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Gearing and speed


The Ghost

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I have killed the 1x on my gravel bike.... 50/34 with an 11-36 cassette does the job and the road wheel go in with an 11-28 and I have ALL the gearing I need for anything and everything.

 

I raced Swartberg Gran Fondo with an oval 42 and an 11-42 cassette last year and the gears were missing .

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Hard to argue with this advice. 50x anything is big enough. 34x anything is small enough. At least for me (I'm only going 34x40 and not 34x36 for touring as I found the latter on steep ground with luggage more of a challenge than I preferred on a multiday tour). Best of both worlds!

 

50/34 and 11/28 is what my road bike has too. Perfect for days when I want to shunt (leap years only) and at my age 34/28 when the road ascends.

 

I have killed the 1x on my gravel bike.... 50/34 with an 11-36 cassette does the job and the road wheel go in with an 11-28 and I have ALL the gearing I need for anything and everything.

 

I raced Swartberg Gran Fondo with an oval 42 and an 11-42 cassette last year and the gears were missing .

Edited by Fat Boab
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Hard to argue with this advice. 50x anything is big enough. 34x anything is small enough. At least for me (I'm only going 34x40 and not 34x36 for touring as I found the latter on steep ground with luggage more of a challenge than I preferred on a multiday tour). Best of both worlds!

 

 

 

im also still on 36 rear...but i have been stopping short (in the 28t cog) for the last few rides before lockdown to see if I Really NEED those bail outs lol. 

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So are we saying that a 1x setup with 40T 10-42t is probably not going to be ideal - worst option?
50/34T 11-34t will cover pretty much everything - But the bike doesn't sell with this option from the factory.

48/32T 11-34t is not quite as good as the 50/34 but may be a good enough all rounder? It does ship with this config, but at €2k more  :mellow: 

Does this seem about right?

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So are we saying that a 1x setup with 40T 10-42t is probably not going to be ideal - worst option?

50/34T 11-34t will cover pretty much everything - But the bike doesn't sell with this option from the factory.

48/32T 11-34t is not quite as good as the 50/34 but may be a good enough all rounder? It does ship with this config, but at €2k more  :mellow: 

 

Does this seem about right?

As a matter of interest, what bike is it and what is your budget and size?

 

There are a number of lock down sales happening that could put something in your hands for a birdsong....

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2000 euro extra!

 

That's about x4 the cost of my gravel bike!

 

 

 

So are we saying that a 1x setup with 40T 10-42t is probably not going to be ideal - worst option?

A 50/34T 11-34t will cover pretty much everything - But the bike doesn't sell with this option from the factory.

A 48/32T 11-34t is not quite as good as the 50/34 but may be a good enough all rounder? It does ship with this config, but at €2k more :mellow:

 

Does this seem about right?

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As a matter of interest, what bike is it and what is your budget and size?

 

There are a number of lock down sales happening that could put something in your hands for a birdsong....

My first challenge is that I’m in Ireland, not SA so those sales are a wee bit far for me.

 

The one I was looking at there is the Spez Diverge.

 

I’d be about a medium and I’m hoping to keep it under €6k [emoji51] The wife is already sighing hard [emoji85]

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So are we saying that a 1x setup with 40T 10-42t is probably not going to be ideal - worst option?

50/34T 11-34t will cover pretty much everything - But the bike doesn't sell with this option from the factory.

48/32T 11-34t is not quite as good as the 50/34 but may be a good enough all rounder? It does ship with this config, but at €2k more  :mellow: 

 

Does this seem about right?

The only question to ask is how often you will be turning the 48/11 fast/hard enough. Damn on gravel you will need a biiig engine to keep that running. Even when sitting in the bunch it will not be often that you would ever need that. Damn even argus time it will only be on the blue route decent that you will spin out. People often overestimate what gear they can turn. If you are in the 34/11 then maybe...

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First world, married man problems! Good luck with the decision...

 

 

My first challenge is that I’m in Ireland, not SA so those sales are a wee bit far for me.

 

The one I was looking at there is the Spez Diverge.

 

I’d be about a medium and I’m hoping to keep it under €6k [emoji51] The wife is already sighing hard [emoji85]

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The only question to ask is how often you will be turning the 48/11 fast/hard enough. Damn on gravel you will need a biiig engine to keep that running. Even when sitting in the bunch it will not be often that you would ever need that. Damn even argus time it will only be on the blue route decent that you will spin out. People often overestimate what gear they can turn. If you are in the 34/11 then maybe...

For sure, it will be mostly a road bike with the odd dirt ride thrown in and I’m sure my engine won’t be able to crank a 48/11 flat out on dirt [emoji1]

So do you think a 40/ 10 will be good enough for the average rider on the road?

 

Thanks all for your help by the way, I’ve never owned a road bike so I have no idea about what to expect on the road.

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First world, married man problems! Good luck with the decision...

 

 

 

Thanks, I hope I get it right, it’s a lot of money to be getting it wrong.

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For sure, it will be mostly a road bike with the odd dirt ride thrown in and I’m sure my engine won’t be able to crank a 48/11 flat out on dirt [emoji1]

So do you think a 40/ 10 will be good enough for the average rider on the road?

 

Thanks all for your help by the way, I’ve never owned a road bike so I have no idea about what to expect on the road.

 

The beauty of the 1x system is that you can configure your chainring setup, based on the type of riding you are doing.

 

I mostly use my gravel bike on the road, so I have a 46T front chainring with a 10 - 42T cassette and I have never had a gearing issue. When going offroad, I swap the front chainring for a 42T and then I'm good to go.

 

The 1x system is much simpler, cleaner and lighter. I prefer it, but each to their own, not everyone does.

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The beauty of the 1x system is that you can configure your chainring setup, based on the type of riding you are doing.

 

I mostly use my gravel bike on the road, so I have a 46T front chainring with a 10 - 42T cassette and I have never had a gearing issue. When going offroad, I swap the front chainring for a 42T and then I'm good to go.

 

The 1x system is much simpler, cleaner and lighter. I prefer it, but each to their own, not everyone does.

 

I have a 1x on my MTB and its been great in terms of being simple and quiet and it also looks super clean.

Maybe thats the thing to do, just have a spare chainring for gravel days. Food for thought.

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So are we saying that a 1x setup with 40T 10-42t is probably not going to be ideal - worst option?

50/34T 11-34t will cover pretty much everything - But the bike doesn't sell with this option from the factory.

48/32T 11-34t is not quite as good as the 50/34 but may be a good enough all rounder? It does ship with this config, but at €2k more  :mellow: 

 

Does this seem about right?

I think that this gearing will be perfect for gravel riding and you could swop out the chainring to a 50t for your road riding.  I am running a 1x11 setup on my road bike with a 50t in front and 11-40t at the back and I can't say that I run out of gears.

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I think that this gearing will be perfect for gravel riding and you could swop out the chainring to a 50t for your road riding.  I am running a 1x11 setup on my road bike with a 50t in front and 11-40t at the back and I can't say that I run out of gears.

 

Thanks, I like this idea

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I have killed the 1x on my gravel bike.... 50/34 with an 11-36 cassette does the job and the road wheel go in with an 11-28 and I have ALL the gearing I need for anything and everything.

 

I raced Swartberg Gran Fondo with an oval 42 and an 11-42 cassette last year and the gears were missing .

What gravel steed do you have?

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