OCD question of the week or day

[redefined_cycles]

So I've popped these gravelBloody tires on Egen and its going over the rough stuff a bit happier now. Was planning to convert to a less than 0 ratio so I can get up the climbs well (currently at 1.06 with the 34 front and 32 rear).

Now the OCD bit is coming in here. I'm not sure I wanna out a dinner plate 40t cassette up rear which Colin says works well with the r8000. Have now learnt of the 36t SRAM and reports off youtube say it all works fine. I really dont wanna make it heavier and heavier whilst I make it more and more off roadable. Reason for that is that I do like riding and helping on the charity rides here and there on the road. As well as this my commute is rather long and whatever keeps me pushing my limits is good.

Too lower gear and it might push me to use the lower gesrs all the time, making me slower... But todays ride showed that I managed on the 1.06 off road not too badly and it should make em stronger. .

Thoughts??

[benp1]

Just ride what you have and decide later

Cheaper, easier, quicker, less faff

[Lazarus]

less than 0 ratio so I can get up the climbs well

Fixed gear pedalling backwards ?

Two serious points
I ride 43front /42 for local stuff- its fine for where i live
When I go somewhere proper hilly i use 34 front/42 -which requires a different chain as well as front ring,


It really depends on whether you want to do a rule 5 and toughen up or you actually need a lower gear
FWIW the problem with the 34/42is at the top end not the bottom but it only really spins out on downhill road sections

Sheldon allows you to calculate speed at various cadences or ratioes -though i am not sure you doing these claculations will help with OCD but it will give more information
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/gear-calc.html

[wriggles]

Assuming this is a 2 x setup? Not sure I see the point of a 40t rear cassette and full sized chainrings (unless Silver chainset is an issue). Just downsize the front rings. Very happy with my GRX 46/30 chainset and 11-36 cassette. 30/36 gives a really good climbing gear and 46/11 is more than I need down hill.

[redefined_cycles]

Jon... Dont worry, I have Sheldons offspring (the gear calculator app). Thing is, I only have the one road bike and the point of setting it up as a grvlshtr is yo manage to get the off roads in to connect new territories. It regularly does Shibden Wall (25 percent reportedly in cobbles flavour) but now taking to another level and trying to climb proper off road will mostly have me walking up alot of offroad stuff...

Regards the ratio aswell, I have 34/50 upfront and plans are to keep that regardless to keep it looking roadie and giving me the 50t/11 or 13 combo... its the lower gear I'm trying to decide on and exactly as you said about toighening up (ie. I wouldn't wanna convert iy so badly that I'm ending up making everything so easy that I end up softening up.

For reference, I have hardknotts planned some day soo hopefully but what would be even lovelier is if I went to hardknotts pass but managed to get the off road climbs in instead (you know, the proper hard ones).

BenP1... You're right aswell and I really should toughen up and get used to walking a bit more too when required and keep the stuff i have insitu already...

[ScotRoutes]

unless Silver chainset is an issue)

found out

Also, 105 was much cheaper than GRX

I really should toughen up and get used to walking a bit more too when required

I don't get this macho hard man thing at all. And I'd rather not be getting on and off a bike when it gets a wee bit steep. When I want to go for a walk I leave the bike and take my boots.

[redefined_cycles]

Assuming this is a 2 x setup? Not sure I see the point of a 40t rear cassette and full sized chainrings (unless Silver chainset is an issue). Just downsize the front rings. Very happy with my GRX 46/30 chainset and 11-36 cassette. 30/36 gives a really good climbing gear and 46/11 is more than I need down hill.

Nah... you're telling me the even more expensive setup as I have the DA 9000 chainset upfront (obviously ) and any sirt of rings on that is an expensive affair as its not standard OCD fitment liek with other stuff... Abaolute black do a pair of 46/32 I think but its coming in at a market leading £170 just the rings... Besides, I'd rather keep that Top Gear for roadie chasing (when they ride pass disapprovingly nasty faced lopking at my baggies paired with Dura Ace and aero bars)... Gitta keep chasing the (snobby versioned) roadies dont we (then pretend I'm not tired after I've managed to overtake (the sometimes)...

[redefined_cycles]

unless Silver chainset is an issue)

found out

Also, 105 was much cheaper than GRX

Hold on... you want me to put 105 or GRX on my Italian Egen (I won't tell her*).

*Nor will she ever kniw she has a 105 crank arm paired to the other side 9000 DA (gotta look at the PM don't ya when trying to chase said roadies )...

[redefined_cycles]

I don't get this macho hard man thing at all.

How dare you... just kidding. Nah, not macho Colin... I'm meaning when the climbs become rediculously stupid on the off road sometimes its just easier to walk and take a breather. But anything else I prefer to ride up for the satisfaction of it all. Hence the OCD question.

Really value your input btw as I believe you've goy the setup that I might end up erring towards (bigger rings front and back)...

[fatbikephil]

Well I've been running 36/18 SS on my grovel bike recently (just bunged the gears back on in prep for a tour) and I was surprised what I could get up. So you'll be fine Shaff, just practice your single speed gurn on the steeper climbs

[wriggles]

Grx comes in Tiagra, 105 and Ultegra equivalent versions. The chainset is superb.

