That may be the answer luke – its the big jumps in ratio i don't like from being hard to too easy in 1 easy step!

It's good- got used to it after going 10 speed on the road bike with a small cassette.

bought the rings and bolts – will give 24/36 a whirl

Just for a bit of balance, I changed from a triple to a 24/36/bash set up. I found the 36t too big, too much of a jump from the 22. And rather oddly, I kept bending the middle ring. No idea why, might be the bigger gap between the rings making more leverage on the middle ring when you change up. Been reasonably careful changing gears too.
I'll second the triple being better for the Peaks too.

Soooo, anyone want an e13 36t bashguard?? 😉

No ta, Bashguards are so last year. 😉

I've run just no big ring for a while and it's been fine. The only downside is that if you do manage to drop the chain off the high side, it'll generally not pedal back on as you lack the shifting pins to do it. So, I got a Superlite "bash ring" which would probably bend in half if you look at it funny, but keeps the chain on and still weighs less than the big ring.

"Obi_Twa – Member

I see a big problem with just taking the big ring off a triple to make it into a double. That problem being the absence of a big ring. Unless you live at the bottom of a well and have to ride out every day I dont see why you would want only a middle and granny set up"

If you go with 36T for the middle you lose only the top 2 and a half gears, which you very, very rarely use offroad. I thought the same as you til I did the numbers and tried it, but it turns out I knew nothing.

Horses for courses and that, but I found 28/40 very good for XC, yes 36 is sufficient, but you are more likely to spin out on the road and spend a vast amount of time right at the bottom of the block. I would personally say a 22/24 is not much use either, but it does rather depend on what/where/how you ride!

Can't be doing with close ratio cassettes, have to shift on the front the whole time! I've never had a problem with the jumps in an MTB cassette personally.

I'd say a 40T would be great for your local, but I'd really suffer without a 22 for my pedalling style and local trails. I even use the 22t a lot in races.

njee20 – Member

Horses for courses and that, but I found 28/40 very good for XC, yes 36 is sufficient, but you are more likely to spin out on the road and spend a vast amount of time right at the bottom of the block. I would personally say a 22/24 is not much use either, but it does rather depend on what/where/how you ride!

Todays pentlands ride saw a lot of 22 ring useage by all of us – and none cleaned the climbs even so.

Where can I get a 20 granny ring?

tj do you have legs like an ethiopian?

He has legs like tree trunks, its just the extra weight of the bashguard holding him back.

Bash guards look cleaner and stop you from nackering your chain if you catch the ring on anything. Don't see why you wouldn't want to run one, double without looks horrible. Weight is negligible and you can have em for cheap, mine was about a fiver.

Bash guards don't look cleaner – they're just an additional bit added on. I can't remember the last time I damaged a tooth on a big ring let alone a middle ring sized chainring on a double setup so would I bother? Maybe you should fit a trouser guard and a chainguard to your bike too as they look cleaner as well.

GeeWavetree – Member

tj do you have legs like an ethiopian?

Nope – just ride up hills. 9 of us out last night – not one made it up the howden climb. It is possible but you really need to be very fit and a nice low gear is essential.

Looks alright to me…

I did say it entirely depends on your bike/terrain/riding style, but I've not found any problems with a 28 personally anywhere I've ridden. In fact in the last few years I've made my ratios smaller, used to run 32/44, then 42/30, then 40/28 when I was on 9 speed. I've not used a 22 for about 5 years. Compared to what singlespeeders run a 28/34 or whatever is a tiny gear!

I am finding i am riding in the middle ring and full cassette range most of the time and then dropping to the bottom but finding the 34 at the back far to spinny.
Will give it a go – whats £22!!

Bash guards don't look cleaner – they're just an additional bit added on.

Dunno, in my opinion they just give a "simpler" look – I don't like seeing "through" the outer ring into the spider, granny etc. On a single ring setup with a decent ss ring (like on a bmx) I do like the bash-less look though.

Is Obi_Twa the new njee?
A lot of people pedal the wrong manner, other like njee are so good that they can get the 42/11 everywhere (even up some hills).
Going fast has more about how fast you can pedal and most important how well you can pic a trajectory.
In the typical njeesque wood (hampshire) save the odd fire-road, you're not much faster with a gear bike than with a SS* (peter can vouch for that on the numerous ride we did together). If you look to the MM results, solo SSers aren't much slowers than solo geared people.
So a 32×11 will be plenty enough. Obvisouly if you like to ride your mountain bike on flat lands or on the road, maybe you should get a cross bike.
Back to the OP, keep your 32/22 and see how you get with it. Cheapest will probably be some short chain bolt. Once the 32 is dead you can change it for a 36. If average riders like me can get away with 32/22 everyone can I only miss a bigger gear when we're going down from the trail to the city center, on the road.
*that doesn't apply to njee indeed.

Can anyone smell chip fat?

Juan – Where are you right now? Hampshire? Are you deserting me???? 😉

You're a very odd fellow Juan! You're also very very bad at trying to antagonise me. You got my location wrong for a start!

I'm looking forward to you getting a job so you can buy me those tickets to come and ride with you!

Sorry peter still in the south of France
setting up for a ride as we speak 😀

That's a shame, I was hoping you'd be able to join our ride on Sunday, or are you riding up to meet us!?

Answering the original question, as well as the Middleburn DUO, there is also the FSA 386. There are a few other more obscure ones as well. KCNC I think do a double?

A lot of the very fasted people in the world have been running single 38s or 36s so losing a 44 is no big deal. A lot depends on your pedalling style, but I like to spin rather than grunt. Having said that, if I fail on a climb it's probably more to do with lack of fitness and technical ability than gearing. In other words, lower gears wouldn't have helped.

I'm running 32-22 and I'm under geared and will up it when it wears. I'm running a lightweight bash for protection, the bash has actually taken a battering. I have no problems running without, looks fine IMHO, just a bash is better for that bike.