Modern trend for extremely low gearing

[Justinslow]

So what’s with the fashion of tiny front ring and dinner plate cassettes? That’s seriously low gearing, 30-51 for instance?
Do they really ever get used, I mean I could probably walk really slowly and still be faster than pedalling the bike.
Maybe there’s a case for serious mountain up hills but round a trail centre or buggering about round the countryside?

 

[ColinJ]

That is really low - 0.59:1. I don't think that would get much use!

My mountain bike has 22/32 - 0.69:1. I didn't use it often in that gear, but on 25+% climbs I sometimes did.

 

[Archie_tect]

It'd be less embarrassing to walk up.

 

[MichaelW2]

The dinner plate rear sprockets are used because small front chainrings have gone out of fashion.
MTB/ touring triples used to be min around 20 gear inches ( down to 17").
The 30/57 is 15.75"

You need ultra low gears for loaded touring off road and on ultra steep roads. You cant push a loaded bike up a steep trail at 3mph.
You can pedal down to 2mph without falling off and no cycle tourist has ever complained about having gears too low.

 

[gom]

22:34 on three bikes.
I sooner be riding a bike than pushing it.

 

[Justinslow]

Just a quick search
https://www.wiggle.co.uk/vitus-rapide-29-crx-mountain-bike-2021
11-51 12 sp with 30 up front.

 

[Justinslow]

The dinner plate rear sprockets are used because small front chainrings have gone out of fashion.
MTB/ touring triples used to be min around 20 gear inches ( down to 17").
The 30/57 is 15.75"

You need ultra low gears for loaded touring off road and on ultra steep roads. You cant push a loaded bike up a steep trail at 3mph.
You can pedal down to 2mph without falling off and no cycle tourist has ever complained about having gears too low.

Ehh? Small front chain rings gone out of fashion? From what I’m seeing on MtB are 30 or 32?

 

[screenman]

Please, please can I be first, they have more money than sense

 

[Archie_tect]

Apologies- didn't appreciate this was an MTB thread... my old bike has 52/39 with a 11-32 5-speed freewheel.

 

[Justinslow]

Please, please can I be first, they have more money than sense

So is it just a fashion thing?

 

[Justinslow]

This bike I’ve just linked to above -
In the blurb-
Ready to attack the most challenging XC courses, the Vitus Rapide 29 CRX Mountain Bike is agile, stable and fast. Its light carbon frame has a modern geometry, plus it's enhanced with Shimano XT 1x12-speed gears and RockShox forks.
Isn’t that a bit odd with 30 -51 ?

 

[flake99please]

I have a fat bike with 30/52, and have needed this low gear on several occasions already. I may fit a 32 chain ring (maximum permissible) and see how I get on with it.

 

[Justinslow]

I have a fat bike with 30/52, and have needed this low gear on several occasions already. I may fit a 32 chain ring (maximum permissible) and see how I get on with it.

Ok, where have you needed that?

 

[flake99please]

Ok, where have you needed that?

Up the Pentland hills (off track) and on the sand dunes at Gullane.

 

[lane]

It'd be less embarrassing to walk up.

Was out for a walk this morning. Cyclist comes up behind me then gets of to walk. He says he has managed to cycle up it twice (not very steep). I say you need lower gears then have a look at his bike - he has a triple but is on the middle ring. I don't think he quite understood how the gears work.