[FLV]

On my pinnacle I have a sunrace 11.36 cassette and a Shimano grx 48.31 chain set
That works really well for mixed riding.
It’s quite the investment in kit though. I rode the harder gearing until it needed replacing

[Jurassic]

I think you need to decide whether your priority lies on having a roadie set up that"ll work off-road okay or the other way round. I started off with a compact road chainset on my gravel bike and now have a 2x mountain bike chainset with tiny granny ring. My reasoning for this is that if you stand up and honk on the pedals on steep off road climbs in a relatively high gear you spin the back wheel and come to a standstill (it works alright on the road cos you have the extra grip on tarmac). I started off with a 28 granny then went down to a 24 and now have a 22 and have zero regrets. I never use the granny ring on the road (unless I have luggage on) and so my set up is effectively a 1x with a reduction gear for offroading (like a proper LandRover). I spin out on road descents on my 38 outer ring but only at speeds where it's more efficient to get into a tuck and coast anyway. I honestly don't miss the big gears at all and I can get up pretty much anything off-road. My cassette is an 11-32 as I don't want gaps between ratios any bigger (big gaps are worse than lower overall ratios imho). My emphasis is on having an off-road capable gravel bike that works okay on the road not the other way round and anyway learning to spin smaller gears is better for you........

[redefined_cycles]

Thanks for all the feedback. Really useful and priceless as always. So Chris (Jurassic... please correct me ), you're running a lowest of 22 front and 32 rear which gives a ratio of 0.69. In your highest gear you'd be in your fastest ratio at 3.45

So if I were to go with a 11 to 40t cassette with my compact front it keeps me properly road worthy (maybe pumpin the tires up to about 58psi or higher) with a highest ratio of 50/11 = 4.55 and a lowest gear for the dirtiest of climbs (that aren't slimy but rugged... which incidentally today i noticed the off road climb I start my ride on was suprisingly easier on the roadie) of 34/40 = 0.85

Sounds good I think (is it not )... Pretty sure Colin would be proud. Also, if I told em at STwhine* I'd be the talk of the town (well forum... I am registered for longer than I've been here... but always afraid of posting in case I starts a fight ).

For reference I'm currently on 0.71 or 0.76 ratio in lowest on Stan (The Sonder)...

*I think Bob might have the patents for that term!?

[BigdummySteve]

Hold on... you want me to put 105 or GRX on my Italian Egen (I won't tell her*).

In that case it MUST be campag, it matters not if it’s actually useful, apparently it’s one of the rules.
Unfortunately if you want real off-road gears on drops it either a serious compromise or seriously expensive.
I want 500% but with road spacing, unfortunately Shimano and SRAM live in a world which is either flat OR hilly

[benp1]

Re my comment above, I wasn't saying man up. What I meant was ride is as is, it's already set up like that. See what you feel in a while and then do something to it then, upgrade of change

Sounded like you weren't sure so might as well ride what you have till you are

[redefined_cycles]

Re my comment above, I wasn't saying man up. What I meant was ride is as is, it's already set up like that. See what you feel in a while and then do something to it then, upgrade of change

Sounded like you weren't sure so might as well ride what you have till you are

Yup... thats just how I took it Ben. Unfortunately I have the compulsive thing going on and had decided even before building it in rosd form iitialy, that it was gonna get a 34 anyway (but the 32 was cheaper, so you know )...

Oh, the cassette is a 105 as well as the front mech. With resr being the ultegra and the shifters being used and falling apart (just the covers) Dura Ace 9000. Feel really priveleged that the bike I had least hopes for is giving me 32mm tyre capability and potentially even 35 in the rear.

Anyway, I think I'm gonna go for 34 at a minimal but if a 40t comes my way then I could go that way aswell. For the mo (until I manage to search some more ) I'll just ride in this form and if stuff gets too steep rocky then I'll use a bit of footpatrolling.

Pressures I've sliwly brought down too and now that I'm at 49psi its making a massive difference. This gravel/cx stuff. Painfully nice hey

[redefined_cycles]

BDS... Campag, after having (their cheaper Veloce) wearing down and seizing in just one year, I'll never get again. Besides, they've taken too long to get past the 25t issue and the grouppo that I bought (for the Condor of yesteryear) seized from one winters riding. Never again. Oh... and it comes with a disclaimer that it must be properly smooth oave only

[Cheddar Man]

Why not just buy a second hand, cheap, road bike, or a Triban from Decathlon. I don't reckon it would cost you much more than faffing and buying endless chains, chainsets, rings, tyres, wheels and sprockets chasing something you will never get!

Much easier too, and you won't go insane reading charts on gear ratios in the process

[redefined_cycles]

Why not just buy a second hand, cheap, road bike, or a Triban from Decathlon. I don't reckon it would cost you much more than faffing and buying endless chains, chainsets, rings, tyres, wheels and sprockets chasing something you will never get!

Much easier too, and you won't go insane reading charts on gear ratios in the process

Nah... Working towards a more sustainable future Grant.

[redefined_cycles]

A decathlon Triban you say... wouldn't that just be contributing (eventually) to landfill

[ScotRoutes]

The Tribans are pretty good. Or, as suggested, re-home someone else's more appropriate cast-off.

[redefined_cycles]

The Tribans are pretty good. Or, as suggested, re-home someone else's more appropriate cast-off.

Oh... and I forgot to say. Just about enough room at home for the bikes we already have (3 for the kids and two for myself). Really couldn't fit another bike as the outhouse and shed would burst. Would love to rehouse someone else's bike if not

Colin, are you running the 40t with a single front ring or double... if double is it a compact ( that's amazing if so)...

[ScotRoutes]

Compact double. 50/34T

[redefined_cycles]

Compact double. 50/34T