I have blown the budget on a new FS 29er 😀 which will come with 1×11 gearing (10-42 cassette and 30T chainring)

I will continue to ride my singlespeed 29er with 32×18 and I can get up most hills on this gear.

New bike will be used for day rides in Surrey Hills, Swinley and trail centres further away. I have a holiday in the Lakes coming up as well 🙂

Is it worth swapping the ring on the new bike to 32T to give me a spread of higher and lower gears?

Also, will I need to put a longer chain on if I do?

Cheers

Is it worth swapping the ring on the new bike to 32T to give me a spread of higher and lower gears?

you won’t feel a huge difference but you won’t end up with a bigger spread of gears – you’ll just be a little less likely to spin out on flat sections. If I were changing I’d go for a 34. And you might need to add a couple of links to the chain.

According to Sram, if the chain is sized correctly you should be able to go up a chain ring size without the need for a different length chain. Not sure who this works in practice though.

I’d think that a 30t on the front would be a bit on the small side for riding in Surrey Hills and Swinley. I use a 32t and I think the only time I’ve needed to use the 42t on the back was going up Whitedowns Lane on the way home after a long ride.

I’d stick with the 30t. I’ve got a 32t (on a 29er), and I rarely use the 10t, in fact I don’t think I’ve ever used it off road, same local riding.

I’ve taken the MTB on group road rides too, and it’s still not undergeared, so I reckon a 34t would be overkill on a 29er.

Thanks for the replies
So…

1 vote for 30T
1 vote for 32T
and 1 vote for 34T

I may as well just get going as it comes with the 30T. Cheapest way to do it as the budget has really gone.

Yep, see how you get on. I’d be surprised if you found it lacking.

Just to be difficult – I went from 32/18 to 34t front, 10-36 rear and it’s fine. I found myself spinning out far more often at 32/18 on a 29er than I did riding 32/16 on a 26″ bike, and will probably try 32/17 as and when I go back to singlespeed goodness.

Struggled on Walna Scar, fine bimbling around the Tal Y Bont loop in the Beacons the other weekend. Njee is, if I remember rightly, a stronger rider than I, so maybe defer to 32.

But, to be honest, I’d give what you have on the bike a go, and see how it feels. If it’s a bit spinny after four or five rides, you can change chainring and chain with no hassles.

I have a 30t with 11-36 on a 29er. That’s an 80″ high gear and 24″ low. Sometimes I would certainly use 1 gear higher if I had it but it doesn’t bother me at all not having it. On the low side I don’t often use the 36 but when I do (usually when I’m knackered at the end of a long ride or race) I’ m bloody grateful it’s there.

I suppose what I’m saying there is if you’re compromising, better to compromise the top than the bottom.

30t with 10-42 gives you 20.7″ bottom and 87″ top. That’s a pretty good range. 32 front would give you 22″ low 93″ high. It really depends on you but I suspect most people would miss the 20.7″ low more than the 93″ high.

Ride it local first, if you find you need a higher range, put the 30T on the shelf for the trips away.

If you need to change rings see if the chain will need to be longer then.

Enjoy the ride.

I reckon you’d get away with two different sized rings – I took an additional link out of my chain when I replaced it – left if long last time as I wasn’t sure if I’d want a 34, and it was fine on the 32.

FWIW I came from 36t and 11-36 (on 26″ wheels) and found myself using both extremes of the cassette far more often.

Actually, you could leave both rings on the bike. Maybe some sort of mechanism for switching the chain between them – possibly even while in motion – might be a cracking idea. Some company somewhere must have thought of this already…