Will this gearing be okay for road?
07-21-18, 02:28 AM
#1
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Thread Starter
Will this gearing be okay for road?
I’m looking at a gravel bike with the following gearing:
Chainrings: 36/46T
Cassette: 11/28T
Not understanding a great deal about gearing at the moment, would the above be fine for road (tarmac) use in comparison with the gearing you would get on a dedicated road bike? Or would this be significantly slower?
I see that road bikes would typically have a larger chainring with 50T to 53T, but I’m wondering what real-world difference it would make compared to 46T for a very average leisure cyclist like me.
Chainrings: 36/46T
Cassette: 11/28T
Not understanding a great deal about gearing at the moment, would the above be fine for road (tarmac) use in comparison with the gearing you would get on a dedicated road bike? Or would this be significantly slower?
I see that road bikes would typically have a larger chainring with 50T to 53T, but I’m wondering what real-world difference it would make compared to 46T for a very average leisure cyclist like me.
07-21-18, 02:55 AM
#3
Full Member
Easy, just use a gear calculator.
46x11 at 90rpm with 700x28c tyres: 29.9mph
50x11: 32.5mph
53x11: 34.4mph
In my opinion 46x11 is more than enough for most people unless you're actually racing or you're all about those Strava times but i'm sure someone will argue with that.
I don't know what kind of terrain your ride, how strong are you, whether you like to mash or spin but 36/28 is not that low. Personally I would go with a 34/32 or with the new groups a 34/34. Gravity will do the job downhill, but sadly it won't help uphill.
This is just my personal opinon, and I have a 38T chainring with a 10-42 on my gravel bike that I ride on the road too...
46x11 at 90rpm with 700x28c tyres: 29.9mph
50x11: 32.5mph
53x11: 34.4mph
In my opinion 46x11 is more than enough for most people unless you're actually racing or you're all about those Strava times but i'm sure someone will argue with that.
I don't know what kind of terrain your ride, how strong are you, whether you like to mash or spin but 36/28 is not that low. Personally I would go with a 34/32 or with the new groups a 34/34. Gravity will do the job downhill, but sadly it won't help uphill.
This is just my personal opinon, and I have a 38T chainring with a 10-42 on my gravel bike that I ride on the road too...
07-21-18, 03:12 AM
#4
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Thread Starter
Thanks guys. I'm definitely not a racer so it looks like this gearing will be fine.
07-21-18, 06:05 AM
#5
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You said "slower".
It might be faster for you. Spinning in a comfortable zone at a good speed is what really increases average speed. Speeding down the occasional downhill is minimal. Sure exceptions might exist.
If the gearing is the right balance for you, I'd do it.
If you're worried you're going to spin out, think about all the gravel bikes going 1X. My bike is a 1x10, 38tooth up front, 11-42 in the back. The idea is to be able to climb a tree with the thing and be able to cruise flat dirt at 18-19 mph. For this, it will be fine. I'll spin out above 24-25. This bike simply isn't built to sustain speeds like that unless descending, so I think it'll be OK.
For a lot of us, gravel is another bike, not the only. I've got a friggin sweet (sub 18lb steel) road bike that I like more every time I ride it. If I want to go fast, I plot a route with only minor dirt, and smile the whole time. It's like having a Jeep and a sports car in the garage.
It might be faster for you. Spinning in a comfortable zone at a good speed is what really increases average speed. Speeding down the occasional downhill is minimal. Sure exceptions might exist.
If the gearing is the right balance for you, I'd do it.
If you're worried you're going to spin out, think about all the gravel bikes going 1X. My bike is a 1x10, 38tooth up front, 11-42 in the back. The idea is to be able to climb a tree with the thing and be able to cruise flat dirt at 18-19 mph. For this, it will be fine. I'll spin out above 24-25. This bike simply isn't built to sustain speeds like that unless descending, so I think it'll be OK.
For a lot of us, gravel is another bike, not the only. I've got a friggin sweet (sub 18lb steel) road bike that I like more every time I ride it. If I want to go fast, I plot a route with only minor dirt, and smile the whole time. It's like having a Jeep and a sports car in the garage.
07-21-18, 06:30 AM
#6
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Do you have many hills nearby? 36x28 isn't an ideal climbing gear for a relatively new cyclist. Or a not that new cyclist that has a 3 mile climb ahead.
If you're on gravel, standing to climb can often lead to wheel slip, depending on conditions, too.
If you're on gravel, standing to climb can often lead to wheel slip, depending on conditions, too.
07-21-18, 08:34 AM
#7
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I’m looking at a gravel bike with the following gearing:
Chainrings: 36/46T
Cassette: 11/28T
Not understanding a great deal about gearing at the moment, would the above be fine for road (tarmac) use in comparison with the gearing you would get on a dedicated road bike? Or would this be significantly slower?
