I want my granny back

[Eluder]

Cool story, bro. Here's my ride from today...

Attachment 187423

Yeah, that's 2k vert in 3.5 miles of climbing... with a brief downhill section. I'm sure she would have crushed it on her 32T chainring though. I'm just a pussy with my 30T.

Can I touch you

[bodywhomper]

With a ride like that, why are you on a multigeared bike?

[kidwoo]

Cool story, bro. Here's my ride from today...

Attachment 187423

That elevation profile is backwards. I think you're doing it wrong.

[rod9301]

Wait, so 175 cranks are easier to pedal than 170s?

I was told the 170 would be easier on my knees.

I never thought this thru .

[ticketchecker]

^^^Dark.

Wicked dahk

[jono]

Wait, so 175 cranks are easier to pedal than 170s?

I was told the 170 would be easier on my knees.

I never thought this thru .

Both things can be true: 170's are easier to pedal fast, so you can up your cadence if you have the gears for it. Shorter range of motion is easier on the high end and typically easier on the knees at a given foot speed/force, but you make less torque at the crank so you have to make that up in gear ratio.

[jm2e]

Longer cranks give you a larger lever arm. So get a 175mm crankset unless you're on a DH bike.

Go for a ride. If you didn't have enough low end, get a chainring with a couple fewer teeth.
Go for another ride. You might just find you like having that lower range.

If you actually miss that high end that was lost when going to the smaller chainring, you have two options:
1. Get a cassette with a 10T (or 9T) cog and stick with the smaller chainring. Or get a cassette with a 46T cog and go back to the larger chainring.
2. Get a new bike that takes front derailleurs. They still exist. You just bought the "wrong" bike for you. It happens.

All of the above options are expensive. Welcome to modern mountain biking. You're going to compromise somewhere: Cost, quality, weight, simplicity, high end, low end, principles, etc.

[ridinshockgun]

I've found the worst thing about the 32 x 11-42 setup was that when I wanted to ride socially on longer gradual climbs it was really hard to hang back and not end up running off up the hill like an ass. Switched to a 30t and it's much easier, and my ego is still just fine.

If you're a masher, you can probably slow pedal a big gear, but I'm not a masher and like to turn a certain cadence on long 1 hour climbs up fire roads, etc.

One thing a really easy gear isn't going to help with is steep technical stuff where you have to push a big gear to keep from spinning or to get up and over roots and rocks.

[jono]

Longer cranks give you a larger lever arm. So get a 175mm crankset unless you're on a DH bike.

Bigger rear cogs give you a larger lever arm, too. Literally. It just rotates. But you make a good point about principles.

[TahoeJ]

Can I touch you

Way to miss the point, completely. Plenty of us do steep climbs and there's nothing wrong with a 30T or even 28T. Get it? One of the strongest riders I know recently went down from 32 to 30.

[muted]

Way to miss the point, completely. Plenty of us do steep climbs and there's nothing wrong with a 30T or even 28T. Get it? One of the strongest riders I know recently went down from 32 to 30.

The proper response should have been, "Sure, then can I touch your wife?"

[TahoeJ]

^^ Agreed.

[Eluder]

Way to miss the point, completely. Plenty of us do steep climbs and there's nothing wrong with a 30T or even 28T. Get it? One of the strongest riders I know recently went down from 32 to 30.

I didn't miss the point, just some TGR shit talking.

We ride plenty of steep stuff that goes up more than that in elevation, that being said this isn't a dick measuring contest. I'll run a 30t on my 29er but I miss the top end any lower than that, If i can get a 32 oval that doesn't wear out in 50 miles Ill go back to that. My wife hasn't complained about the OneUp 32 oval on her 650b so maybe ill give that a go.

Do I wish I had a lower gear because it hurts some times? yeah of course, Im just not willing to give up the top end. I think it kinda sucks that new bikes are going 1x only in design but I guess thats what 50t cassettes are for. I've been running 1 shifter so long that my feeble brain couldn't handle a double and a dropper. If I lived in the alps I would have DI2 2x with just one shifter.

