How many gears do we really need on a bike

[Kajjal]

Personal preference and range of gears needed for top speed and hill climbing. On my 2 x 10 mountain bike it works well, on my 2 x 11 mountain bike great uphill but otherwise find there are too many gears on occasion. On road 2 x 11 works well.

 

[steveindenmark]

As many as you need to get up where you are riding. We only had less gears in the past as they did not have the design to fit more.
My latest Specialized is a 1 x 12 with a 50T cassette and I will need them all in July for the Pan Celtic Race

 

[presta]

single sprocket on my folding bike more than enough

Wot, you mean you could manage with none?

 

[Dogtrousers]

Wot, you mean you could manage with none?

Why not?

 

[Jameshow]

I have 10s cassette on simer bikes and 9spd on winter, beyond that it goes silly expensive imho. Also not comparable either so a pain too.

 

[Ian H]

42

Must be the right answer, but I bet you can't explain why.

 

[classic33]

Why not?
View attachment 732086

It's still a single speed!

 

[Dogtrousers]

It's still a single speed!

Here's my take, I could be wrong: A Single Speed on a regular modern bike is still geared because it has a ONE gear and one gear ratio. I converts high rpm input to lower rpm output.

An Ordinary, however, is ungeared. It has NO gears. There's no rpm conversion. It's a direct connection with no conversion of rpm or torque.

Proper engineers, however, may point out that I'm wrong because the length of the pedals and diameter of the wheel convert torque. Whether that's a genuine "gear", I don't know.`

 

[Maker of Stuff]

Every bike that I own, except for my 1 by 12 gravel bike has a triple chainset. I've ridden many seriously hilly Audax events and other hilly challenge rides such as The Wild Wales Challenge and Danny Mason's Shropshire Highland Challenge. My bottom gear has always been a 28 tooth chainring with a 34 largest sprocket at the back. I've still occasionally had to walk climbs such as The Devils Staircase or the Bwlch y Groes.
Highest gear is usually 50 by 13 which is only really used when descending. Lots of gears mean that there's always a good chance of finding a nice pedalling cadence whatever the terrain.

 

[Smokin Joe]

The same as with frame materials and equipment. You need exactly what I've got, anything less won't do the job and anything more means you're a slave to the marketing men and have more money than sense.

Discussion over, close the thread.

 

[classic33]

Here's my take, I could be wrong: A Single Speed on a regular modern bike is still geared because it has a ONE gear and one gear ratio. I converts high rpm input to lower rpm output.

An Ordinary, however, is ungeared. It has NO gears. There's no rpm conversion. It's a direct connection with no conversion of rpm or torque.

Proper engineers, however, may point out that I'm wrong because the length of the pedals and diameter of the wheel convert torque. Whether that's a genuine "gear", I don't know.`

The wheel size is the gear. Leading to "gear inches" used on safety bikes.

 

[Dogtrousers]

The wheel size is the gear. Leading to "gear inches" used on safety bikes.

Hmm. I'm not sure I agree with that, as there's no conversion of rotation rate. The SS uses gearing to simulate the ungeared ordinary.

I do, however, admit that it is not impossible that the above is utter cobblers.

 

[Ian H]

Here's my take, I could be wrong: A Single Speed on a regular modern bike is still geared because it has a ONE gear and one gear ratio. I converts high rpm input to lower rpm output.

An Ordinary, however, is ungeared. It has NO gears. There's no rpm conversion. It's a direct connection with no conversion of rpm or torque.

Proper engineers, however, may point out that I'm wrong because the length of the pedals and diameter of the wheel convert torque. Whether that's a genuine "gear", I don't know.`

Well, if I say that my fixed has a 67" gear, you will be able to guess that I'd be unlikely to cope with the same gear/wheel-size on an ordinary (in fact I would want around 56" - and the contemporary advice was to gear down a couple of inches to improve your 'spurt').

 

[Mike Ayling]

Well, if I say that my fixed has a 67" gear, you will be able to guess that I'd be unlikely to cope with the same gear/wheel-size on an ordinary (in fact I would want around 56" - and the contemporary advice was to gear down a couple of inches to improve your 'spurt').

Thorn tandem 1X14 Rohloff
Thorn Mercury 1X 14 Rolloff
Fixed choice of two sprockets
E-bike 1X 8

 

[Mike Ayling]

Cross chaining - with the 1x12 MTB setups the chain is now 5 cogs off the centre line on each side.
Are the chains now more flexible?
A bloke who sometimes rides with us has an expensive bike with electronic shifting. I noticed the other day he was in the largest sprocket and the big chain ring. I didh not mention it to as he is a bloke who always knows everything but is cross chaining no longer an issue with more flexible chains?