Mountain Bikes · Public discussion

lowest gear ratio

Started by Jansen Danganan · · Last activity · 13 posts · 1,216 views

This thread is locked and is currently read-only.

Thread navigation

Jump through the discussion

Go to the original post, the replies on this page, or the latest preserved contribution.

Thread details

What we know about this thread

Original section
Mountain Bikes
Published
22 July 2003
Last activity
25 July 2003
Original author
Jansen Danganan
Posts
13
Discussion status
Public discussion
Total views
1,216
Views / 30 days
0

The navigation and discussion metadata provide context. Posts remain in their original chronological order.

Showing posts 1–13 of 13
Posts remain in their original chronological order.

Text size
  1. Hello Guys,

    Most trails here in our area are coupled with steep up and downs terains.

    What do you guys used on your drivetrain? I am using an xtrm900 crankset 48-36-26 with 12-32 cogs,
    and seems pretty hard to climb those technical terrains.

    Now I am on the process of fabricating an adapter to be use on this crankset, and I will use an 18t
    granny which came from an LX cogset.

    Any idea folks?

  2. "Jansen Danganan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    Hello Guys,

    Most trails here in our area are coupled with steep up and downs terains.

    What do you guys used on your drivetrain? I am using an xtrm900 crankset 48-36-26 with 12-32 cogs,
    and seems pretty hard to climb those technical terrains.

    Now I am on the process of fabricating an adapter to be use on this crankset, and I will use an
    18t granny which came from an LX cogset.

    Any idea folks?


    Anyone that goes to the trouble of working round a problem and fabricationg there own kit has my
    respect, however I imagine you might have problems with chain tension, and finding a derailleur to
    cover the gear spread from 18T to
    46T.

    Steve.

  3. "spademan o---[) *" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    "]news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:


    "Jansen Danganan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    Hello Guys,

    Most trails here in our area are coupled with steep up and downs terains.

    What do you guys used on your drivetrain? I am using an xtrm900 crankset 48-36-26 with 12-32
    cogs, and seems pretty hard to climb those technical terrains.

    Now I am on the process of fabricating an adapter to be use on this crankset, and I will use an
    18t granny which came from an LX cogset.

    Any idea folks?


    Anyone that goes to the trouble of working round a problem and


    fabricationg

    Quoted message said:

    there own kit has my respect, however I imagine you might have problems


    with

    Quoted message said:

    chain tension, and finding a derailleur to cover the gear spread from 18T


    to

    Quoted message said:

    46T.

    Steve.


    The XTR m900(48-36-26), i'l take out the granny 26T, together with some washers in it and insert an
    adapter then an 18t granny, so that will make a 48-36-18t crankset.

    regards

  4. Jansen Danganan <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:


    "spademan o---[) *" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    "]news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:


    "Jansen Danganan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    Hello Guys,

    Most trails here in our area are coupled with steep up and downs terains.

    What do you guys used on your drivetrain? I am using an xtrm900 crankset 48-36-26 with 12-32
    cogs, and seems pretty hard to climb those technical terrains.

    Now I am on the process of fabricating an adapter to be use on this crankset, and I will use
    an 18t granny which came from an LX cogset.

    Any idea folks?


    Anyone that goes to the trouble of working round a problem and


    fabricationg

    Quoted message said:

    there own kit has my respect, however I imagine you might have problems


    with

    Quoted message said:

    chain tension, and finding a derailleur to cover the gear spread from


    18T

    Quoted message said:

    to

    Quoted message said:

    46T.

    Steve.


    The XTR m900(48-36-26), i'l take out the granny 26T, together with some washers in it and insert
    an adapter then an 18t granny, so that will make


    a

    Quoted message said:

    48-36-18t crankset.

    regards

    What Steve is saying (regardless of him saying 46 instead of 48), is that most (all?)
    deraileurs will struggle to change gears over that range - you may well have to change all the
    rings for smaller ones (losing you biggest gear in the process, mind) to keep it in a range the
    derailleur can cover
    (e.g. 22-32-42, although you should be able to maybe get away with 18-32-44? Possibly....).

