Give me your best gearing recommendations
06-25-18, 01:14 PM
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FSA's Omega adventure crankset is available at around the $130 mark, and they make a 30/46 version.
I wouldn't spend money on a new cassette unless I could go all the way (11-36). 5800 105 will take an 11-36, FWIW. The medium cage rd runs around $40, the cassette (11-36) around $60.
Spending money on 11-32 (about the same cassette cost) is just wasting money, given what OP actually wants. Go new RD and 11-36 at a minimum, and don't waste money on 11-32. No roadlink required.
I wouldn't spend money on a new cassette unless I could go all the way (11-36). 5800 105 will take an 11-36, FWIW. The medium cage rd runs around $40, the cassette (11-36) around $60.
Spending money on 11-32 (about the same cassette cost) is just wasting money, given what OP actually wants. Go new RD and 11-36 at a minimum, and don't waste money on 11-32. No roadlink required.
06-25-18, 02:46 PM
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FSA's Omega adventure crankset is available at around the $130 mark, and they make a 30/46 version.
I wouldn't spend money on a new cassette unless I could go all the way (11-36). 5800 105 will take an 11-36, FWIW. The medium cage rd runs around $40, the cassette (11-36) around $60.
Spending money on 11-32 (about the same cassette cost) is just wasting money, given what OP actually wants. Go new RD and 11-36 at a minimum, and don't waste money on 11-32. No roadlink required.
I wouldn't spend money on a new cassette unless I could go all the way (11-36). 5800 105 will take an 11-36, FWIW. The medium cage rd runs around $40, the cassette (11-36) around $60.
Spending money on 11-32 (about the same cassette cost) is just wasting money, given what OP actually wants. Go new RD and 11-36 at a minimum, and don't waste money on 11-32. No roadlink required.
06-25-18, 07:59 PM
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Maybe OP cares more about a 12t and a 14t cog, maybe they don’t. I think folks that aren’t racing are better served by more low range than by tightly spaced gears in a ratio range they can’t use much alone. Shimano’s 11-34 Ultegra cassette might have more evenly spaced gears, but it costs a bit more and doesn’t really get him that low end if he’s stuck with a 34 or 36 ring, and is thus not the most efficient way to spend his money. (VS, say, a 5800 gs cage and an 11-36 cassette with his current chainrings up front).
If he’s ok spending more money, many more options open up. I just think spending $60-65 on an 11-32 and a few bucks on a 34t ring is less efficient than a couple bucks more on a gs cage and an 11-36 (and keep the current chainring) if he is penny pinching.
His mileage may vary and all that, but I’d suggest erring on the side of lower gearing than he needs than still not low enough and $60-80 out of pocket. Been there.
06-25-18, 09:25 PM
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FSA's Omega adventure crankset is available at around the $130 mark, and they make a 30/46 version.
I wouldn't spend money on a new cassette unless I could go all the way (11-36). 5800 105 will take an 11-36, FWIW. The medium cage rd runs around $40, the cassette (11-36) around $60.
Spending money on 11-32 (about the same cassette cost) is just wasting money, given what OP actually wants. Go new RD and 11-36 at a minimum, and don't waste money on 11-32. No roadlink required.
I wouldn't spend money on a new cassette unless I could go all the way (11-36). 5800 105 will take an 11-36, FWIW. The medium cage rd runs around $40, the cassette (11-36) around $60.
Spending money on 11-32 (about the same cassette cost) is just wasting money, given what OP actually wants. Go new RD and 11-36 at a minimum, and don't waste money on 11-32. No roadlink required.
06-26-18, 05:35 AM
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Lots of good suggestions here. Maybe in the future I'll go lower in the back and change out the cranks in the front if I feel like I need it. I've got 300 miles on the new bike with the 46/36 and 11-28 and haven't actually failed anywhere yet, so I'm going to see how I feel about 46/34 and 11-32 for now. $40 for the 105 cassette and $17 for the ring.
06-26-18, 08:25 AM
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I expect it was the pg1130, which seems to vary from $64-68 today, and a couple bucks cheaper on ebay.
Again - if OP wants to penny-pinch, I wouldn't shoot for the upspec cassette (which looks like ~$85 right now from jensonusa, as much as $99 elsewhere). It looks like a few ebay sellers have pg1170 11-36 casettes for sub $70, but caveat emptor.
Again - if OP wants to penny-pinch, I wouldn't shoot for the upspec cassette (which looks like ~$85 right now from jensonusa, as much as $99 elsewhere). It looks like a few ebay sellers have pg1170 11-36 casettes for sub $70, but caveat emptor.
06-26-18, 11:14 AM
#33
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Absolute Black rings on a Tiagra 10 speed or 105/Ultegra/Dura Ace 11 speed crank are an option but it isn't cheap.
