Best gearing for gravel bike

[Zula]

Interesting thread. 

 

Im running a 38 upfront with an 11/42 at the back. Seems fine for Cape Town and the like but obviously spins out a bit when on the road or the faster gravel tracks. 

 

I am not a pro at ratios but many of my mates are advocates for a 1 x over 2 x. Granted they are pretty strong.

 

I prefer the look and simplicity but my question is, would you be selling yourself short by going for 1 x only? With a mullet AXS setup (expensive as hell) you get the 50/52 at the back and then can run a big chainring upfront. Wouldn't this cover most of the gears one gets with a 2 x setup?

[Baracuda]

I was in a similar position to you a couple of months ago and found that 1x is really for dedicated gravel bikes and especially those spending the majority of their time on rough roads, jeep track, single track etc. where there is limited need for low gears and you won't be powering along in a pelaton.

 

I personally do a couple of gravel rides but I also use the same bike for road training rides during the week and occasional laps of the Peninsula where I hook up with roadies. I therefore went for a 2x system as the lack of gears would drive me nuts. Compact chainset with the largest casette one can use with a Ultegra RX derailleur .

 

Make sure you get a clutch derailleur.

Edited September 15, 2020 by Baracuda

[Owen]

I've gone for a the Shimano R7000 1 x 11 option on a Merida Silex alloy frame. Simply because local Shimano Agent does not have stock of GRX components. Front crank set is Easton, with a 42 chainring. I've only ridden 130km on the Merida and I was forced to ride with a 11-28 cassette. Not recommended. I made a plan and found a long cage 5800 105 rear derailleur. So now, I can fit a Shimano SLX 11-42 cassette.

 

Side note, I had to add a Wheels Manufacturing derailleur extender in order to get the gears to shift smooth onto the 42.

 

I have a 130km (2500m) ride planned for this Sunday. I will let you guys know how it went.

 

My aim is to ride mainly a mix of tar and gravel roads. There are lots of good surfaces to choose from around Pietermaritzburg / Howick / Albert Falls area. I don't want to ride forestry single track on my gravel bike. I have a mountain bike for that type of ride selection.

[Iron]

uLTEGRA 

 

11-34 Cassette

 

46-34 crankset 

 

Done a smudge over 10000km like this now, in all conditions , road , gravel , holla trails , modders ect.

[LazyTrailRider]

Clearly I'm not riding fast enough on the road... (which is where my gravel bike spends 95% of its time).

 

I run a GRX 1x setup, 40t with 11-34t. I've never once felt that my gearing wasn't high enough, but I ride alone and don't have much interest in sitting in a peleton, did enough of that in the 90s 

 

I've only twice felt like the 34t wasn't low enough for me, as a pre-emptive measure I have a 11-42t cassette on my parts shelf. To be honest, I'm not sure whether I'll end up actually using it, but I'm curious to give it a try...

Edited September 15, 2020 by LazyTrailRider

[Fat Boab]

BTW you should be fine to use 9-sp STI with a 9-sp MTB RD, and the shimano RD specs are v conservative so you can push the largest sprocket.

 

 

Im building a gravel bike from a le Jeune steely. Have 9 spd Sora group set. Need to know if I should get a compact crank

[NickGM]

Im building a gravel bike from a le Jeune steely. Have 9 spd Sora group set. Need to know if I should get a compact crank

Just for interest, the older shimano sora stuff does "talk" to shimano 9 speed mtb drivetrains. So you could mix sora brifters with a 3 x 9 alivio mtb groupset to get a HUGE range of gears. Enough top speed to do a fast road race and low enough to carry a bikepacking load over the alps. 

 

edit: ah, I see Fat Boab has just pointed this out. 

Edited September 15, 2020 by NickGM