I see that road bikes would typically have a larger chainring with 50T to 53T, but I’m wondering what real-world difference it would make compared to 46T for a very average leisure cyclist like me.
Chainrings: 36/46T
Cassette: 11/28T
Not understanding a great deal about gearing at the moment, would the above be fine for road (tarmac) use in comparison with the gearing you would get on a dedicated road bike? Or would this be significantly slower?
I see that road bikes would typically have a larger chainring with 50T to 53T, but I’m wondering what real-world difference it would make compared to 46T for a very average leisure cyclist like me.
07-21-18, 09:08 AM
#8
Senior Member
Thread Starter
The stock tyres on the bike will be 700x38c.
07-21-18, 09:45 AM
#9
Senior Member
You'll be missing around 1 high gear compared with most current road bikes. Unlikely to be much of an issue.
Unless your gravel routes are pretty flat, I'd be more nervous about the 36-28 low gear.
Unless your gravel routes are pretty flat, I'd be more nervous about the 36-28 low gear.
07-21-18, 10:01 AM
#10
Banned
Common cyclocross gearing , these days.
46:11 is just over 4:1 like a 52:13.
like the bike? you can always change components, to suit the particular road you ride over .. 34 , 50 or what ever...
Not understanding a great deal about gearing at the moment, would the above be fine for road (tarmac) use in comparison with the gearing you would get on a dedicated road bike? Or would this be significantly slower?
I see that road bikes would typically have a larger chainring with 50T to 53T, but I’m wondering what real-world difference it would make compared to 46T for a very average leisure cyclist like me.
I see that road bikes would typically have a larger chainring with 50T to 53T, but I’m wondering what real-world difference it would make compared to 46T for a very average leisure cyclist like me.
...
Last edited by fietsbob; 07-21-18 at 10:05 AM.
07-21-18, 10:07 AM
#11
Full Member
36x28 at 90rpm with 45mm tyres: 9.7mph
You would need to drop more than 1 and less 2 sprockets at the back to match the 23mm tyres.
At the top end the difference would be around 1.5mph.
07-21-18, 10:46 AM
#12
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Just wanted to chime in since I have this gearing on one of my bikes (well, “had”...I eventually replaced the 36t chainring with a 34t...not much of a difference, but that’s as low as you can go on the standard 110bcd cranksets).
As others have said, 46/11 is plenty on the top end unless you need to go 30+ on a downhill. 36/28 low gear is the bigger problem. For me it is enough on short rides, but after an hour or two on gravel I need lower...If I lived near substantial hills it would be tough. The longest race I’ve done on that bike was 50 miles of gravel, and by the end I had used 36/28 several times on some hills and would have loved a lower gear.
Then again, you may be different. Some people ride single speed around here on a much higher gear than that and leave me in the dust!
As others have said, 46/11 is plenty on the top end unless you need to go 30+ on a downhill. 36/28 low gear is the bigger problem. For me it is enough on short rides, but after an hour or two on gravel I need lower...If I lived near substantial hills it would be tough. The longest race I’ve done on that bike was 50 miles of gravel, and by the end I had used 36/28 several times on some hills and would have loved a lower gear.
Then again, you may be different. Some people ride single speed around here on a much higher gear than that and leave me in the dust!
07-21-18, 01:40 PM
#13
Senior Member
Wait a minute. Does that mean I'm actually riding a "GRAVEL" bike?
OH NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!
07-21-18, 01:57 PM
#14
Full Member
Wait a minute, I just remembered that even my rims say gravel on them!
Last edited by Facanh; 07-21-18 at 02:00 PM.
07-21-18, 02:07 PM
#15
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I’m looking at a gravel bike with the following gearing:
Chainrings: 36/46T
Cassette: 11/28T
Not understanding a great deal about gearing at the moment, would the above be fine for road (tarmac) use in comparison with the gearing you would get on a dedicated road bike? Or would this be significantly slower?
I see that road bikes would typically have a larger chainring with 50T to 53T, but I’m wondering what real-world difference it would make compared to 46T for a very average leisure cyclist like me.
Chainrings: 36/46T
Cassette: 11/28T
Not understanding a great deal about gearing at the moment, would the above be fine for road (tarmac) use in comparison with the gearing you would get on a dedicated road bike? Or would this be significantly slower?
I see that road bikes would typically have a larger chainring with 50T to 53T, but I’m wondering what real-world difference it would make compared to 46T for a very average leisure cyclist like me.
07-21-18, 09:03 PM
#16
Senior Member
I agree with many previous posters: your highest gear (46/11) is not an issue but lowest (36/28) is not low enough for hills, especially hills without pavement. Around me "flat" ride is about 55ft / 1 mile elevation and I know that on a long ride I'll just die with this gearing. I have 34/32 and sometimes, for some hills, I wish to have something even lower.