06-26-18, 04:50 PM
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Once I rode a singlespeed for awhile I really got a lot more flexible with my cadence. I still like to keep it over 75 for long climbs, but anything from 75 to 120 is generally fine. On my Domane with a 50/34 and 11-36 (ten speed, mind) I have no problems with cadence. I think drafting is for suckers, though, so I don’t do it that much - but plenty of choices for around 20-24mph paceline the one time I’ve done it for around 20 or 25 miles at the end of a metric with this gearing. And, really, when you are drafting, spinning a bit faster to stay in the draft is pretty easy and doesn’t take much out of you at all.
Maybe OP cares more about a 12t and a 14t cog, maybe they don’t. I think folks that aren’t racing are better served by more low range than by tightly spaced gears in a ratio range they can’t use much alone. Shimano’s 11-34 Ultegra cassette might have more evenly spaced gears, but it costs a bit more and doesn’t really get him that low end if he’s stuck with a 34 or 36 ring, and is thus not the most efficient way to spend his money. (VS, say, a 5800 gs cage and an 11-36 cassette with his current chainrings up front).
If he’s ok spending more money, many more options open up. I just think spending $60-65 on an 11-32 and a few bucks on a 34t ring is less efficient than a couple bucks more on a gs cage and an 11-36 (and keep the current chainring) if he is penny pinching.
His mileage may vary and all that, but I’d suggest erring on the side of lower gearing than he needs than still not low enough and $60-80 out of pocket. Been there.
06-26-18, 08:27 PM
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Even with a cadence range of 80-110, the 18-22mph range involves the 46x13/15/17 jumps which is just awful on the road, solo or in a group. 34x32 still lets you climb at 6mph at 70rpm. Anything much slower than that and you are just as likely to fall over if you are redlined. I get your point, I think we just differ in terms of our priorities based on our different backgrounds.
Shooting for 36x36 as a low gear for OPs conditions seems a good start to me; if he's going to buy a cassette he ought not screw around.
His current best ratio is 1.29; 34x32 gets him 1.06. 36x36 gets him 1. The next step is 34x36 (0.94); and if he needs it that step is cheaper to take if he went with the 11-36 cassette instead of the 11-32. In gear inches that's a bit more than 32.68 for 36x28; 28.63 for 34x32, 27.01 for 36x36 and if he chooses to go that route, 25.39 for 34x36.
If he ever goes up in tire size gear inches will be higher for each ratio. 25 GI is a nice target for climbing on gravel for someone who is comfortable spinning up hills rather than standing and grinding.
Oh, and the SRAM cassettes have a 12t cog, too, so it is 11,12,13,15,17,19,22,25,28,32,36.
70rpm gets you 21.54 for flats.
Come to think of it, I'm not sure I've ever had a 14t or 16t cog on any of the bikes I've ridden on the road. I'll be ditching the 12t soon; shimano's 11-34 is 11-13-15-17-19-21-23-25-27-30-34
(Clearly, if he wants range and tight spacing, he needs a triple).
Last edited by ph0rk; 06-26-18 at 08:40 PM.
06-26-18, 09:01 PM
#36
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I think that difference is subjective, because I entirely disagree. However: lower gear range isn't for smooth pavement, it's for broken pavement or worse (and OP did mention dirt trails).
Shooting for 36x36 as a low gear for OPs conditions seems a good start to me; if he's going to buy a cassette he ought not screw around.
His current best ratio is 1.29; 34x32 gets him 1.06. 36x36 gets him 1. The next step is 34x36 (0.94); and if he needs it that step is cheaper to take if he went with the 11-36 cassette instead of the 11-32. In gear inches that's a bit more than 32.68 for 36x28; 28.63 for 34x32, 27.01 for 36x36 and if he chooses to go that route, 25.39 for 34x36.
If he ever goes up in tire size gear inches will be higher for each ratio. 25 GI is a nice target for climbing on gravel for someone who is comfortable spinning up hills rather than standing and grinding.
Oh, and the SRAM cassettes have a 12t cog, too, so it is 11,12,13,15,17,19,22,25,28,32,36.
70rpm gets you 21.54 for flats.
Come to think of it, I'm not sure I've ever had a 14t or 16t cog on any of the bikes I've ridden on the road. I'll be ditching the 12t soon; shimano's 11-34 is 11-13-15-17-19-21-23-25-27-30-34
(Clearly, if he wants range and tight spacing, he needs a triple).
Shooting for 36x36 as a low gear for OPs conditions seems a good start to me; if he's going to buy a cassette he ought not screw around.
His current best ratio is 1.29; 34x32 gets him 1.06. 36x36 gets him 1. The next step is 34x36 (0.94); and if he needs it that step is cheaper to take if he went with the 11-36 cassette instead of the 11-32. In gear inches that's a bit more than 32.68 for 36x28; 28.63 for 34x32, 27.01 for 36x36 and if he chooses to go that route, 25.39 for 34x36.
