I don’t want to be too tough on myself straight out so thinking 32/20. What you running?

Cheers
Rich

Will be pointless, start at either 34:16 or 32:16. The hills are really more about balance than absolute grunt.

Look at it this way, it you can o a climb in the middle ring (and whatever cog out the back) you can SS it. Plus those ratios will teach you more about determination 🙂

42:16

or 36:16 on the dirt 😉

26” wheel or 29” wheel.
It makes a difference.
32:20 for a 29er would be about right. For a 26er you need to swallow that man pill and start with a 18 at least :O)

All IMHO obviously.

the ‘classic’:

32/16 on 26
32/18 on 29

I’m a mid-paced (mid-aged) rider and can get up most local climbs. On the whole the long climbs aren’t steep and the steep climbs aren’t long.

I think you’d find 32/20 very spinny, esp on a 26er.

32/18:29 is a tad easier than 32/16:26.

bloomin’ ‘ell when I started writing there were no replies, has the rain brought everyone in tonight?

Nope, you type slowly :O)

Thoughtfully.

32:20 for a 29er would be about right.

only if you’re really weak it is!

32:16 on 26, or 32:18 on a 29er, same ratio whether I’m at Swinley or the Yorkshire Moors.

32:19 on my 29er SS. No problems getting up hills but it is a bit annoying if the ride contains any road sections. Still wouldn’t change though.

32:16 for me (26″ wheels). 33:20 would be shite

I’m 42 and fat. I’ve not ridden a SS for nearly 2 years and yesterday I did 25k round the (Rather steeper than the Surrey Hills) Cotswolds on a 26in SS with 32:16 ratio with no problems at all.

That’s all you need. That’s the one.

(Or 32:18 on a 29er)

Thanks for replies. It is for a 29er so might try a 32:18. While I’m on if I tried, say, 30:16 how do you compare the 2 ratios? Add them? Multiply them?

clicky

try here.

26 inch wheels. 32:16 here.

Most people measure them in inches (some people use meters developed but that’s harder to calculate even if it’s easier to visualize). The number of inches is the equivalent penny farthing wheel size of that gear. Handily most people have a ~32″ inside leg so allowing for 7″ cranks ~50″ (32-7 * 2) wheels worked out quite a nice gear.

(chainring/sprocket) * wheel size

32/16 * 26 = 52
32/18 * 29 = 51.5

It’s not exact because a 26″ wheel isn’t 26″ and 29er isn’t 29″, but it’s close enough.

Meters development is how far you’d travel for one revolution of the cranks, so multiply the above my pi and convert to meters.

A fair few of us rode todays Brass Monkeys at Ceaser’s Camp on 29er single speeds. Lot of climbing , 32:18 working well for most of us .

32:18 it is. And thanks for the calculator.

there is only one gearing…

Pfft.
32:20 works for me.
Overweight, unfit, 59 and 3/4.

36:17

Stanton Slackline

Lyrik

been running this for about a year all over the hills as well as in my second home of Swansea (standard trail centers, mucking about on secret local tracks, and the Beacons) as well as a highlands holiday – was initially on a 36:18 but spun out on the descents so the 17 rear makes things that little faster if the hills out of peaslake are a little more painful! That said I cleaned the greensands climb for the first time the other weekend so its definitely helping my fitness as I never even managed that geared!

Thanks for replies. It is for a 29er so might try a 32:18. While I’m on if I tried, say, 30:16 how do you compare the 2 ratios?

Ratios aside, more teeth is better because the load is spread wider.

Lots of man up advice……However, I am an advocate of manning down to start with……..