07-21-18, 09:11 PM
#17
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your 46x11 on a 700x38 will be enough.
you low end of 36x 28 may be questionable.
low end all depends on how much distance/elevation is on your climbs. short hills It will be okay, but 3-5 KM 5-10% grades.... it will suck.
Low end is easy to fix with a change in the rear cassette, possibly a RD.
you low end of 36x 28 may be questionable.
low end all depends on how much distance/elevation is on your climbs. short hills It will be okay, but 3-5 KM 5-10% grades.... it will suck.
Low end is easy to fix with a change in the rear cassette, possibly a RD.
07-22-18, 03:13 AM
#18
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Thanks all, I'm going to go for it. There's no very long hills - perhaps a medium climb for about 1.5 KM or so that I've tackled dozens of times with my bikes past and present, and it's tarmac.
07-22-18, 04:20 AM
#20
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Thread Starter
I managed to get one of these at around 50% discount:
Blue Competition Cycles-PROSECCO EX-GRAVEL
It was mentioned in a different thread in this section asking why it's not more popular. At that time I couldn't find a good price on it here in the UK. Then a few days ago I found the bike in a clearout sale.
I would have bought a Specialized gravel/adventure bike from my nearby Speacialized store but I've been unimpressed with their customer care. I also wanted a bike with more off-the-shelf components rather than too many customised bits on it.
Blue Competition Cycles-PROSECCO EX-GRAVEL
It was mentioned in a different thread in this section asking why it's not more popular. At that time I couldn't find a good price on it here in the UK. Then a few days ago I found the bike in a clearout sale.
I would have bought a Specialized gravel/adventure bike from my nearby Speacialized store but I've been unimpressed with their customer care. I also wanted a bike with more off-the-shelf components rather than too many customised bits on it.
07-22-18, 05:41 AM
#21
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I managed to get one of these at around 50% discount:
Blue Competition Cycles-PROSECCO EX-GRAVEL
It was mentioned in a different thread in this section asking why it's not more popular. At that time I couldn't find a good price on it here in the UK. Then a few days ago I found the bike in a clearout sale.
I would have bought a Specialized gravel/adventure bike from my nearby Speacialized store but I've been unimpressed with their customer care. I also wanted a bike with more off-the-shelf components rather than too many customised bits on it.
Blue Competition Cycles-PROSECCO EX-GRAVEL
It was mentioned in a different thread in this section asking why it's not more popular. At that time I couldn't find a good price on it here in the UK. Then a few days ago I found the bike in a clearout sale.
I would have bought a Specialized gravel/adventure bike from my nearby Speacialized store but I've been unimpressed with their customer care. I also wanted a bike with more off-the-shelf components rather than too many customised bits on it.
07-23-18, 08:03 AM
#23
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I’m looking at a gravel bike with the following gearing:
Chainrings: 36/46T
Cassette: 11/28T
Not understanding a great deal about gearing at the moment, would the above be fine for road (tarmac) use in comparison with the gearing you would get on a dedicated road bike? Or would this be significantly slower?
I see that road bikes would typically have a larger chainring with 50T to 53T, but I’m wondering what real-world difference it would make compared to 46T for a very average leisure cyclist like me.
Chainrings: 36/46T
Cassette: 11/28T
Not understanding a great deal about gearing at the moment, would the above be fine for road (tarmac) use in comparison with the gearing you would get on a dedicated road bike? Or would this be significantly slower?
I see that road bikes would typically have a larger chainring with 50T to 53T, but I’m wondering what real-world difference it would make compared to 46T for a very average leisure cyclist like me.
07-23-18, 10:12 AM
#24
Jet Jockey
Top end gearing for racers used to be 52/13, which was plenty to set speeds that I can’t hold, and you probably can’t either. 46/11 is taller than 52/13.
I sometimes take my cross bike on fast road rides with essentially the same gearing you’re talking about. I can find the top when I’m going downhill, but seldom on a flat.
My “fast” bike has 52/12 at the top end, which is near equivalent.
I know plenty of guys with 53t chainrings who ride around cross chained nearly 100% of the time.
I sometimes take my cross bike on fast road rides with essentially the same gearing you’re talking about. I can find the top when I’m going downhill, but seldom on a flat.
My “fast” bike has 52/12 at the top end, which is near equivalent.
I know plenty of guys with 53t chainrings who ride around cross chained nearly 100% of the time.
07-27-18, 03:27 PM
#25
Senior Member
44/32 with an 11-32 9 speed is what I run. I can’t turn a 50 t. If you are happy with your 46 at your most comfortable rpm, then just work on your fitness/ engine. I can roll 18/19 mph no prob. 20 is about my cap currently. Pushing over that I start to redline.