-61 cm. (I know, I know…..can make arguments against this same-bke thing). I’ve got them all now- road, cross, mtb, tri…..but no touring yet. She’s got road.

We are both in fairly good physical shape & riders. Kids are gone…..we can step back from fulltime work a bit more…..so we’ve now got some time to tour more. I’m selling the tricked-out tri so I’ve got some $$ to spend on this project. TONS of bike to select from out there. I ride Specialized, Salsa and some others and my LBS is Trek. I think today’s aluminum can handle our type of touring (and can save a few lbs over steel). As I said, I have an assortment of bikes…….so my inclination in an on-off road tourer is a 2″ tire at min. As I said…..the other set-up mentioned above is 3″+. So, I’m thinking 29’r touring. I think hardtail is OK…no suspension stuff. Also thinking the comfort/loaded-bike stability of some sort of flat-bar Vs drops. Looking at the assortment of NEW (not thinking used) touring/adventure bikes out there……the stock components are deficient in many/some areas……….SO I’M THINKING A BUILD. Also remember I’m talking racks, front dynamo (likely an SP), very good wheels (likely a Velocity Blunt SS- it’s 26.6-30 wide & do a 32 or 36 spoke), disc brakes, appropriate gearing (29’r here so Mtb not road), easy to maintain/fix (even in remoter places- but no I’ll not buy 26″), etc…….the wish list goes on.

Sorry for rambling……but many on forums ask for more “background” info.

With the LBS Trek and my mechanic there……..I’m leaning towards Trek 920…….that frame to build. Use their F & R racks (they are decent)…throw some fenders on. Keep the alum fork that comes with. Thinking Jones Loop H bar and keeping bar-mount goodies off the side a bit to keep a bit of possible front aero hand position. Like that bar’s possible multi positions for hands. Continuing……

Disc brakes……..go hydraulic or mechanical disc? Web forums tilt me somewhat toward mechanical…..but modern technologies and my LBS guy tilt to hydraulic. Opinions? Also, which brand & model?

THE MEAT HERE……..WHAT TO DO FOR CRANK, SHIFTERS, CASSETT?

(please skip the discussion of Rohloff & Pinion)

Crank- I’m thinking a double (sorry for those triple arguments out there)…..and remember the single track bike mentioned above could be my 1x). With today’s components…..we should be able to do what we want with a dbl.

Shifters- mtb type stuff…..trigger… no thanks on anything bar-end.

Derailleur…….got to be long to handle the gears……and the 920 has the chainstay.

Cassett- thinking 10 speed. Not opposed to others. And would consider 40T plus options.

Gearing- Low- how low do you go? Is 19-20 gear inches low enough? CHECKING SPEC’S OF MANY OF THE NEW “TOURING” STUFF OUT THERE………VERY FEW HAVE ENOUGH LOW END IN THE STD COMPONENTS. I know…..you’re going to ask me what’s the biggest hill you expect? What’s your total weight? etc. etc… Who knows?………picture the worst (and I’m not against walking up something!). I’m just say’n…….what would you do?

Gearing- High- remember, could be riding this unloaded (not on tour, or after setting up camp). Need something at the top to have fun! So over 100 inches or over at least?

Think “mid-level” priced components……but would spend more for just the right set-up. Sort of leaning towards SRAM. And remember in all of this………if something brakes……I need to be able to have it fixed fairly easy in the developed world. Either exact replacement…..or something that will get me by.

OK……….WHAT WOULD YOU DO IN THIS BUILD SITUATION?

THANKS FOR YOUR INPUT.

STEVE,,,,,,,

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By: JP https://www.cyclingabout.com/gear-ratios-how-to-select-touring-bike-gearing/#comment-4178 Sun, 05 Nov 2017 13:16:00 +0000 https://www.cyclingabout.com/?p=5334#comment-4178 I found out that 9 speed is the most versible option. Mountain bike derailleur works with road bike STI shifters, Sram gripshift works with Shimano derailleur, Sram cassettes work with Shimano, Shimano cassettes work with Sram. With 10 speed most of this combinations will not work, with 11 speed any of these combinations will not work. Even the latest 10 speed groupset does uses a diverent ratio then the older 10 speed groupsets. With 9 speed everything is exactly the same. Also please keep in mind Shimano just launched the new Sora R-3000 9-speed groupset the whole groupset cost you less then 300 euro or dollar. Its a bid more havy comp[ared to the expensive stuff, but the qualaty is the same and the more havy parts are stronger. 9-speed will be aruond for a very long time. On the moatainbike front deore or xt parts in 9 speed will also be available for a long time. 10 or 11 speed only make sence if you do’nt have a triple, exept fot the 3×11 Campanolo Athena on my road bike or on mountainbikes or cross bikes, on a touring bike not using a triple is not a smart thing to do, you simply do not have enough gears without it, there is also a new 12 speed sram system, this gives you more but still only 500% diverence where a triple gives you about 550%, you need at least 520%. This means you need Rohloff or a triple, if you choose a triple you do not need 10, 11 or 12 speed. And 9 speed keeps you happy with everything you want put on your bike and everywhere you want to go.

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By: Alee | CyclingAbout.com https://www.cyclingabout.com/gear-ratios-how-to-select-touring-bike-gearing/#comment-3860 Wed, 16 Aug 2017 13:12:00 +0000 https://www.cyclingabout.com/?p=5334#comment-3860 In reply to CSW.

The frame breaks into three separate parts using S&S couplers. That said, I just use the front three couplers and put the entire tandem into a regular cardboard bike box.

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