Appropriate chainring size

[Scott roy]

mmm. The easiest might be to lose a little more weight if possible.

 

Found it to make the biggest difference on the bike.

I already have. It’s sitting at just over 9kg

[Scott roy]

What is your overall fitness like at this moment? Do you think that you will improve on it? If so, I'd stick with the 36, but if you are really struggling then I would go down to a 34 in the interim whilst you build up your fitness, and then switch back to the 36 once you're stronger.

 

For reference, I ride a 34:34 (or 36:36 I don't recall) ratio on my gravel bike all around PTA-East with no real issues.

I’m fairly fit I have no trouble with group rides and such but when I’m training the guys who I train with who are seriously tough I get behind on the climbs and then have to really put the hammer down to catch up.

[Jehosefat]

From my chats about oval rings at LBS it seems that a 34t oval is (apparently) equivalent to a 36t round ring...I dunno for sure. Anyone know if this is indeed so?

Maybe in terms of feel but a 34t ring will have the same cadence at the same speed regardless of whether it's round or oval so if you are spinning out, shifting to an oval won't make a difference. It might help a bit on the climbs because of the power distribution around the pedal stroke though.

 

To answer the OP though, go 34t and ride better downhills. If you are doing 50kph and still pedaling the you are basically riding down a road... do a proper trail and you won't be sitting down and pedaling regardless of the speed.

[lechatnoir]

mmm. The easiest might be to lose a little more weight if possible. 

 

Found it to make the biggest difference on the bike. 

 

that's a double-edged sword, but in a good way.... the effort i spent getting lighter made me stronger, so it was a win-win in power-to-weight, though still woefully pathetic

[TNT1]

I already have. It’s sitting at just over 9kg

He meant weight off your body, not your bike.

[Nico van Loggerenberg]

Standard XT 2x10 setup even with a Praxis wide range cassette doesn't really give you much more range than a SRAM 10-50/500% cassette. 

 

Unless my maths is wrong, a 2x12 setup gives you well over 600% range, if that's really what this is about (which I suspect it's not)

[Spafsack]

As Mud said: If only... someone invented a kind of chainring that had two different sizes.. maybe with a device to switch between them?

 

This is dam funny!

[BaGearA]

Unless my maths is wrong, a 2x12 setup gives you well over 600% range, if that's really what this is about (which I suspect it's not)

 

Yes but most of them are 28-34 's afaik

 

Something like 30 - 38 might work for the OP but won't since we know his bike is 1x exclusive

 

36 on 10-52 is the best option here, personally I'd just stop pedaling after 45kph cause what are you winning really no decent here is so long that you're going to win 15 seconds by pedaling down the slope.

 

And even then 15 seconds..

[gtr1]

I went from 2x10 to 1x12. I had a 38 front then. I have a 34 front ring and 10-50 cassette now. I worked out all the ratios.

 

With a 34 front my lightest gear is slightly lighter than I had and heaviest much the same. If I go 36 then I end up slightly heavier top gear and a bit heavier on the lightest. But the differences were marginal.

 

I have never really spun out, and if I get to that, then the downhill is enough to freewheel. (Supertuck if you want)

[Nico van Loggerenberg]

I went from 2x10 to 1x12. I had a 38 front then. I have a 34 front ring and 10-50 cassette now. I worked out all the ratios.

 

With a 34 front my lightest gear is slightly lighter than I had and heaviest much the same. If I go 36 then I end up slightly heavier top gear and a bit heavier on the lightest. But the differences were marginal.

 

I have never really spun out, and if I get to that, then the downhill is enough to freewheel. (Supertuck if you want)

 

only if it's not a Canyon...

[peetwindhoek]

Get a 38T and pair it with an e*13 9-50T. Spinning out where exactly? 

[eala]

I live in Pretoria and ride 34 oval on full sus bike and 36 round on  hardtail .If i struggle on the hardtail it is easier to stand and pedal ,but i find this works great in all riding conditions

[RobertWhitehead]

Dude, look me up, I am also in the area, I ride 34T oval in the front with a 11 speed at the back. 

 

My opinion, and I know the majority of the areas you're currently riding: 

You're too heavy in the front and too light in the back. If you hit a climb and you go to the 50T at the back before at least 60-70% up any climb then you're climbing approach is incorrect. 

 

Again, this is my opinion: But the 50T is only there to ensure you can stay on the bike and do not need to get off and push. Do a test for yourself and measure everything on a climb, stuff like: 

 

• Cadence
• Speed
• Duration on the climb and or segment time. 

Do this in both the 50T and lets say 3-4 from the top. Now once you crunch some numbers and look at Strava you will notice that you're actually faster in 3-4 from the top (cassette) than you are in the 50T. 

 

I’m from Pretoria. I ride out in zwavelspoort side

[Scott roy]

Dude, look me up, I am also in the area, I ride 34T oval in the front with a 11 speed at the back.

 

My opinion, and I know the majority of the areas you're currently riding:

You're too heavy in the front and too light in the back. If you hit a climb and you go to the 50T at the back before at least 60-70% up any climb then you're climbing approach is incorrect.

 

Again, this is my opinion: But the 50T is only there to ensure you can stay on the bike and do not need to get off and push. Do a test for yourself and measure everything on a climb, stuff like:

 

• Cadence
• Speed
• Duration on the climb and or segment time.

Do this in both the 50T and lets say 3-4 from the top. Now once you crunch some numbers and look at Strava you will notice that you're actually faster in 3-4 from the top (cassette) than you are in the 50T.

I generally only go to the 50t on very steep gravel climbs and normally only above half way up

[MudLark]

Ja. And then there's me. Old and a bit overweight. With a 32 in the front and a 10-50 on the back. But I can climb 22% and more gradient with it, no worries - and often do too. When a lot of other folk are walking. And I only max out a bit over 70km/h (yup, I can also spin like crazy when I need to).

[DieselnDust]

KCNC and maybe Sunrace too make a 9-52. But I am not sure what derailleur would accommodate that.

 

 

avoid at all costs. The KCNC is a race day only cassette. Its made of a special kind of cheese