How many inches do you have?

[KneesUp]

I'm putting together a bit of a do-it-all bike that I suppose is closest in concept to a tourer, and I would like to tour on it one day - and I just wondered for those of you that tour already, what sort of gearing you have.

The largest sprocket my current derallieur can handle is 28 teeth, so mine has (or will have when it's delivered) 12-28 at the back. I have a spare crankset that is 42-32-22, which I thought rather low, but thinking about it I live in a hilly place (Yorkshire) and I like to go to hilly places (Wales, Lakes, Scotland) so maybe that isn't such a bad thing, given that I'm not that fit!

The top gear (42/12) does limit me to 25mph at 90rpm, which means I can't pedal downhill much though, which seems a bit limiting. I doubt I'll be spinning along on the flat at much more than 25mph very often, but the upside of hills is the down side, if you see what I mean. It'd be a shame not to be able to scooch along on a long shallow descent withouth my legs spinning like a blender.

But then if I change the front too much I'll loose the low gears I will need, or get big gaps.

So, yeah, I wondered what you all use? I guess the best option is a few bigger sprockets at the back and slightly larger chainrings?

My proposed set up has a bottom gear of 21.5" and a top of 95.6"

 

[John the Monkey]

Mine is mostly used as a commuter, but I have 50-39-30, and 14-25 in back - according to Sheldon, that's 99.5 top, 33.5 bottom.

It's toured, but only with rear panniers (B&B touring), and even then in Belgium & Northern France, so not that hilly

 

[numbnuts]

On my touring bike I have 11-34 48:36:22

 

[toeknee]

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

My expedition bike currently has a gear ratio of 16.2 - 85.3 inches.
It did originally have a 19.0-100.1 range but we needed a lower gear or two for some steep mountains...

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

I only do day tours (up to 100 miles) so won't claim to be a proper tourer, however have customized my bikes to make it easy.

The current set up on the best bike is a 44-32-22 chainset with an 11-30 8 speed cassette. With my tyres (700x35c) this gives a range of 19.8 to 107.9 gear inches. It has only been beaten by one hill so far where the surface was too loose to get traction, and at the other end of the range is comfortable to pedal up around 30mph which is plenty for me.

On my touring bike I have 11-34 48:36:22

Wow. What mechs do you use to cope with that range?

(Edit: replied to wrong post)

 

[Bodhbh]

My full time tourer has 44-34-22 up front and 11-34 at the back....so 16.8-103.8. My commuter cum 'do-it-all' bike is 48-36-26, 12-27 at the back....26.2-108.7

Hrmm I don't spin out downhill on the tourer till around 35mph + I've been up climbs where I've ended up grinding in couple of gears for serveral hours (Croatia, coming up from the coast). If touring is it's main job, I'd keep the gears as low as poss.

On my touring bike I have 11-34 48:36:22

I tried that for a while as a comprimise as I've read a few people do it, but couldn't get on with that massive shift between the middle and bottom ring - feels like the chains coming off. I used a regular MTB 9-speed tripble mech and it worked fine.

 

[vernon]

My Rohloff hubbed tourer has a gear range of 17.5 to 91.5 inches. I'm not that bothered about pedalling out at about 25mph after all it's a tourer built with climbing and cruising ability in mind. If i want to go faster than 25 mph I'll pedal of a cliff top.

 

[numbnuts]

Wow. What mechs do you use to cope with that range?

(Edit: replied to wrong post)

Front Shimano Tiagra, rear Shimano Deore LX

 

[frank9755]

On my touring bike I have 11-34 48:36:22

Front Shimano Tiagra, rear Shimano Deore LX

Me too - exactly the same gearing and shifting.

Works very well. You have to be a little careful when dropping the chain onto the small ring; need to ease off a bit. But it becomes second nature after a while. And I use the 19" bottom gear a lot when touring with camping kit.
If there was one thing I'd change it would be to have a 38 middle ring instead of 36 to get a better upshift from middle to top ring.

I don't pedal at high speed when I'm touring either - but I don't have a speedometer on the tourer either as I don't need to know how fast I'm going, and prefer not to mile-watch!

 

[KneesUp]

Thanks all. This bike will be my do-it-all bike, and I'm a little limited by the max of 24 teeth and it having a seven speed cassette.

I think as I get fitter (and wear out the chainrings in so doing) I might replace them with 48-36-22, and if/when the rear hub fails get an 8 speed.

But for now I will just ride it