    Shaun aRe

  5. Jansen Danganan said:

    Hello Guys,

    Most trails here in our area are coupled with steep up and downs terains.

    What do you guys used on your drivetrain? I am using an xtrm900 crankset 48-36-26 with 12-32 cogs,
    and seems pretty hard to climb those technical terrains.

    Now I am on the process of fabricating an adapter to be use on this crankset, and I will use an
    18t granny which came from an LX cogset.

    Any idea folks?

    Most people, even in the most mountainous regions, cope with a 22t front with a 34 rear. 18t seems a
    little extreme.

  6. "Jansen Danganan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    Hello Guys,

    Most trails here in our area are coupled with steep up and downs terains.

    What do you guys used on your drivetrain? I am using an xtrm900 crankset 48-36-26 with 12-32 cogs,
    and seems pretty hard to climb those technical terrains.

    Also if you are having difficulty on technical terrain then it will be very easy to stall with a
    tiny gear ratio. Time to brush up on technique maybe?

    Steve.

  7. "Jansen Danganan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

    Quoted message said:

    Hello Guys,

    Most trails here in our area are coupled with steep up and downs terains.

    What do you guys used on your drivetrain? I am using an xtrm900 crankset 48-36-26 with 12-32 cogs,
    and seems pretty hard to climb those technical terrains.

    Now I am on the process of fabricating an adapter to be use on this crankset, and I will use an
    18t granny which came from an LX cogset.

    Any idea folks?

    Start the rap music.... "just stand up, just stand up..."

    Paladin No, I'm not joking.

  8. "Jansen Danganan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    Hello Guys,

    Most trails here in our area are coupled with steep up and downs terains.

    What do you guys used on your drivetrain? I am using an xtrm900 crankset 48-36-26 with 12-32 cogs,
    and seems pretty hard to climb those technical terrains.

    Now I am on the process of fabricating an adapter to be use on this crankset, and I will use an
    18t granny which came from an LX cogset.

    Any idea folks?


    I use 48 36 22 with 32/11 on the back. This gives me a good high gear for the tarmac bits (and any
    downhills where I'm feeling really brave), and a gear low enough to wind up the side of a house. Any
    lower than 22/32 isn't really useable IMHO. In fact, most technical uphills are best tackled 4 cogs
    off the bottom on the granny - the only time I use the real bottom cog is to wind up a long smooth
    slope when I'm getting tired. Too low a gear on anything bumpy and I can't keep the front wheel
    down. I find better traction a gear or two higher as well, so long as I've got the strength to turn
    it. I think my combination of gears is about as wide as I would like to go from a point of view of
    chain length and the ability of the front der to shift it reliably.

    Hope this helps,

    Twohat (because two heads are better than one)

  9. Jansen Danganan said:

    "spademan o---[) *" <[email hidden]> wrote

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:


    Now I am on the process of fabricating an adapter to be use on this crankset, and I will use an
    18t granny which came from an LX cogset.


    I imagine you might have problems with chain tension, and finding a derailleur to cover the gear
    spread from 18T to 46T.


    The XTR m900(48-36-26), i'l take out the granny 26T, together with some washers in it and insert an
    adapter then an 18t granny, so that will make a 48-36-18t crankset.

    I'd suspect the 36 to 18 (and vice versa) shift to be pretty awful. If your adapter adds any width,
    it's very possible the chain will get hopelessly wedged.

    Why not just chase down one of the old Suntour Microdrive cranks and be done with it. They came with
    42-32-20 rings. That's pretty much pushing the edge of the envelope in terms of chain tension
    already - the additional 10% you'd get with an 18 is probably too much unless you're a real
    lightweight.

    Mark Hickey Habanero Cycles habcycles.comhabcycles.com Home of the $695 ti frame

  10. bomba <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

    Quoted message said:
    Jansen Danganan said:

    Hello Guys,

    Most trails here in our area are coupled with steep up and downs terains.

    What do you guys used on your drivetrain? I am using an xtrm900 crankset 48-36-26 with 12-32
    cogs, and seems pretty hard to climb those technical terrains.

