reconnaissance

WizardOfBoz

I like this for the same reason I like slide rules: it gives you a sense of just how important (or unimportant) accuracy to the 4th decimal point is.

prj71

Unimportant

djb

Sheldon brown one cuz it's straightforward and clearly shows percentage jumps between each shift

And the "HTML gear calculator" because it's so flexible, you can change stuff on the fly and easily visually compare two setups, a great tool. Doesn't display percentage jumps clearly though, which is nice to know.

AnkleWork

Post-internet era.

Retro Grouch 

Whenever I want to look up that stuff I just work out each ratio with my pocket calculator. It's faster than using a chart if you include the time I'd have to spend looking for the chart.

BengalCat

Thanks for posting that as it contains good info to know. Unfortunately, maybe I'm the only one, but I have to confess that I find my ability to read or understand that graph/chart a bit visually challenging. It's not the gear feet concept info but the chart that is confusing.

AnkleWork

Just curious: would it be easier to calculate it? [Not a rhetorical question. I really want to understand the spectrum of abilities and how it changes over time.]

Crankycrank

For graph challenged types, such as myself, I like this calculator. BikeCalc.com - Bicycle Gear Ratio Chart

djb

to me the chart is confusing. Heck the paper chart I used in 1991 to figure out my gearing change then was much clearer than this.

xroadcharlie

I love this gear calculator. It takes a little time to get used to it, But once you do in an instant you can see where the ratio's between any # of gears and chainrings are to large and where they overlap. You can even set the max chain angle to show only the gears with minimum cross chaining.

Bicycle Gear Calculator

It's true what they say "A picture is worth 1,000 words" or in this case, Numbers.

FiftySix

Takes two fingers. Put one finger on the chain ring number and the other finger on the cog number. Slide the chain ring finger down the angled line while sliding the cog finger up the angled line. When your fingers meet, slide one finger to the right on the horizontal line.

I never used a slide rule like Wizard of Boz mentioned, but I did spend many hours using a cardboard E6B flight computer back in the day.

JanMM

Which 26" wheel size does the chart reference? Which 20" wheel size? What about 700/622? Etc.
I vote for online gear calculators.

Steve B.

That’s extensive but ultimately useless as you don’t need to see every potential gear combo for all chainrings between 30 and 46. I have a single 30 and a single 46, that’s all I want to see the gear combos for,

Crankycrank

In your case just enter 30 (or 46) in the MIN: box and 30 (or 46) in the MAX: box at the top of the page.

Steve B.

Yes, got that, but it then lists every ratio for every potential chainring between 30 and 46. That displays a lot of useless info as nobody has that type of system. It wants to just show the ratio for the 1,2 or 3 chainrings used, as Sheldons gear calculator shows.