If he ever goes up in tire size gear inches will be higher for each ratio. 25 GI is a nice target for climbing on gravel for someone who is comfortable spinning up hills rather than standing and grinding.
Oh, and the SRAM cassettes have a 12t cog, too, so it is 11,12,13,15,17,19,22,25,28,32,36.
70rpm gets you 21.54 for flats.
Come to think of it, I'm not sure I've ever had a 14t or 16t cog on any of the bikes I've ridden on the road. I'll be ditching the 12t soon; shimano's 11-34 is 11-13-15-17-19-21-23-25-27-30-34
(Clearly, if he wants range and tight spacing, he needs a triple).
06-26-18, 11:45 PM
#37
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my 40c hybrid is SLX HG81 10s (11-13-15-17-19-21-24-28-32-36) 1x 42t round 40c
my 2.35 29er is XT M771 10s (11-13-15-17-19-21-24-28-32-36) 1x 32t oval
all of which has 10 gears vs my 50t oval x17 geared freewheel SS on 25c
My trek crossrip is 11-32 9s and I swapped the 50/34 out for a 48/36 (chainrings were take-offs, super cheap, and bolt on *shrugs*), the 36/32 is a grind, especially loaded, but doable. Not desirable. however for a headwind kind of a day I do love the 36.
regardless the OP is on a porky (no offense) RXM ,
I doubt that cadence is an Issue, he just doesn't want to grind a porky steel bike up the hills in 36/28 for a low.
I am with phork on the 11-36
and also making the front a 46/34 for cost of $18 for a 34t chainring is cheap! which could be done after the fact if the OP doesn't like a 36x36
my 2.35 29er is XT M771 10s (11-13-15-17-19-21-24-28-32-36) 1x 32t oval
all of which has 10 gears vs my 50t oval x17 geared freewheel SS on 25c
My trek crossrip is 11-32 9s and I swapped the 50/34 out for a 48/36 (chainrings were take-offs, super cheap, and bolt on *shrugs*), the 36/32 is a grind, especially loaded, but doable. Not desirable. however for a headwind kind of a day I do love the 36.
regardless the OP is on a porky (no offense) RXM ,
I'm doing primarily road riding with some dirt trails and gravel. In Maryland,
I am with phork on the 11-36
and also making the front a 46/34 for cost of $18 for a 34t chainring is cheap! which could be done after the fact if the OP doesn't like a 36x36
06-27-18, 09:53 AM
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Yeah, my crossrip eventually ended up with a 32/48 and 11-36 (oversized 35mm tires on i19 rims) and the 32x36 combo gets used a fair bit. For the first few months since I moved here I never used the big ring around town - it just wasn't necessary when you had a 15% grade downhill with a stop sign at the end of it or a 15%-20% grade climb the other way. We don't have much flat here, must have mined it all or something.
I've been thinking of replacing the rings (they're not the greatest; heavy - but at least they're ramped and pinned) but I'm sort of stuck with them as I have a gx 1400 crank on the thing and there aren't too many options. I even have the 104/64 mtn double spider but it is hell finding a 30t mountain ring that isn't a NW. There still really is a gap between the 28/42 mountain stuff and 34/50; the adventure cranks are out there but rare (and you have to abandon SRAM or Shimano crank arms to do it, most often).
FWIW, I think this is the market gap that let SRAM really push 1x, so they aren't motivated to fill it. I don't get when Shimano doesn't capitalize on this, but I suppose they'd rather not cater to the proles. As much as they make up new wacky bolt patterns for their cranks, you'd think they'd make room for subcompacts and corner that market...
I've been thinking of replacing the rings (they're not the greatest; heavy - but at least they're ramped and pinned) but I'm sort of stuck with them as I have a gx 1400 crank on the thing and there aren't too many options. I even have the 104/64 mtn double spider but it is hell finding a 30t mountain ring that isn't a NW. There still really is a gap between the 28/42 mountain stuff and 34/50; the adventure cranks are out there but rare (and you have to abandon SRAM or Shimano crank arms to do it, most often).
FWIW, I think this is the market gap that let SRAM really push 1x, so they aren't motivated to fill it. I don't get when Shimano doesn't capitalize on this, but I suppose they'd rather not cater to the proles. As much as they make up new wacky bolt patterns for their cranks, you'd think they'd make room for subcompacts and corner that market...
06-27-18, 12:36 PM
#39
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If you don't mind me asking, where are you riding gravel in MD? I've been looking for some new routes but haven't found much in my area (near DC).
06-27-18, 01:32 PM
#40
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In MoCo you can put together a paved/gravel loop around Sugarloaf. I know there are some significant gravel roads in Frederick which is where I'll be heading once I get more miles under my belt.
Here are some maps I've found: edit: huh, the links don't work right. If you google gravel biking maryland, you should be able to find the working links.