Carry on and ride what you want.

The proper response should have been, "Sure, then can I touch your wife?"

You owe me a dollar

[TahoeJ]

We ride plenty of steep stuff that goes up more than that in elevation

Hooked one! It was a phony example - the second half of that climb I posted is hike-a-bike because it's too steep to be ridden. Notice how it goes up about 1k in elevation in a little over a 1/2 mile? ;-)

[bagtagley]

So, I didn't do anything. Been running this configuration since I got the bike. I'll agree that you do get used to turning harder gears, but only to a point. I generally have less energy later in rides, and I really miss the granny on those late-ride, super steep, punchy ridgeline climbs. I also notice the 170mm crank arms every time I get on the bike. It feels like I have no leverage, and that I'm either in too hard a gear, or spinning out like a dork. I really think longer crank arms could be the ultimate solution for me. If I was ambitious, I'd borrow some longer crank arms, or a smaller chainring, but I'm not ambitious. Most likely, I'll keep riding this drivetrain as-is until something breaks.

[Ted Striker]

Didn't go back through every post in the thread, but I'd say get a wolftooth big ring on the back.

[rideit]

Or the new Sunrace models, they are making ring up to 50t for 11 speed, and up to 46 for ten speed (I think)

[homemadesalsa]

My new shimono 1 x 11 has a 46 serving platter. I'm pairing it with a 28 t up front to keep my .61 granny gear. Deep into middle age, I like to ride long days and big hills. Mashing makes me grumpy.

[sethschmautz]

Or the new Sunrace models, they are making ring up to 50t for 11 speed, and up to 46 for ten speed (I think)

I think it's 46 for 11 speed and 42 for 10 speed.

At least that's what I can find on their website.

[rideit]

No, they came out with a 11-50 for 11 speed a few weeks ago. They are available online, but I forget where. Pretty sure you are right on the ten, though.

[rideit]

Here you go...
http://singletrackworld.com/2017/03/...-50t-cassette/

[gravitylover]

Look at the size of the jumps between cogs - 32,36,42,50 I would rather have tighter spacing with a 42 big cog and use a 28 or 30 up front. Why not wider on the small cogs and tighter on the big ones?

[Damian Sanders]

Here you go...
http://singletrackworld.com/2017/03/...-50t-cassette/

Sunrace must be dominating the wide range 3rd-party cassette market, popularized by their 10-speed 11-40t and 11-42t offerings a couple years back. The are now also offering 9-speed 11-36t and 11-40t.

They are stocking tons of their wide range cassettes, Universal Cycles shows (I think) BTI and/or QBP live inventory:

https://www.universalcycles.com/shop...?category=5140

I just bought a 10-speed 11-40t btw. They do not offer a 11-46t, it would be impossible to get a Shimano 10-speed derailleur to work with one without a modified derailleur cage with an offset pivot. Even 42t doesn't work well, but 40t seems to work fine. Your could however use a 11-speed rear derailleur with a 10 speed shifter on a 11-46t 10 speed if one existed, but not many people have that shifter-derailleur combo.

On my latest drivetrain rebuild, I'll be running 32t with 11-40t which is fine for the small rolling hills around me on a 26". I'm on the fence about installing a 22t or 26t granny that can be manually shifted to, for if I travel to anywhere with long sustained climbs. With an alloy ring and alloy XTR bolts it's very little weight, but if I never use it locally I don't want to leave it on all the time. But to take it on and off, you have to pull the whole crank and then re-install it with a torque wrench, which isn't exactly convenient either.

[sethschmautz]

My experience with my 11-42 sunrace has been excellent. I didn't do any modifications (goat link or extended cage) and I haven't noticed any performance issues. Maybe I will over time, but currently everything seems to be working great.

Seth

[Ted Striker]

Look at the size of the jumps between cogs - 32,36,42,50 I would rather have tighter spacing with a 42 big cog and use a 28 or 30 up front. Why not wider on the small cogs and tighter on the big ones?

^^^ this is exactly why I suggested a wolftooth. Only one big jump.