Gear ratios for Hills
06-23-20, 09:49 AM
#51
Junior Member
Thread Starter
If your crank will take a 30t chainring, problem solved and shouldn't be a lot of money. That's if your RD can take up the slack. I swapped out RD and cassette this year to get close to where you are now, low gear at 1.12:1. It's perfect for the hilly area I live. I couldn't put a much smaller chainring on, as I have a 39t on 130bcd crank.
Mg gravel bike has low gear of 0.84 (30F/34R) and that's good for remaining seated for traction on loose sand and gravel slopes.
If standing up and grinding up the hills is too much, try the 30t chainring. There's no such thing as a gear too low when you are fatigued, the hills are long and steep, the temperature and humidity are high, etc. A gear low enough to allow you to remain seated will keep you from passing out when your not up to standing on the pedals.
Mg gravel bike has low gear of 0.84 (30F/34R) and that's good for remaining seated for traction on loose sand and gravel slopes.
If standing up and grinding up the hills is too much, try the 30t chainring. There's no such thing as a gear too low when you are fatigued, the hills are long and steep, the temperature and humidity are high, etc. A gear low enough to allow you to remain seated will keep you from passing out when your not up to standing on the pedals.
06-23-20, 03:33 PM
#52
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Back in 2001 i decided that I was going to build up one of Miele frames with Campagnolo components. I chose 9-speed Mirage and Verloce. The Mirage were bought when they were the same performance as the Veloce but a lot less money. The two Mirage components are the Ergo levers and the front derialleur.
When I was planning the build I looked to the future and what my riding might be. I decided to get a triple crankset with 30-42-52 chainrings. Ifigured the 30 would be good for the steep hills I sometimes encounter or for those times when I'm climbing a moderate grade and fighting a stiff headwind. I LOVE that 30 teeth chainring.
Cheers
When I was planning the build I looked to the future and what my riding might be. I decided to get a triple crankset with 30-42-52 chainrings. Ifigured the 30 would be good for the steep hills I sometimes encounter or for those times when I'm climbing a moderate grade and fighting a stiff headwind. I LOVE that 30 teeth chainring.
Cheers
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06-23-20, 04:25 PM
#53
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Another thing I considered when I got the 30 teeth triple crankset instead of the double crankset was that I'd be getting older and I'd still want to ride that bike. That was 19 years ago and now that I'm 69 the triple crankset means I can still ride that bike up some pretty impressive grades and I can do it without having to stand up on the pedals. Far better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. LOL
Oh, since then I've moved all those components over to another Miele with Columbus SLX tubing.
Cheers
Oh, since then I've moved all those components over to another Miele with Columbus SLX tubing.
Cheers
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06-23-20, 06:00 PM
#54
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it would be nice to have a 34-34 bailout gear or a triple to assist but in my experience, rock whatcha got. the legs and tendons will adjust if you ride the hard hills frequently enuff. you’re light enough to maximize the weight/power ratio. was able to straight ahead climb a 37% quarter mile grade in los angeles, ca with a 34x28 lowest gear but i was in pretty good
hill-climbing shape then. it’s nice to spin up hills but there are some hills that are, and will always be, a grindfest...regardless of gearing.
hill-climbing shape then. it’s nice to spin up hills but there are some hills that are, and will always be, a grindfest...regardless of gearing.
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06-23-20, 06:13 PM
#55
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it would be nice to have a 34-34 bailout gear or a triple to assist but in my experience, rock whatcha got. the legs and tendons will adjust if you ride the hard hills frequently enuff. you’re light enough to maximize the weight/power ratio. was able to straight ahead climb a 37% quarter mile grade in los angeles, ca with a 34x28 lowest gear but i was in pretty good
hill-climbing shape then. it’s nice to spin up hills but there are some hills that are, and will always be, a grindfest...regardless of gearing.
hill-climbing shape then. it’s nice to spin up hills but there are some hills that are, and will always be, a grindfest...regardless of gearing.
YMMV
Cheers
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06-24-20, 12:05 AM
#56
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^ihave found that resorting to easier to spin gears (on two different bikes) has made it much easier to do longish (3+ mile) climbs
but made it harder to power up and over the shortish, (.10-.50 mile) mostly standing 8%+ climbs. lacking the strength to do the short and steep stuff.
as always, it's what you train for or ride the most that prepares and conditions you. maybe it's just me with the 34 bailout gear but there have been more than a few times
when i didn't want to use it but knew that i had it...so i did.
ime/imo, it's relatively easy to pace a long climb...especially if you're (semi) familiar with it. the shortish and steep stuff is over quickly but can mess you up if you're not
conditioned for it. i'd rather be conditioned for the punchy stuff vs the long stuff since one translates decently to the other (for me) but not vice versa. yrmv.
but made it harder to power up and over the shortish, (.10-.50 mile) mostly standing 8%+ climbs. lacking the strength to do the short and steep stuff.
as always, it's what you train for or ride the most that prepares and conditions you. maybe it's just me with the 34 bailout gear but there have been more than a few times
when i didn't want to use it but knew that i had it...so i did.
ime/imo, it's relatively easy to pace a long climb...especially if you're (semi) familiar with it. the shortish and steep stuff is over quickly but can mess you up if you're not
conditioned for it. i'd rather be conditioned for the punchy stuff vs the long stuff since one translates decently to the other (for me) but not vice versa. yrmv.
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06-24-20, 04:04 AM
#57
Senior Member
Hi all,
I hope you can help.
I'm new to cycling and live in a very hilly place (Lake District) which has 25% - 30% hills, I have SRAM Force Etap AXS gears - 10/33 and 33/46 gears which gives a 1:1 ratio which I hear is quite low for road cycling.
However, I was wondering how much easier it would be going up hills if moving to 10/36 and 30/43? The cost of change I think is quite high so don't want to make the change only to find the difference is tiny. I'm planning a 112m 13k feet of elevation ride and need all assistance possible.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Cheers.
I hope you can help.
I'm new to cycling and live in a very hilly place (Lake District) which has 25% - 30% hills, I have SRAM Force Etap AXS gears - 10/33 and 33/46 gears which gives a 1:1 ratio which I hear is quite low for road cycling.
However, I was wondering how much easier it would be going up hills if moving to 10/36 and 30/43? The cost of change I think is quite high so don't want to make the change only to find the difference is tiny. I'm planning a 112m 13k feet of elevation ride and need all assistance possible.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Cheers.
More sense than sucking it up with 1:1.
