SSCX gearing
#1
Full Member
Thread Starter
SSCX gearing
The SSCX bike I just picked up is currently geared at 40/18, which is great for shallow gravel/dirt inclines, but seems like it's going to be a teeny bit tall for sharp, muddy inclines without momentum.
The cheapest option is "lots of squats before Fall." The next cheapest option is clearly a new rear cog. I was thinking a 20T, for a 2:1 ratio. Is that reasonable? I've never done cross at all, though I ride 100-200 miles per week on the road.
Final question: if I get a 20T cog, any brands I should look for? Surly cogs seem pretty solid.
Thanks!
The cheapest option is "lots of squats before Fall." The next cheapest option is clearly a new rear cog. I was thinking a 20T, for a 2:1 ratio. Is that reasonable? I've never done cross at all, though I ride 100-200 miles per week on the road.
Final question: if I get a 20T cog, any brands I should look for? Surly cogs seem pretty solid.
Thanks!
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Sherwood, OR
Posts: 1,279
Mentioned: 29 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 336 Post(s)
Liked 309 Times
in
180 Posts
2:1 is about what most people ride. Because you are in Washington, I’m going to go out on a limb and assume that there is no such thing as a flat course.
I am a spinner, so I don’t even mind going just under 2:1. If you go too low, you won’t be able to keep up on flats or long downhills. If you bog down on a steep hill, get off and run.
If you are a masher, don’t run a higher gear; learn how to spin.
Cat5: 40:22 or 40:20/36:18
Cat4: 40:20 or 42:20
Cat3: 40:18 or 42:18
Cat2: 42:18 or 40:16
Cat1: 42:16
For ‘cross, I like to use even chainrings and cogs so you can run narrow-wide, which you can’t do with odd-numbered cogs. Surly cogs are good, Chris King are better. Just make sure and get ones with a wider base, especially if you have an aluminum freehub shell. Wolf tooth and others make narrow-wide chainrings and cogs.
I am a spinner, so I don’t even mind going just under 2:1. If you go too low, you won’t be able to keep up on flats or long downhills. If you bog down on a steep hill, get off and run.
If you are a masher, don’t run a higher gear; learn how to spin.
Cat5: 40:22 or 40:20/36:18
Cat4: 40:20 or 42:20
Cat3: 40:18 or 42:18
Cat2: 42:18 or 40:16
Cat1: 42:16
For ‘cross, I like to use even chainrings and cogs so you can run narrow-wide, which you can’t do with odd-numbered cogs. Surly cogs are good, Chris King are better. Just make sure and get ones with a wider base, especially if you have an aluminum freehub shell. Wolf tooth and others make narrow-wide chainrings and cogs.
Likes For aggiegrads:
#3
Full Member
Thread Starter
Thank you! And yeah. Nothing flat. Even the beach coruses head up hills into the woods. One of the reasons for SSCX is staying in shape for next summer's track season, and we're locked in a warmup gear (48/15) until Cat3, so I would definitely lean toward spinning.
#4
Full Member
if you are going to compete in the SSCX, being a good runner is a plus.
Likes For sgtdirt:
#5
Full Member
Thread Starter
Me: "Is there anything that would actually make me GOOD at?"
Fitter: "Well, only if you can find a sport where you have to run up really steep hills really fast?"
BOOM!
Likes For cormacf:
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Michigan
Posts: 4,863
Bikes: too many of all kinds
Mentioned: 35 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1147 Post(s)
Liked 415 Times
in
335 Posts
48/15 is a warmup gear? Geeze.
that is about what our gear limit is (90")
We do have a CX race that covers part of an old outdoor velodrome. I always pass people there because no one seems to know how to attack effectively on a velodrome. ;-)
but if you are a velodrome guy, you should be able to spin 130 and a lot more (150?) with no problem.
Running 1/8" on the SSCX?
Pratice dismounts/mounts and running for the SSCX duty!
for race day - 40/20 seems a bit tall to me (but I do like to spin). I average about 10mph, and probably don't do over 13-14mph unless I'm going down hill. ya need to practice, but i'd probably do something like 40/30.
that is about what our gear limit is (90")
We do have a CX race that covers part of an old outdoor velodrome. I always pass people there because no one seems to know how to attack effectively on a velodrome. ;-)
but if you are a velodrome guy, you should be able to spin 130 and a lot more (150?) with no problem.
