I run 22 / 36 chainrings with standard triple mechs with no issues

Apparently you might be able to lose some weight by running a road double front mech.

Shifting’s not as good though IME – I used a Dura Ace 7800 one for a while.

I liked 2×9 (over the years I used 32/44, 30/42 and 28/40, all with 11-34) and 2×10 (28/42 and 30/42 with 11-36), but prefer 1×10 (36t, 11-36). Would probably still run a double on a less racey bike, but would never go back to a triple. IMO a 22t chainring is useless, you have so little momentum.

njee20

Depends on if you are old and fat and like climbing big hills – got any big hills where you are?

I run 22 / 36 chainrings with standard triple mechs with no issues

+1

On two different bikes: one with a mid-cage and Gamut double guide, the other with a long cage. Sus and hardtail, both running 120mm+ forks.

In anywhere with decent hills the 22 will get used regularly.

Hmmm, will stick with my triple & bash here 🙂

Depends on if you are old and fat and like climbing big hills – got any big hills where you are?

Well it’s not so much ‘big’ that’s the issue here, as ‘steep’, and yes, I have steep climbs that I’ve never seen anyone clear in a 22-34 type low gear, but have done so in a higher gear. Momentum is your friend.

If you’re on a big bike and are unfit then I can see the merit, but that still won’t help if you need a bit of grunt to get over some roots (for example) where a bit of momentum is key, you’ll just end up walking. I can happily show you a hill on my local route where that’s the case.

I did say IMO, that is based on me being fairly fit and riding a light bike. I can’t think of a single hill, anywhere, that I’ve not been able to ride with a 28t (and thus far none with a 36) that I could with a 22. YMMV.

I run 2×9 on some bikes and 3×9 on others. It seems ideal on some of the bikes I do use it on (e.g. Enduro, BFe) where I don’t miss the big ring at all, but I’m sure it wouldn’t work on a bike like my Epic where I tend to use the big ring a lot. My Soul is on 2×9 at the moment but I’m thinking about going back to 3×9 on it as I do find I miss the big ring a bit plus running in 36×11 a lot seems to cause a fair bit of clanking from the back with the chain slapping about on the chainstays.

Why not go for a double with bigger rings? Like 26/39 as the OP is after. Best of both worlds (or worst, depending on you!).

Part of me finds it odd, as you would think with advancements in bikes people would be climbing steeper hills, and going faster down them 😉
But I accept it may be suited to more focussed bikes.

Well back in the day a standard chainset often had a 28t granny, with a 28 on the cassette, so 1:1, which is still taller than many people are running on a single ring set up.

Downhill terrain is getting harder, so pedalling at 40mph is less relevant – look at an early 90s DH event – it’s a fireroad!

Njee -ah well – I can take you to plenty of hills where a 22 tooth ring is of decided use – you know – long steep hills. Ones you cannot just blast up with momentum but require grinding your way up.

It all depends on where you ride

No regrets at all. The only time I ever wish I had a big ring is on tarmac or fireroad descents and frankly, who cares? You can still pedal to a decent pace on 36T. OTOH there’s been plenty of times when I’ve tagged the bashring hard enough to be very glad I didn’t have a big ring on.

I run 9spd 22-36 with a bash & SLX dbl f/mech. Sometimes doesnt want to drop into the granny but that could be wear & tear / not quite right set up.

Triple rings are for losers.

Njee -ah well – I can take you to plenty of hills where a 22 tooth ring is of decided use – you know – long steep hills. Ones you cannot just blast up with momentum but require grinding your way up.

It all depends on where you ride

And how fit you are, which is more relevant. I’m not talking about never doing anything more than a 30 second sprint, I grind up hills, I can just grind up them in a 36. Margam Park had a whisker under 1000ft of climbing in 4 miles, I did 4 laps of that without having to walk once.

It’s hard to grasp I know, but there’s a chance I’m just stronger than you. Like I say, people didn’t used to have a 22t chain ring, and they still rode up hills. **gasp**

Edit: and like I say, I’ll happily take you to a local hill I have where a 22/34 gear has yet to serve any use for anyone – people have either cleaned it in a bigger gear, or not at all. Even though it’s only about 20ft that’s actually difficult to ride.

I thought by switching to 40/27 with an 11-34 cassette all you lose over 44/32/22 and 11/32 is a gear off the bottom & one off the top?

Andy

I thought by switching to 40/27 with an 11-34 cassette all you lose over 44/32/22 and 11/32 is a gear off the bottom & one off the top?

Basically yes, which is why I don’t really get why so many people feel a 22 is so necessary.

Like you can never be too thin or two rich you can never have too low a gear. I’d like a 20 tooth chainring

Its more like two off the bottom is it not anyway?

Your frame maybe important too – noticeably less bob and feedback on some single pivots in the middle ring. Not like you wouldn’t get used to it, but maybe it’d bug you.

22/28 (ie one cog down on an 11-32) = 0.79
27/34 = 0.79

Obviously 22/34 is lower, then it’s more like 1.5 gears lost at the bottom end, but depends how much you use that. Again personally and I’ll put that in bold so you don’t take it as a blanket rule, I think such low gears aren’t useful, I’ve not had a gear that low for 6 years and I’ve not missed it once, at all, anywhere. Again; YMMV.

I’ll leave it after this but having been through 7/8/9/10 speed and the claims at every jump that they wouldn’t cope as well, this simply isn’t the real world result.

My personal experience is that 7-speed cassettes and chains take longer to clog up when it’s really muddy. I also find that the indexing needs adjusting less frequently.

Its more like two off the bottom is it not anyway?