    Now I am on the process of fabricating an adapter to be use on this crankset, and I will use an
    18t granny which came from an LX cogset.

    Any idea folks?

    Most people, even in the most mountainous regions, cope with a 22t front with a 34 rear. 18t seems
    a little extreme.

    Yeah, even a 22 x 34 will cause the guy to do the mega-hamster dance. He'll be spinning too much to
    remain in good control of the bike. And there's no power to draw on to go over logs or rocks when
    you're that low.

    Some things like strength and conditioning, money can't buy. For all else, there's
    mastercard. Right?

    Paladin

  11. bomba <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

    Quoted message said:
    Jansen Danganan said:

    Hello Guys,

    Most trails here in our area are coupled with steep up and downs terains.

    What do you guys used on your drivetrain? I am using an xtrm900 crankset 48-36-26 with 12-32
    cogs, and seems pretty hard to climb those technical terrains.

    Now I am on the process of fabricating an adapter to be use on this crankset, and I will use an
    18t granny which came from an LX cogset.

    Any idea folks?

    Most people, even in the most mountainous regions, cope with a 22t front with a 34 rear. 18t seems
    a little extreme.

    Yeah, even a 22 x 34 will cause the guy to do the mega-hamster dance. He'll be spinning too much to
    remain in good control of the bike. And there's no power to draw on to go over logs or rocks when
    you're that low.

    Some things like strength and conditioning, money can't buy. For all else, there's
    mastercard. Right?

    Paladin

  12. Quoted message said:

    Now I am on the process of fabricating an adapter

    Quoted message said:

    to be use on this crankset, and I will use an 18t granny which came from an LX cogset.

    Any idea folks?

    Most people, even in the most mountainous regions, cope with a 22t


    front

    Quoted message said:

    with a 34 rear. 18t seems a little extreme.

    I'll accept you guys with young strong legs feel you may spin out of control with a 22/34. But I've
    got old tired legs and I'd like something even lower than this. Climbing a rough mountain pass in
    'Pete Jones Scottish routes' with a pack and overnight camping stuff I just hate to do the pushwalk
    when I know I should be riding. There must be others like me. Mike

  13. Twohat said:

    "Jansen Danganan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    Hello Guys,

    Most trails here in our area are coupled with steep up and downs terains.

    What do you guys used on your drivetrain? I am using an xtrm900 crankset 48-36-26 with 12-32 cogs,
    and seems pretty hard to climb those technical terrains.

    Now I am on the process of fabricating an adapter to be use on this crankset, and I will use an
    18t granny which came from an LX cogset.

    Any idea folks?

    I use 48 36 22 with 32/11 on the back. This gives me a good high gear for the tarmac bits (and any
    downhills where I'm feeling really brave), and a gear low enough to wind up the side of a house.
    Any lower than 22/32 isn't really useable IMHO. In fact, most technical uphills are best tackled 4
    cogs off the bottom on the granny - the only time I use the real bottom cog is to wind up a long
    smooth slope when I'm getting tired. Too low a gear on anything bumpy and I can't keep the front
    wheel down. I find better traction a gear or two higher as well, so long as I've got the strength
    to turn it. I think my combination of gears is about as wide as I would like to go from a point of
    view of chain length and the ability of the front der to shift it reliably.

    Hope this helps,

    Twohat (because two heads are better than one)

    I run 20/32/44 and the 20/32 shift is tough to get tuned-in and working reliably. I'd be amazed if
    he can get an 18-36 to shift.

    I spin and find that a 20-34 ratio works much better for me than the 22-34 on steep hills --
    especially long slow crawls. It's also ok for technical terrain. I balance well and have good
    traction control. I DO go up a gear or 2 if there're places where I'm going to need more rotation
    out of the back tire on a single stroke to clear an obstacle.

    But, just get a 5-arm compact crank set and several manu's make 20 tooth rings. I typically use
    Race Face.

    David

Active in the last 60 minutes

Active in this thread

0 users · 0 guests ·0 bots ·0 total

No signed-in users are active right now.

No known search crawlers active right now.