What is your lowest gear and how low is too low. Are new bikes geared too high?

[phil-b]

I still have a triple on my old hybrid bike with a lowest gear ratio of

22. Front. 32 rear

After I swapped the front chain ring to a MTB one.

 

[FishFright]

22 front, 36 rea. but it's on a recumbent trike so I can go as slow as I like.

 

[Dogtrousers]

My lowest is 1:1 (34/34)
I have plans in hand to lower it to 30/34

Are new bikes geared too high? Depends which bikes, what type of bikes and who is riding them and where.

 

[classic33]

I've a spread of gearing from 29" to 229" on one bike, using a 42/52/62 triple.

 

[Vapin' Joe]

In the days of five speed blocks you could argue that the gearing was too high for most purchasers, but since the number of sprockets went into double figures and were combined with compact chainsets that is no longer the case.

 

[phil-b]

I've a spread of gearing from 29" to 229" on one bike, using a 42/52/62 triple.

Wow that seem very high to me. If I had that gearing I would be walking 🤣

 

[chriswoody]

The gearing on modern gravel bikes up till recently was far to high, especially if you wanted to go loaded touring off road.

My Kona has a 1x drivetrain and originally had a 36 tooth chainring married to a 10 - 42 cassette giving it a 420% range and a low gear of 24 inches. I've now created a mullet drivetrain with a SRAM GX Eagle mountain bike derailleur. So I've now got a 34 tooth chainring with a 10 - 50 cassette, giving me 520% range and a low gear of 19 inches.

 

[Sharky]

We all have a "sweet spot" cadence range and gearing can keep you within, but I've seen lots of riders exceeding both ends of the range. Some pedalling far too slowly in a very high gear and others pedalling so quickly at low speed, but still only going at walking pace. Might as well be walking.

 

[All uphill]

I've learnt the hard way not to venture into Devon without a 20" gear or a good pair of walking boots.

 

[Drago]

If new bikes are geared any lower they'll go backwards.

 

[Punkawallah]

‘83 Dawes Galaxy steel touring bike at 34lb unladen, 630mm wheels, 32mm tyres.
34/48 front, 14/32 six speed rear..

In terms of gear inches, the hardest gearing gives me 94”, the easiest 29”.

 

[Fastpedaller]

I've a spread of gearing from 29" to 229" on one bike, using a 42/52/62 triple.

229 inches? - A very large wheel, or does it have an extra ratio eg in the hub, along with a derailleur? How on earth could you push a 229 inch gear anyway?

 

[Sharky]

229 inches? - A very large wheel, or does it have an extra ratio eg in the hub, along with a derailleur? How on earth could you push a 229 inch gear anyway?

Must be a typo, a 62x11 only gives a 150" gear.

 

[phil-b]

The gearing on modern gravel bikes up till recently was far to high, especially if you wanted to go loaded touring off road.

My Kona has a 1x drivetrain and originally had a 36 tooth chainring married to a 10 - 42 cassette giving it a 420% range and a low gear of 24 inches. I've now created a mullet drivetrain with a SRAM GX Eagle mountain bike derailleur. So I've now got a 34 tooth chainring with a 10 - 50 cassette, giving me 520% range and a low gear of 19 inches.

1x seems always to make you compromise as the range is limited .

 

[phil-b]

‘83 Dawes Galaxy steel touring bike at 34lb unladen, 630mm wheels, 32mm tyres.
34/48 front, 14/32 six speed rear..

In terms of gear inches, the hardest gearing gives me 94”, the easiest 29”.

This is why I’m asking 29 on a touring bike would be too high for me to take and of the steeper hills