In terms of gear ratios, assuming all else is the same:

22F 32R = 0.6785

22F 28R = 0.7857

26F 34R = 0.7647

27F 34R = 0.7941

So the bottom gear on 2×9 with a 26t or 27t inner is much the same as the second bottom on 3×9 with a 22t granny.

Even with 26F 36R (as some 2×10 setups will allow) it’s still 0.7222 so not as low as 22F/32R.

Andy

ermm- I use a 11/34 casettee

Good for you, as above then it’s more like 1.5 gears lost. A lot of people use 11-32s though, there are other people on this planet, a difficult concept I know 🙄

I will definitely look you up if I’m in Edinburgh riding, I want to find these climbs that cannot be conquered by anyone unless you have a 22/34, do you have a GPS course of any of these beasts?

njee, why are you so intent on putting words into TJ’s mouth? Disagree with what he’s said if you like, but don’t just make things up, it only reflects badly on you.

Maybe some of us prefer lower cadence pedalling too

CBA reading all responses, but

calling all 2×9 or 2x10ers — any regrets?

One – that I used triples for so long. Won’t go back ever.

njee, why are you so intent on putting words into TJ’s mouth? Disagree with what he’s said if you like, but don’t just make things up, it only reflects badly on you.

Because of statements like this:

I can take you to plenty of hills where a 22 tooth ring is of decided use

and this:

Ones you cannot just blast up with momentum but require grinding your way up

The over riding point is being ignored, and that is that different things work for different people, it’s not about where you ride, some folk are stronger, some are happy to grind it out, some are spinners. I just dislike TJs ‘pah, I’ll show you some real hills’ type attitude, assuming the over riding issue is that I never see anything bigger than a speed bump, whereas the reality is we’re just different riders, and our local riding is a long way down the list of relevant factors.

I have caveated everything with IMO/YMMV, as I always do on things like this, and yet TJ often seems to argue, for a change.

I’d like a 20 tooth chainring

I have one spare. You’re not having it though 😉

What you said was: “I will definitely look you up if I’m in Edinburgh riding, I want to find these climbs that cannot be conquered by anyone unless you have a 22/34”

TJ has said no such thing as you admit.

njee – I’m only teasing.

there are a few folk I ride with and most of them use use a 22 granny ring – You can proabably outclimb me in your middle ring being younger and fitter – however for me gears from 2 – 25 mph are what I need – and thats 22/ 36 chainrings, 11/34 casette.

Of course you can grind uphill at a really low cadence in a higher gear if you are fit enough – me I ride for fun.

Your local riding makes a huge differnce as well – some of the highland climbs you can be climbing for an hour plus easily

A fine example of the Edinburgh defence 🙂

If I’m out on a ride, and not worrying about what people on a forum think, I often take it very leisurely in my 22t gear. Unlike TJ I also enjoy going fast downhill 🙂 And Monsieur Shimano has us all catered for. Vive la difference!

I’m relatively young but not that light* and not that fit** and prefer to save my legs for the downs – thus 36/22 11-34 works very well for me. I stay in the 36 most of the time but I’ve yet to have a ride where I don’t appreciate the easiness of the 22 at some point.

*ie probably lighter than the average man but not a skinny cyclist type…
**ie not an amateur XC racer but quite fit compared to most of the populace!

Why so many anti triple views? I’m over 40. I ride infrequently but it does usually involve riding up some awfy big hills. I like having a 22/34 in the cupboard even if it is only used on the steepest bits or if the legs are failing. I like riding downhill quite quickly without the chain rattling off the swingarm or stays ‘cos the cage spring can’t keep tension on bumpy ground. Having a 44T ring to wrap the chain round keeps things quiet.

Do like the idea of a 1 x 9 for winter use or moderate terrain though.

I prefer two rings up front anyway. My XC bike is 2×9 and my AM bike is only 3×9 by virtue of the fact that the SLX triple chainset came with the bike.

As soon as I can warrant the expense, it’ll be a double and bash with a chain device.

A 22/34 combination is bloody spinny and slow though, so (as njee implies) you need severely good balance skills to be able to use it on the type of slope that might require it.

I went to a 27 in my double because I thought that if I came to a hill that steep I would likely be out of the saddle trying to manage my weight distribution over the bike and keep a little more speed up than if I was spinning 22/34.

The 22/34 combination is the type where, if you have to dab, you are unlikely to get started again as the forward momentum is so low.

you need severely good balance skills to be able to use it on the type of slope that might require it

Nah, not really. You’re right that it’s hard to get started again if you stop in a steep bit though.

turner – I don’t find it so – even riding at 2 mph its no issue and restarting is fine

downsp – if yo shorten the chain it don’t flap around on a 36 and that can be peddaled to high 20s mph which is quick enough for me offroad – just ocasionally I spin out on the road or long forestry descents. Its nice to have the extra ground clearance

well – I did the Bearded Man 3 day on my triple thinking about all of this

fitness wise – well I’m nowhere near Njee from what I gather. I am 46 and 15 1/2 stone. I finished sort of mid pack in probably a fairly decent field

So – no I didn’t use my 22/34 much, but a few times it allowed me to grab an easy gear, spin wildly and get up a steep bit which otherwise would have been a dismount 50 m push and remount

and I used my 42 / 11 and 42 / 13 (I think) quite a lot on the long descents, rather than spinning madly

I like the idea od 1 x 10 as you lose a shifter and mech, but personally I’d struggle climbing. 2 x 10 I could get away with I think (say 24 / 36 with 11 – 36?) but you don’t lose much in the way of bits and pieces so it looks a pretty pricey upgrade