Gravel bike ratio?

1×11 with a 38 on the front (smallest ring for my SRAM Red carbon cranks). An 11T on the back will only see you spin out on a decent hill, and even then, so what? Largest sprocket is a 30T for me, but I like a challenge.

As someone who rides quite a bit of road, as well as gravel: I like 2x (48/32, 11-34). Big ring is mainly for on-road and fast off-road; little ring is mainly for off-road and for climbs (I’m heavy, I need the help). I usually just automatically shift chainring whenever I see the entrance to the next bridleway/path/etc. And it all depends on you and what you’re doing; if I was riding purely offroad on something with Even Bigger Tyres (think: drop bar 29er) then yeah, 1x would probably make sense. As it is: if I feel limited offroad, I probably should have brought the MTB.

Main downside: I cannot deny that a front mech is another thing to gum up with mud, and you inevitably get more chain drops than you would with a 1x system. For what I do with the bike, it’s the right thing for me.

you inevitably get more chain drops than you would with a 1x system.

FWIW I can’t recall the last time I had a chain drop when using a front mech. Certainly not this century.

I run 36- 11-50.

I’d rather have 2x for a bit more on the top and bottom.

I’m on a 42t ring with 10-44t cassette and the majority of gravel rides I do involve a fair bit of road as well. No real issues with spinning out tbh but I do notice the jumps compared to my old 2x road bike. Have flung light road wheels with a 10-40t cassette and found it to be similar overall in terms of speed as my old road bike as well.

My gravel bike has to be a good road bike first and foremost, so 2x for me. If off-road is the priority I wouldn’t be on a gravel bike anyway.

I’ve had a gravel bike with 1x on it and imho it compromised ratios or the smaller gaps in favour of chain retention levels that I don’t need, and the perceived simplicity was for me negated by the cost of good 1x kit. I also don’t like the extremes of chainline 1x needs, functionally it’s workable but it bugs me.

My gravel bike has done loaded rides across France and out to Lake Constance, Alpine bikepacking trips, 300, 400 and 600km audaxes and about half of my winter road miles over the last 10 yrs, plus all the local rides on lanes and tracks. 2×10 just suits me better for that range of riding. Considering how wide-ranging a good gravel bike should be I’m suprised how many are 1x only now.  Yes, 1x can do most things well but choice is good.

FWIW I can’t recall the last time I had a chain drop when using a front mech.

Same – clutch mechs make enough difference there.

FWIW my Topstone is currently set up 46/30 and 11-34T. It’s worth mentioning that I’m also using 650 wheels / 47c tyres as that obviously affects gearing too.

Oh, and that my legs don’t spin at 95rpm

I have the luxury of two gravel bikes, an old CX bike that has become the ‘winter’ gravel bike, and a summer gravel bike.

The summer gravel bike is for longer, faster and hillier routes and I would never go to 1x, it’s too pretty for the gopping great big rear mechs and cassettes (j/k! ish… 😎) and I’ve never liked how 1x feels/sounds at the extremes of the range. I doubt I’m really even giving much weight away to a 1x setup.

I’ll concede though that I’ve never figured out the right ratios for 2x, 48/31 and 11-34 means a lot of front changes as I seem to hover at the overlap between chainrings most of the time. I have some 46/30 chainrings to experiment with.

I don’t really need to same range on the winter bike as I don’t tend to ride hilly routes over the winter, rather I go mud-plugging on local singletrack. 1x suits this fine and once everything is coated in filth I don’t notice the slightly less smooth shifting and drivetrain noise.

FWIW I can’t recall the last time I had a chain drop when using a front mech. Certainly not this century.

Same, only time I’ve dropped a chain recently was my 1x CX bike.

I like a ratio of 1:2  – 2 proper bikes for each gravel bike

I have legs used to MTB gear steps and I very rarely road ride in groups, so 1x on a 10-42 works quite nicely for me. Still pedalling at 30mph so should probably drop a chainring size or two.

Being honest I prefer it from looks and use as well, but I quite happily had a mountain bike double on to go graveltouradventuring with camping kit because it fit the job.

When i was fitter 10s 11-36 was plenty for charging around on a cross bike doing everything. Nowadays i like the look of the new Grx stuff!

(Point taken re drops; I should note I don’t have a clutched rear mech on my 2x setup, it was the year before GRX).

I think this is like asking “what mountain bike ratio”? Gravel isn’t really a single thing anymore and you can’t apply one person’s particular tastes to how you ride, where you ride.

I agree, except that a fair few of the setups described so far all seems to bottom out with a 0.9-0.95ish ratio, basically something a little under 1:1 both 1x and 2x, which I find interesting, seems like there is such a thing as too spinny for most people with Gravel bikes.

