Currently on a 26er with a triple 24t granny and 11-36. I use 24 36 repeatedly on Chilterns climbs. The bike and I am light (bike 24lb, me 6' and 72kg) and I'm fit (FTP 280W+)and I'm also reasonably quick according to Strava (generaly on the first page, some better)
Moving to a 29er FS which will be roughly the same weight. As far as I can see to retain the same gearing I need to be looking at a 22t granny? This seems highly unfashionable so I'm wondering what gives. Do people with higher gearing have shorter/more powerful legs that can do lower cadence or......?
Try pushing the high limit screw so you can't shift into the 36. Bet you get on just fine! 🙂
Just because you use it, doesn't mean you need it...
If you want lower gears then go for it. Who cares what suits other people? It's your bike and your riding.
I went from a 26er with 22:34 lowest ratio to a 29er with 24:36 at the bottom. Occasionally I miss the lower gear, and as I'm hoping to do an event with very long very steep climbs, I'm looking to get a 22t ring.
Like you, I'm light, and I also like to spin small gears rather than grind larger ones. I won't be worrying what anyone else uses 🙂
I run 24/36 bottom on my 29er and have used it a lot, both racing and non racing. Stuff what's fashionable, use what works for you.
Don't worry about fashion just go with what works. I'm the same as you, if I climb in a higher gear but a lower cadence I trash my legs 🙁
If you want lower gears then go for it. Who cares what suits other people? It's your bike and your riding.
This. Far too much willy waving around gear ratios.
Does it matter what anyone else is running? You can easily enough buy 22t granny rings and change the 24t out for what you want. Not a big additional spend in the context of a complete bike.
Im about to put a 22-32-42 triple on my 29er hardtail...
This weekends ride nearly killed me! (currently 26-38 double)
kept pushing my lowest gear (admittedly I was only getting 9 out of 10 gears on the cassette) slower and slower, until I had to stand up, then kept breaking traction and failing on the climbs...
I know I'm rubbish, and weak and unfashionable.... but still
The 22t granny on the 29er will give you almost exactly the same "gear inches" as the 24t granny on the 26er, meaning that one rotation of the cranks will push you the same distance along the trail.
See [url= http://www.gear-calculator.com/#KB=22,32,44&RZ=11,13,15,17,19,21,24,28,32,36&GR=DERS&KB2=24,32,42&RZ2=11,13,15,17,19,21,24,28,32,36>2=DERS&UF2=2120&TF=80&UF=2295&SL=2 ]here[/url].
So I'd go for the 22t granny so you can keep the same cadence with the bigger wheel.
Watching the Vuelta it looks like my idea that not having to drop your cadence for steep climbs is catching on
Mountain biking seems to accept that we need low ratios
The road still seems to be lagging. If the pros need 34 32 to get up a climb then I can assume that most bike buyers will need a lower gear than that on the same slope. Try finding a road bike with gear lower than 34 32. (there are some but not many and few options to get lower ratios)
So get a 22 chain ring and enjoy your riding
22-30-40t & 11-36t on mt 29er full sus, feels spot on, i have 1 x 10 on my jones, 34t & 11-36t, its possible to climb most stuff on it but it takes a lot out of me and makes it harder to be recovered for multiple days on the bike, I'm about to change it to a triple.
I would rather have more easier gears than a ultra light bike to improve climbing abilities.