Is 8 enough or do we need more?

[noadapter]

Do we really need more than 8 gears on a bike?

Someone told me recently that can't use any more than 13/14 gears on any bike, if this is true why do bikes claim to have 27, 24 ,21 or 18 gears on there bikes, when you can't use some of them

I always thought the more gears the more expensive and better the bike is likely to be , is this wrong?

 

[MrGrumpy]

only 1 gear here seems to get me from A to B no bother !!

 

[wafflycat]

I would like a great-granny ring. I'm sure that supplies my answer adequately

 

[NickC]

I live in Holland, not known for its hills, and I have 27 gears (all of them slow ones, as it happens) and I can tell you that I need every single one of them. And if I ever came across a hill I'm sure I'd need even more. Friends of mine, however, make do with just one. So take your pick; it's a matter of taste really.

 

[Gromit]

I have four, its seems to be OK for York, I do like going fast though, so I'm looking out for something new.

 

[Moose]

imho 8 is more than enough.

That doesn't mean that I don't have more or that I don't use more

 

[gratts]

I can tell you that I need every single one of them.

Cobblers!
So if your bike was 'downgraded' to 21 gears you wouldn't be able to ride it?

 

[NickC]

Cobblers!
So if your bike was 'downgraded' to 21 gears you wouldn't be able to ride it?

Oh dear, I think I'm in danger of being taken seriously.

 

[RedBike]

A bike with say a triple chainring at the front and a 10 speed cassette will technically have 30 gears. Although all of them are 'usable' you should avoid running the chain at an angle; so certain combinations of gears should be avoided.

Running the chain at an angel incresases wear, decreases efficiency and will on most bikes rub (grate) on the front mech.

(For example using the big chainring at the front and the largest sprocket on the cassette or the smallest chainring at the front and the smallest sprocket on the cassette. Should be avoided)
aka big-nig / small-small

In order to keep the chain running straight-ish front to back you can only use a small section of the cassette while your in each chainring at the front.
Say, the top 3/4 gears sprockets of the cassette while your in the smallest chainring (granny-ring)
The middle 3/4 sprockets while your in the middle ring
And the smallest 3/4 sprockets of the cassette while on the 'big ring'.

This means that only 12 of the 30 gears should be used if you want to avoid having the chain at an angle

It is also worth pointing out that the gear ratios overlap. So the highest gears accessable while in the granny ring (smallest sprocket) are higher than the lowest gears accessable while in the middle ring. Once you've eliminated all the gears that are more or less the same as each other you'll find that even a 30 speed bike only has 12/15 'unique' gears.

 

[BentMikey]

You don't need more than a single gear, such as fixed. Usually more efficient to have lots of gears though. I was also going to say more pleasant, but then I realised that's not necessarily true.

 

[Twenty Inch]

I've long wanted to build a concept bike - 9-speed internal hub, 9-speed cassette, triple front = 243-speed bike. What do you reckon?

 

[Nigeyy]

No we don't need more than 8 gears on a bike, but they are nice to have. I don't think we need more than one -so long as it is the right gear for where you cycle!

Put me down as a person who really prefers 9 over 8 speeds though -surprizingly, I feel like I can tell a difference. There are times when I'm on my 8 speed bike where I get a gear that's just not quite right -you know, I 'm either spinning too much or not spinning enough. It definitely happens less on my 9 speed equipped bikes. I've never tried 10 speeds, though I have a feeling I might feel similarly.

The downsides to all these gears? Well by necessity the chain plates are going to get thinner, and hence probably more fragile (still not sure I'd tour fully loaded on a 10 speed bike) and also more complexity in some gear shifters will mean less robustness to an extent. Not forgetting of course, more speeds will always be equated to being "better" and will be more expensive, regardless of costs because most likely more can be charged.

 

[palinurus]

I've long wanted to build a concept bike - 9-speed internal hub, 9-speed cassette, triple front = 243-speed bike. What do you reckon?

If you could somehow marry a triple chainset to a Schlumpf BB drive you could get even more.

9 speed? go Campy, make it 11.

 

[ausalex]

If you could somehow marry a triple chainset to a Schlumpf BB drive you could get even more.

9 speed? go Campy, make it 11.

And use a 14 speed Rohloff hub

 

[Keith Oates]

I suppose it really depends on what you are doing with the bike. I find that it's very good using a 10 speed on the roadie as there are times when you just need a little adjustment up or down to keep up your speed at your favorite (or most comfortable) cadence. At other times a bike with less gears is more than sufficient!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!