What's your wildest Gear Ratio ?

[Threevok]

I am currently running 34x14 in commute mode, but I run 32x18 off road.

For those hard off road climbs I am thinking of dropping to 30x21 or even 30x22

Too much ???

Also, I was imagining putting a Ex-pander cog on the back and run 30x42

Anyone tried anything this wild ?

 

[Ian H]

My road fixed (the only fixed I have) is either 43x17 or 43x18. The latter is not far from your commuting gear. I don't find it terribly wild.

 

[raleighnut]

Bottom gear on my Saracen 'Blitz' is 26 crank 34 cassette, don't think I've ever used it.

 

[Welsh wheels]

One of my bikes has 53-42 front rings, and the other has a standard 50-34 compact chainset. You can guess which bike gets left in the shed.

 

[iandg]

Bottom gear on my cross check is 24x32
My fixed commute bike is 48x21
When I converted my MTB to SS I rode 42x22
When I raced I used a 54x12 top gear (there was no such thing as an 11t sprocket back then)

 

[Sharky]

Bottom gear on my TT bike is 50x14 coincidentally, my top gear is also 50x14.

 

[TheDoctor]

39x15 on the fixed, with 17 as a freewheel.

On my late lamented Carbon Uberbike, I had a low of 26x28 for Ventoux. And boy, did I need it!
My Brompton M12R has a low of 21.8"...

 

[Lonestar]

Recently 52x13 on the fixie but changed to 52x16 to get away at the lights from dodgy unpredictable motorists...Plus the others who don't bother to indicate till the lights change,which by then is not much use at all.

I've got spare 15 and 18 cogs.

 

[Ian H]

Recently 52x13 on the fixie but changed to 52x16 to get away at the lights from dodgy unpredictable motorists...Plus the others who don't bother to indicate till the lights change,which by then is not much use at all.

I've got spare 15 and 18 cogs.

Blimey.

 

[Will Spin]

34X32, I like to live close to the edge.

 

[Hugh Manatee]

At the moment 39 x 23. My other bike had a more marine MAMIL friendly 38 x 26.

 

[ChrisEyles]

Interesting question! On road I'm very happy with something around 69" (46/19 with 27" wheels on mine).

Off road I've experimented with several different gear ratios for a SS build and never found one I was happy with. I tried 32/15 and 32/18 with 26" wheels which worked great for short blasts around the local trail centre but would be totally unusable on long Dartmoor rides.

I haven't tried any of the more sensible gears suggested here (@Hugh Manatee's 38/26 sounds a lot more manageable - is that on SS bike or is that the bottom gear on a geared bike?) so perhaps I'll give that a go sometime... but I can imagine getting frustrated with twiddling away like a deranged hamster on the flats!

 

[Hugh Manatee]

That's low gear on a geared bike @ChrisEyles

I used to ride a fixed and found it pretty quick. I think I beat my timed ride with gears. I think that was on 52 x 16 but it is fairly flat here.

 

[midlife]

Way back in my 70's TT era I used to push some BIG gears like Alf and the Staffordshire Engine

 

[Milkfloat]

44/14 here I would go 44/13 but I don't have a 13 cog. I must admit, for a hilly day I will have a 15 and a 16 freewheel in case of trouble. I have not used the 16 yet.