How many gears should I need on my folding bike
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2020
Posts: 6
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
How many gears should I need on my folding bike
Hi everyone
Just wondering is a 1x9 speed gear option sufficient for a folding bike ? I intend to ride mostly in the city or parks in Singapore which occasionally have slopes and uphills. Is it necessary to have more gear then that ?
Do let me know thanks
Just wondering is a 1x9 speed gear option sufficient for a folding bike ? I intend to ride mostly in the city or parks in Singapore which occasionally have slopes and uphills. Is it necessary to have more gear then that ?
Do let me know thanks
#3
Junior Member
I would think plenty, especially if the range of the nine gears is reasonably high. Road bike cassettes can be quite narrow range, eg 12-25, but mountain bike cassettes can be much wider, eg 11-40. Foldies tend to be in between but if the rear cassette is something like 11-28 or 11-32 then probably good enough. It is fairly easy to expand the range a little, and perfectly feasible to expand it a lot on most foldies.
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Henrico, VA
Posts: 1,480
Bikes: Origami Gazelle, Origami Crane 8, Origami Cricket 7
Mentioned: 10 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 452 Post(s)
Liked 405 Times
in
241 Posts
The gear range is more important than the number of gear ratios. The higher number of gears gives you more options, but you may find that you only use a few anyway.
__________________
Paul Pinigis
Owner of Origami Bicycle Company
Paul Pinigis
Owner of Origami Bicycle Company
Likes For Pinigis:
#5
Newbie
It is personal ofcourse, but for me 1x9 is enough. I own a 20” fb with original 53 chainwheel and 36-11 cassette. If the steepest hills would become too tough for me, I would replace the front cw by a smaller one. Even then, the 11 would be way too heavy for me. But so far, 20” 53/36 (equivalent with 28” 38/36 !) Will do up hill (steepest). Down hill and/or tail wind I never shift heavier than 15 on my cassette.
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Ashland, VA
Posts: 4,420
Bikes: The keepers: 1958 Raleigh Lenton Grand Prix, 1968 Ranger, 1969 Magneet Sprint, 1971 Gitane Tour de France, 1973 Raleigh Tourist, 3 - 1986 Rossins, and a '77 PX-10 frame in process.
Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 221 Post(s)
Liked 237 Times
in
129 Posts
1x9? Why? Hell, I'm doing just fine with a Raleigh Twenty with a three-speed Sturmey Archer hub and a 44-16t drivetrain. Direct drive is a 55 gear inches, low is 49, high is 62. I usually try to center my commuter drivetrains about a 55-56 gear.
Don't get too impressed with too many gears. What you really need is a gear midway in your selection that's comfortable for a 12-14mph cruising on the flats at your preferred cadence, then a gear or two above that, maybe two or three gears below it (you always need more choices climbing, downhills are made for coasting) and you're set.
Don't get too impressed with too many gears. What you really need is a gear midway in your selection that's comfortable for a 12-14mph cruising on the flats at your preferred cadence, then a gear or two above that, maybe two or three gears below it (you always need more choices climbing, downhills are made for coasting) and you're set.
__________________
Syke
“No one in this world, so far as I know — and I have searched the records for years, and employed agents to help me — has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people. Nor has anyone ever lost public office thereby.”
H.L. Mencken, (1926)
Syke
“No one in this world, so far as I know — and I have searched the records for years, and employed agents to help me — has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people. Nor has anyone ever lost public office thereby.”
H.L. Mencken, (1926)
Likes For sykerocker:
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Madison, WI
Posts: 11,207
Bikes: 1961 Ideor, 1966 Perfekt 3 Speed AB Hub, 1994 Bridgestone MB-6, 2006 Airnimal Joey, 2009 Thorn Sherpa, 2013 Thorn Nomad MkII, 2015 VO Pass Hunter, 2017 Lynskey Backroad, 2017 Raleigh Gran Prix, 1980s Bianchi Mixte on a trainer. Others are now gone.
Mentioned: 48 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3461 Post(s)
Liked 1,466 Times
in
1,144 Posts
It really depends on how steep the hills are and how fast you want to go. If I was riding in some parks and there was a lot of foot traffic that would keep my speed lower, if the hills were shallow a 9 speed cassette would be more than adequate. But if I was trying to ride up and down hills as fast as I would on one of my full size bikes, I need a wider range of gearing.
Likes For Tourist in MSN:
#9
Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 144
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 72 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 19 Times
in
16 Posts
This question has more to do with the rider than the bike. My wife rides a 2 speed Brompton and climbs thousands of feet. I have a 6 speed and have trouble keeping up with her on climbs. If you're a strong rider and don't mind standing up for climbs, I'd say less is more. I've been riding her 2 speed while she's away the last week on flat roads and it's fine.
