Originally Posted by 79pmooney

I've never liked ratios. Too hard to remember and keep straight. I find the ancient and granted archaic system of "gear inches" is the easiest to remember and visualize.

OP, "gear inches" is simply the wheel an early bike rider on the high-wheeler of the 1880s was riding. (Also your kid's tricycle.) Both travel one wheel circumference with one complete pedal revolution.

Then chains came along. Suddenly anybody could ride any "wheel" they wanted. Since talking wheel diameter was accepted, people just kept doing exactly that, except now that "diameter" was the diameter of the equivalent high-wheel. Calculating it is simple measuring the outside diameter of the wheel you are riding and multiplying by the gear ratio used. (700c and 27" wheels with normal road tires come out close enough to 27".)

Chainring Teeth / Cassette Teeth X Wheel diameter (27" for most of us) = Gear Inches.


Gears over 100" are considered "high". Gears in the 60s, 70s and 80s "normal" for flat ground. Gears down to the 20s for climbing. Below that for fully loaded touring climbing.

Ben

Originally Posted by BoraxKid

If you want to work out the "best" shifting progression for your bike, this article, Gear Theory for Bicyclists, should explain it pretty well:

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/gear-theory.html

I believe that piece was written around the turn of the century, but most of the information still applies to bikes made in the 2 decades since. Good luck!

Originally Posted by sovende

For the the life of me, I cannot figure out why so many replies fail to answer an OP's question 🤔.

Originally Posted by shelbyfv

I expect it's BECAUSE folks recognize OP is inexperienced and is asking the wrong question. People are HELPFULLY trying to lead him to normal effective cycling and away from fringe armchair nattering. He has enough on his plate w/o thinking he should consult a CHART each time the terrain changes.