Gravel Bike - Bars and Gearing

[kingpin75s]

Originally Posted by Clancy

For what it’s worth, everyone loves 1X set-ups and yes they have advantages. But I’ve found through riding 1X set-ups, lots of trial and error and too much time spent on Seldon Brown’s gear calculator site that a sub compact gives me the best range with fewer gaps and overlaps. I really hated the big jumps on the 1X, made it hard to get in a rhythm, especially climbing. I have the White Industries crank in a 30/46 and switch back and forth between a 32 or a 36 cassette. Very sweet set-up.

Not that the OP asked, but I am in agreement with Clancy on this. The bikes I run 1x on are mountain bikes and fat bikes, generally. I prefer a MD/sub-compact/94bcd double as well for gravel bikes or the White Industries VBC setups. Just something to keep in mind depending on how you feel about 1x for this type of riding once you get rolling.

[Hilltopperny]

FWIW I like the swept bars and have a bunch set up with 1x and wide range rear cassettes. I do run a 2x on my Drifter, but could get along with a 1x no problem.

I have bikes set up with 40t and 42t up front and have used as large as 48t. I think I prefer the 40t over the larger rings for 1x set ups.


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[ptourkin]

I have the carbon Easton AX flared bars on my Trail Donkey gravel bike and they are the most comfortable bars I've ever ridden. The flare is good for technical descending. If I did it over again, I'd go wider. I always ride 42s but for the occasions when I use my gravel bike for overnights, it would be easier to pack my front roll with a wider bar.

I am 1x 36 10-42. I started out with a 40 chain ring and steadily dropped. I'd rather have a boost on the hard climbs than a little more power on a descent. For me, 1X has been fine for road riding as well. 36-10 is a pretty big gear if you do the math and I'm not using that bike for the kind of ride where you are chasing someone who is 53-11 going down.

I demoed an Open from Above Category and went riding in the Marin Headlands. I believe it was set up 40 10-42. I sat in with some roadies and it was fine. On the dirt, a smaller chain ring would have been fine. If you are jumping up to 46 on the cassette, personally I would still go no larger than a 40. There really shouldn't be a situation on that bike where you need to be bigger than 40-11 and I'm willing to bet that you'll eventually size down for the dirt.

[John H.]

I live in Fairfax and Mt Tam is my stomping ground.

I use lower than 1 to 1 gearing and I climb well.
I use a 34/50 with an 11-40 cassette, but that is not really an option for you.
I would go for 10-46 with a 40 tooth. Or even one of the E13 cassttes- They make a 9-46, couple that with as small of a front chainring as you are comfortable with.
Most people who only have 1 to one find themselves over-geared on parts of Mt Tam.

Bars- whatever you like. I don't really like the looks or feel of the flared bars (but I know many who do like them)- I use the exact same drop bar that I use on my road bike. Zipp SL70 ergo, 40cm width. It is a short reach (70mm) and shallow drop (128mm) bar-
And I do ride my drops a lot and feel really comfortable offroad on my 40cm drops.

[Look585]

Originally Posted by John H.

I live in Fairfax and Mt Tam is my stomping ground.

I use lower than 1 to 1 gearing and I climb well.

Most people who only have 1 to one find themselves over-geared on parts of Mt Tam.

^Agreed. I'm on 34/40 low gear and could use lower on the really steep bits (up CascadeCyn/Repack, sections of Pine Mountain, Rock Springs, etc).

Go Low!

[d_douglas]

That Moth Attack is very cool!

I used Salsa Cowbell 46cm and scaled down to 44cm in the past year - the larger size just seemed ungainly.

[dem]

Gearing is really reallly locale dependent.. personally I think the bay area has some of the most ridiculous fire roads around (35%+ grade) - if you plan to ride instead of walk, go with the sub-compact double. It will give you more options.

I keep going lower and lower and still think I might go one more notch down. Currently on a 44/28 with 10-42 cassette and am eyeing the Wolftooth 44T cog.

[livingminimal]

I'm running 46/30 Absolute Blacks w/ 11-34 in the back on my all-terrain bike and I love it. If I went down to a single ring, it would definitely be a 40 or a 38, with that 11-46 cassette. Getting on with roadies for me basically means riding with one of my friends or something, where we all happily accept each others gear choices and/or limitations.

[livesadventure]

Thanks for the input everyone!

It looks like I’ll start with a 40t

The 1x is an experiment, I’ll at least run it for the life of the cassette and see if I actually want 2x. For my riding on gravel, I’m not too concerned with jumps, though I will try to sell the XT 11-46 cassette I had already bought to replace with the Sunrace.

I’m still not decided on flare - there are good arguments on both sides. Ive got a week so we’ll see where I land.


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[559Rando]

I just saw the bars on the Canyon Grail last night:



Pretty cool and makes sense me!

[shoota]

Originally Posted by livesadventure

I'm buying the last few pieces for my 3T exploro build and wanted to hear your thoughts on hand positions and gearing

Handlebars: I see more and more gravel bikes with flared handlebars. Do you like these, hate these, why? It seems that some flare might give more control when in the drops, but is it worth it? I'd probably go no more than 12*, like the Ritchey WCS EvoMax

Gearing: I'll be running 1x, Ultegra di2 to xt di2 with an 11-46 in the rear. Most of my riding is in the Marin Headlands and on Tam, so it is steep, but not awful. My roadie friends say to go 44 up front, everyone else says 40 or 42. I'll be bike-packing occasionally, and have found that at least a 1-1 ratio is necessary.

I have both "gravel" bars and "road" bars on my gravel bikes and honestly don't see any advantage whatsoever with the flared bars. They're purely marketing gimmicks in my book.

Gearing: sounds like you would want 1:1 at MOST, and would probably be better served by less for those bikepacking trips. Or just change the front ring when you need to.

[shoota]

Originally Posted by GregL

I don't have an opinion on the handlebars, but certainly do on the gearing. While I get 1x for MTB and cyclocross, I really like a conventional, double-chainring crankset for gravel. With 46/34 chainrings and an 11-34 11-speed cassette, I have all the range I could ever want and reasonably close ratios. When racing on gravel, I usually end up using both ends of the gearing spectrum.

Greg

+100, especially in mountainous regions.

[sparky33]

Where can one find a pair of 44cm Easton EC70 AX these days? Looks like the internet's stock is dried up at the moment.

Originally Posted by ptourkin

I have the carbon Easton AX flared bars on my Trail Donkey gravel bike and they are the most comfortable bars I've ever ridden. The flare is good for technical descending. If I did it over again, I'd go wider. I always ride 42s but for the occasions when I use my gravel bike for overnights, it would be easier to pack my front roll with a wider bar.

[rst72]

quick question on chainring swapping...

currently SRAM 50/34...I want to go 46/34, but SRAM says their 46 is to be paired with 36. why is that?

[nublar]

Originally Posted by rst72

quick question on chainring swapping...

currently SRAM 50/34...I want to go 46/34, but SRAM says their 46 is to be paired with 36. why is that?

46/36 is traditional CX gearing so the 46 ring was "optimized" to shift to the 36 ring. But there are many that claim to run 46/34 just fine.