Likes For Pahana:
#10
Full Member
I have an 8 speed Xootr Swift and a Brompton which has gearing ranging from 32 to 95 gear inches. I use 2 different rear wheels on the Brompton....a chain pusher 3 speed on one and a Sturmey Archer 3 speed on the other. I also have a 58 and 38 tooth chainrings for greasy vinger shifting. I only use the 38 when going up 10% grades. 90% of the time the 3 gears and the 58 tooth chainring are all I need. Serious climbs do require sub 30 gear inch options especially if the climbs are long and there are headwinds. One of the problems with small wheeled bikes is getting higher gear inches. Solutions include IGH hubs, large chainrings or 11 tooth sprockets and maybe all 3. What could drive your call could be...
The terrain, flat or hilly.
The frequency and strength of headwinds.
DIstance you plan on riding.
How heavy a load you will need to carry
How fast you like to go.
Are you a grinder or a spinner?
The terrain, flat or hilly.
The frequency and strength of headwinds.
DIstance you plan on riding.
How heavy a load you will need to carry
How fast you like to go.
Are you a grinder or a spinner?
#11
55+ Club,...
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Somewhere in New York, NY
Posts: 4,325
Bikes: 9+,...
Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1114 Post(s)
Liked 849 Times
in
593 Posts
Here's a nice 27 speed Solorock
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JOVTK2A..._V.5XFbJBTK686
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JOVTK2A..._V.5XFbJBTK686
__________________
If it wasn't for you meddling kids,...
#12
Not a newbie to cycling
Join Date: Oct 2020
Posts: 911
Bikes: Omnium Cargo Ti with Rohloff, Bullitt Milk Plus, Dahon Smooth Hound
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 356 Post(s)
Liked 323 Times
in
199 Posts
It's more about the gearing being low enough and/or high enough. Many gears are only good if you stay in the various gears for a while or if you're all about hitting a specific cadence.
So, yes: Low enough to be comfortable up the most likely hills you will hit, and high enough to also get a good speed going on the flats at least. Downhill, you can coast if need be.
So, yes: Low enough to be comfortable up the most likely hills you will hit, and high enough to also get a good speed going on the flats at least. Downhill, you can coast if need be.
#13
Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Singapore
Posts: 12
Bikes: Fnhon Storm
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 10 Times
in
2 Posts
Singapore aint got many hills, just slight slopes around some main rds or pcn. So yeah, 9 speed is fine. I bought a brompton 6 speed thinking 2-3 speed is not enough, but ended up only using gear 3-6 only.
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Baltimore, MD
Posts: 536
Bikes: Vilano Urbana, DownTube FS9, Montaque paratrooper, Nano mini-velo, Motobecane CX, Raleigh 20, MIFA folder, ROG Pony, Iverson Grand Touring folder, Exclusiv German folder
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 168 Post(s)
Liked 191 Times
in
119 Posts
It isn't the number as much as it is the range. Research 'gear inches' on the Sheldon Brown site. For my case, if I want to go up steep hills I need low to be about 20 inches. If I want to go fast I need high to be at least 100. inches.
Likes For mirfi:
#15
Newbie
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 32
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 8 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 9 Times
in
7 Posts
I have a Brompton with an Alfine 11 and I use all my gears riding through rolling hills.
It depends also on your style of riding. I keep my cadence between 85 an 95 most of the time.
For touring in the mountains, I have added a double chainring ---- this gives me a gear range of over 600 % (15 to 95 gear inches).
See
mybikesite.org/#Alfine11
It depends also on your style of riding. I keep my cadence between 85 an 95 most of the time.
For touring in the mountains, I have added a double chainring ---- this gives me a gear range of over 600 % (15 to 95 gear inches).
See
mybikesite.org/#Alfine11
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2020
Location: Eastern Poland
Posts: 744
Bikes: Romet Jubilat x 4, Wigry x 1, Turing x 1
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 194 Post(s)
Liked 204 Times
in
151 Posts
The more gears one has the more weight there is to lug around when folded and a higher risk of something going wrong. There is also our tendency to err on the side of too much.
I have mostly gentle slopes between me and the shops I visit, for which my single-speed coaster brake is adequate. I have a three-speed derailleur which will get me around the city, and a 5-speed gearset I could fit instead that would make life a bit easier when carrying heavy shopping. I also have a 3 speed crankset which would take me to other local towns on either rear gearset.
Decisions, decisions...
I have mostly gentle slopes between me and the shops I visit, for which my single-speed coaster brake is adequate. I have a three-speed derailleur which will get me around the city, and a 5-speed gearset I could fit instead that would make life a bit easier when carrying heavy shopping. I also have a 3 speed crankset which would take me to other local towns on either rear gearset.
Decisions, decisions...
#20
Newbie
Join Date: Apr 2021
Location: Singapore
Posts: 3
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
In Singapore, the folding bikes are wither 6 or 7 speeds only. Are they enough? Mostly flat terrain or roads or footpaths.