06-28-18, 02:24 AM
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Yeah, my crossrip eventually ended up with a 32/48 and 11-36 (oversized 35mm tires on i19 rims) and the 32x36 combo gets used a fair bit. For the first few months since I moved here I never used the big ring around town - it just wasn't necessary when you had a 15% grade downhill with a stop sign at the end of it or a 15%-20% grade climb the other way. We don't have much flat here, must have mined it all or something.
I've been thinking of replacing the rings (they're not the greatest; heavy - but at least they're ramped and pinned) but I'm sort of stuck with them as I have a gx 1400 crank on the thing and there aren't too many options. I even have the 104/64 mtn double spider but it is hell finding a 30t mountain ring that isn't a NW. There still really is a gap between the 28/42 mountain stuff and 34/50; the adventure cranks are out there but rare (and you have to abandon SRAM or Shimano crank arms to do it, most often).
FWIW, I think this is the market gap that let SRAM really push 1x, so they aren't motivated to fill it. I don't get when Shimano doesn't capitalize on this, but I suppose they'd rather not cater to the proles. As much as they make up new wacky bolt patterns for their cranks, you'd think they'd make room for subcompacts and corner that market...
I've been thinking of replacing the rings (they're not the greatest; heavy - but at least they're ramped and pinned) but I'm sort of stuck with them as I have a gx 1400 crank on the thing and there aren't too many options. I even have the 104/64 mtn double spider but it is hell finding a 30t mountain ring that isn't a NW. There still really is a gap between the 28/42 mountain stuff and 34/50; the adventure cranks are out there but rare (and you have to abandon SRAM or Shimano crank arms to do it, most often).
FWIW, I think this is the market gap that let SRAM really push 1x, so they aren't motivated to fill it. I don't get when Shimano doesn't capitalize on this, but I suppose they'd rather not cater to the proles. As much as they make up new wacky bolt patterns for their cranks, you'd think they'd make room for subcompacts and corner that market...
Ohio does not care about the 36x32 grind... or I just ignore it. I dunno I hate the crossrip bike, and mostly ***** about it lol. it's definitely not getting any more $ from me. Stupid is, When I ride scioto gravel I just ride my 29er.
06-28-18, 02:31 AM
#42
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when I rode the Niner RLT on single track. the 75mm drop wasn't bad, but if I was doing it regularly, I'd go insane!
07-05-18, 03:42 PM
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I am a fan of 1x, yet at the same time I am not. Really all depends on purpose/geography. On climbing I have seen/felt the benefit of oval. I was looking to replace the crossrip with Niner 853 RLT. and then drop on AB oval 46/30. pricey but.....
Ohio does not care about the 36x32 grind... or I just ignore it. I dunno I hate the crossrip bike, and mostly ***** about it lol. it's definitely not getting any more $ from me. Stupid is, When I ride scioto gravel I just ride my 29er.
Ohio does not care about the 36x32 grind... or I just ignore it. I dunno I hate the crossrip bike, and mostly ***** about it lol. it's definitely not getting any more $ from me. Stupid is, When I ride scioto gravel I just ride my 29er.
The gearing depends on the route (and the day), of course - some days 48x22 is all I need, other days I'll use 32x36 for a few climbs to avoid the need for a total hose-down when I get home, but that's in street clothes. However, one wrong turn and you'll see 25% grades here. Heaven help you if traffic makes you lose momentum on a warm day.
Fundamentally where we disagree is that there is a significant difference between your suggestion on 36x36 compared to my suggestion of 34x32. As you've shown the GI difference is minimal there. The difference is 71 vs 75rpm on the low end at 6mph, which is still classified as grinding to me and not significantly different. The 11-32 gets you significantly smaller jumps between gears, there's no two ways around this limitation of the 11-36. Again I use both interchangeably for a variety of conditions and the 11-36 isn't a good road biased cassette when you can achieve similar gearing without sacrificing the middle range.
07-18-18, 09:18 PM
#45
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Pick up a 34T for the front, and throw on an 11-32 in the back. Will work fine. Now that I think of it, this is the exact setup on my wife's road bike-- 46/34 with an 11-32, 105 short cage. Will even go full cross-chain without issue, because of the 46T up front.
I don't care for 36T small rings. I got her the 34T Ultegra chainring for like $12.
I don't care for 36T small rings. I got her the 34T Ultegra chainring for like $12.
K, perhaps I’m not the quickest guy out there (in many different ways) but I am finding it hard to get my hands on 46 & 34 tooth chain rings. I’ve got an older 105 crank (130mm) and I can’t find the rings to set this up.
Point me in the right direction.
07-19-18, 02:20 AM
#46
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You won't find a 34T because 38T is the smallest you can go with a 130BCD ring. For 34T you need to go down to 110BCD.
