Gravel - what’s your gearing look like?

[genefruit]

46/30 Easton with 11-34 Shimano 11spd.

[efixler]

48/32 front 11-32 rear, but I kinda wish I had 11-34 rear

[JEFFTHEROBOT]

I run a 1x on my Open.
32t up front and 9/46 E-thirteen cassette in the rear.

[moonhoo]

48/32 front and 11-36 rear on my BMC Monster Cross.

Works fine for me on most climbs in the NY / MA / CT area but I definitely wish I had lower in the front, especially for times when I'm carrying food. Summers are only getting hotter, and tackling those long slow climbs at max heart rate and 100F+ degree heat can't be so good for the body.

[XXtwindad]

Originally Posted by JEFFTHEROBOT

I run a 1x on my Open.
32t up front and 9/46 E-thirteen cassette in the rear.

That's the way to do it Jeff!

[XXtwindad]

Here's what I've occasionally encountered, and I'm curious as to why: opposition to big cassettes. Is there some unwritten law of cycling that mandates you have to climb 12 percent grade hills with an 11-28? Or even 11-32?

I'm not talking about people with different preferences, but the individuals I've encountered (and there have been more than a few) who look at a 10-42 with utter disdain. Why is that? Just curious ...

[ColonelJLloyd]

Originally Posted by XXtwindad

Here's what I've occasionally encountered, and I'm curious as to why: opposition to big cassettes. Is there some unwritten law of cycling that mandates you have to climb 12 percent grade hills with an 11-28? Or even 11-32?

I'm not talking about people with different preferences, but the individuals I've encountered (and there have been more than a few) who look at a 10-42 with utter disdain. Why is that? Just curious ...

They're likely the same people who whine that 32mm tires are "balloons". I've encountered a lot of older roadies who, like a lot of people, just seem to scoff at what they don't understand. You know, like gearing maths. They're in all walks of life, but the ones who are cyclists seem to make themselves known loudly.

[nobuseri]

I will admit that I am (was?) in that camp that tried to keep the cassettes in the rear on the smaller side. More so because I don’t like the jump in between lower gears. Some of the jumps between gears are pretty extreme!

I ride primarily road. I am learning that gravel is a diff ball game altogether. And not just talking gearing and bike handling.

But yes, I am seeing the light when it comes to steeper pitches and gravel. Lots of good feedback here. Will be making some adjustments in the next couple weeks to see how it goes.

[tony_mm]

Originally Posted by XXtwindad

Here's what I've occasionally encountered, and I'm curious as to why: opposition to big cassettes. Is there some unwritten law of cycling that mandates you have to climb 12 percent grade hills with an 11-28? Or even 11-32?

I'm not talking about people with different preferences, but the individuals I've encountered (and there have been more than a few) who look at a 10-42 with utter disdain. Why is that? Just curious ...

Yes for old roadies like me, riding with big cassette meant in the old days that you were not strong enough for cycling. The biggest you could go was 39-26 and riding big gears was a sign of strength (Ullrich etc..). At that time, MTB was just starting, gravel biking was not there etc....That was also the time before Mr. Armstrong and his spinning cadence.

Many things have changed since these times. Armstrong won several TdF, MTB is popular, powermeter are widely available etc....

Some old roadies are still thinking the same than before (I have to admit that it is hard for me to change. I still ride big gears..).
And some people would like to look like the old roadies I suppose.
And many people just don't understand cycling, gears, cadence, power, etc....
And last but not least many people just want to show that they (!) are the true one etc....

[timto]

Originally Posted by XXtwindad

Here's what I've occasionally encountered, and I'm curious as to why: opposition to big cassettes. Is there some unwritten law of cycling that mandates you have to climb 12 percent grade hills with an 11-28? Or even 11-32?

I'm not talking about people with different preferences, but the individuals I've encountered (and there have been more than a few) who look at a 10-42 with utter disdain. Why is that? Just curious ...

I use a 46/30 TA crank with a 28 or 30 rear and get a 1:1 no problem. I find the big cassettes really heavy as well as unsightly

[HTupolev]

Originally Posted by XXtwindad

Here's what I've occasionally encountered, and I'm curious as to why: opposition to big cassettes. Is there some unwritten law of cycling that mandates you have to climb 12 percent grade hills with an 11-28? Or even 11-32?

I'm not talking about people with different preferences, but the individuals I've encountered (and there have been more than a few) who look at a 10-42 with utter disdain. Why is that? Just curious ...

Mostly wide gear spacing, especially if a gravel bike will see lots of paved road use.

Big cassettes also have a ton of rotating inertia when a bike is being pedaled at high speed. This can result in poor behaviors on drivetrains without damped tensioners, like the upper run of the chain going slack and slapping about whenever you start coasting on a descent.

Originally Posted by ColonelJLloyd

They're likely the same people who whine that 32mm tires are "balloons".

I've currently got an 11-28 cassette on my gravel bike, but my lowest gear is lower than on some of my friends' bikes with 42-tooth big cogs. And I've got 2" tires.

[AngryScientist]

Caring about what other cyclists think about the size of your cassette is so weird.

[XXtwindad]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

Caring about what other cyclists think about the size of your cassette is so weird.

That wasn't really my point. It was more of a general question about the antipathy toward larger cassettes, and where that antipathy came from.

[GregL]

Originally Posted by XXtwindad

That wasn't really my point. It was more of a general question about the antipathy toward larger cassettes, and where that antipathy came from.

In my case, I like cassettes with small jumps between cogs. Since I'm running a double-chainring crankset, I don't need a cassette larger than an 11-34. If I were running a single chainring for gravel riding, I would undoubtedly have a wider ratio cassette.

Greg

[PeregrineA1]

46/36 and 11-32 on the Blackcat.


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