Running 1/8" on the SSCX?
Pratice dismounts/mounts and running for the SSCX duty!
for race day - 40/20 seems a bit tall to me (but I do like to spin). I average about 10mph, and probably don't do over 13-14mph unless I'm going down hill. ya need to practice, but i'd probably do something like 40/30.
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Sacramento, California, USA
Posts: 40,865
Bikes: Specialized Tarmac, Canyon Exceed, Specialized Transition, Ellsworth Roots, Ridley Excalibur
Mentioned: 68 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2952 Post(s)
Liked 3,106 Times
in
1,417 Posts
My kid won the local U18 series riding 41x18 on his SSCX. But he's also a 200m/400m runner on the track team and spends a lot of time working on his dismounts/remounts. He says "you don't win any prizes for riding the entire course."
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: NWNJ
Posts: 3,704
Bikes: Road bike is a Carbon Bianchi C2C & Grandis (1980's), Gary Fisher Mt Bike, Trek Tandem & Mongoose SS MTB circa 1992.
Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 722 Post(s)
Liked 353 Times
in
226 Posts
The SSCX bike I just picked up is currently geared at 40/18, which is great for shallow gravel/dirt inclines, but seems like it's going to be a teeny bit tall for sharp, muddy inclines without momentum.
The cheapest option is "lots of squats before Fall." The next cheapest option is clearly a new rear cog. I was thinking a 20T, for a 2:1 ratio. Is that reasonable? I've never done cross at all, though I ride 100-200 miles per week on the road.
Final question: if I get a 20T cog, any brands I should look for? Surly cogs seem pretty solid.
Thanks!
The cheapest option is "lots of squats before Fall." The next cheapest option is clearly a new rear cog. I was thinking a 20T, for a 2:1 ratio. Is that reasonable? I've never done cross at all, though I ride 100-200 miles per week on the road.
Final question: if I get a 20T cog, any brands I should look for? Surly cogs seem pretty solid.
Thanks!
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Sherwood, OR
Posts: 1,279
Mentioned: 29 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 336 Post(s)
Liked 309 Times
in
180 Posts
I don’t regret getting a SSCX bike. I didn’t even regret getting a second one.
#12
Senior Member
Multiple stretches of .5-1 mile averaging 11%+. Also lengthy spans of flat and shallow downhill. I can't imagine any single-speed configuration on which this ride wouldn't suck.
It would be pretty difficult to concoct a gravel ride in this area on which a single-speed wouldn't be massively annoying for large stretches, unless riding back and forth on unpaved MUPs is your jam.
I could imagine having fun with SSCX in SSCX races, but that's about it around here.
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: NWNJ
Posts: 3,704
Bikes: Road bike is a Carbon Bianchi C2C & Grandis (1980's), Gary Fisher Mt Bike, Trek Tandem & Mongoose SS MTB circa 1992.
Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 722 Post(s)
Liked 353 Times
in
226 Posts
nwnj is hilly. great rail trail stuff 100 miles of trails single track stuff.
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Sherwood, OR
Posts: 1,279
Mentioned: 29 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 336 Post(s)
Liked 309 Times
in
180 Posts
Hardly advice that's useful everywhere. I mean, here's a ride I did recently on my gravel bike:
Multiple stretches of .5-1 mile averaging 11%+. Also lengthy spans of flat and shallow downhill. I can't imagine any single-speed configuration on which this ride wouldn't suck.
It would be pretty difficult to concoct a gravel ride in this area on which a single-speed wouldn't be massively annoying for large stretches, unless riding back and forth on unpaved MUPs is your jam.
I could imagine having fun with SSCX in SSCX races, but that's about it around here.
Multiple stretches of .5-1 mile averaging 11%+. Also lengthy spans of flat and shallow downhill. I can't imagine any single-speed configuration on which this ride wouldn't suck.
It would be pretty difficult to concoct a gravel ride in this area on which a single-speed wouldn't be massively annoying for large stretches, unless riding back and forth on unpaved MUPs is your jam.
I could imagine having fun with SSCX in SSCX races, but that's about it around here.
I’m sorry that you cannot avoid 2,000’ sustained climbs where you live; single speeds are great fun in the right terrain.