The few with bottom gears above that magic 1:1 ratio seem to have what sound more like road bike 2x drivetrains, and obviously value closer steps between gears.

I think I will try the slightly wider range 1×10 setup before I go and switch a 2x setup, generally 1x suits me, if I can eek a little bit more low range for laden climbing without horrible jumps at the tall end (tricky on 10 speed I know) it would still be my preference overall.

1×11 with an 11-51 and currently 32T chainring.

1×11 with an 11-51 and currently 32T chainring.

That must spin like a bu99er!

What kinda hills you normally climbing and is this for being fully loaded as that’s a full-on MTB ratio?

2 x 11 with 48/34 up front and 11-36 out back. Works fine for the mystic east (I have a lower ratio set for fthe ront for more serious uphills)

Where did you get 11spd 11-36 cassette?

Seem to recall struggling to find one

Ta

1×10 , 42 chainring and 11-46 cassette

some big gaps in the ratios but it doesn’t bother me like it would on the road.

id quite like a bigger gear at the back, simply as when I’m on the gravel bike, putting out any effort comes secondary to eating cake and pub stops.

1×11 with 36t chainring and 11-42t cassette works for me. Enough low range to get me up anything I need to, and 36×11 lets me spin along the flat at 30kph which is enough for me. I do very little tarmac/road though.

a fair few of the setups described so far all seems to bottom out with a 0.9-0.95ish ratio, basically something a little under 1:1 both 1x and 2x, which I find interesting, seems like there is such a thing as too spinny for most people with Gravel bikes.

I’d certainly consider a 11-36T cassette on my Topstone when the current 11-34T wears out, but Shimano don’t make one so I’d be looking at one of the lesser-known brands 😄 That would lower my spinny gear to 0.83 from 0.88 (my Amazon currently has 0.85).

11 Speed 11-36T Cassette For Mountain Bike MTB & Road fits Shimano/Sram

Or even…

https://www.tweekscycles.com/sram-pg-1170-11-speed-cassette-414401/

@13thfloormonk Not sure but I think I got lucky at Merlin sometime last year.

To revive this thread….

I previously had a 11spd GRX 1X setup with 40T – 11/42T and was a bit unhappy with the range for my intended use and terrain.

This week I’ve fitted a Garbaruk long cage & pulley wheels (new from Bikeinn), a superstar 42T oval chainring and a lightly used 11spd 11-50T Sunrace MX80 cassette I robbed off another bike (and a new longer chain).

Oh my, what a difference. Soooo smooth gear changes and the extra range (5% at the top and 13% at the bottom) just about hits the spot. I can’t see the aluminium 50T sprocket having the longest of lives but hopefully it won’t be used too much,

Changing the rear cage to a Garbaruk longer one is not that noob spannering friendly but not that tricky (you have to be comfortable taking the rear mech off the bike, making it do some weird yoga style contortions and removing the cover off the clutch mech before the cages comes away). The end result is not exactly a cheap retrofit and obviously still only 11spd but I’d recommend if you are feeling more range would help your current 1X setup.

But if I was buying new now and your gravel use might involve long climbs (or steep climbs) and/or loaded bikepacking I’d seriously think about buying right first time and having the option to have this much range out of the box. With the new 1X 600 series GRX 12spd it does not have to cost too much…..

Where did you get 11spd 11-36 cassette?

SRAM PG1170 is the only name-brand one, I think.

1×11 for me, 44t front and 11-46 rear.

Previously was standard 42t and 11-42.

If I was prepared to pay the cash for the cassette (and a new freehub), a 10-46 would’ve been ideal.

Borders, so plenty of hills and a 50/50 mix of back-road tarmac and off-piste farm/estate roads and fire-roads.

Oh yeah, the original question. Fwiw, I’m on 2x. For me, gravel bikes are great for mixed terrain – if I wanted to be just off-road, I’d ride a mountain bike. I’m not going to be hitting rock gardens and stuff fast enough downhill to be worried about chain retention, and I’ve no desire to run a dropper, so for my purposes, there’s just no upside to 1x.

1×11 with an 11-51 and currently 32T chainring.

That’s winching up enduro territory gearing, have it on my FS.

Must spend a lot of time in the 11 based on when I ride XC on my HT.

That’s winching up enduro territory gearing, have it on my FS.

Yeah, I’m running slightly higher gears of 32-10/51 on my FS (and a bigger wheel circumference), and I find that limiting for road sections. I’d be incredibly frustrated by that on a gravel bike.