New chainring: 32, 34, or 36t?

I run a 2×9+bash set-up and need a new large chainring: Does anyone run bigger than a 32t for riding up, down, along etc etc? If so, did it take much getting used to?

I use a normal 22, 32,42 triple on my MTBs. However, apart from any occasional road work, I just quite happily spin along in 32 most of the time. what cassette ratio are you running on the back?

i assume you have one of them sizes already.

do you spin out a lot and find you never use the lower gears? get something bigger

or

do you find you struggle up hills and never use the smallest on your cassette? get something smaller.

not to sound like too much of a nob but its pretty dam logical.

I’ve recently changed to a 2 x 9 + bash and run 36/22 with 11 – 32 at the back. Suits me down to the ground, wish I’d done it ages ago.

I did the same combination as toxicsoks a couple of months ago. Works well off road and very rarely spin out when on the road. Didn’t really take any getting used when going from a triple ring combination.

36 will give you a bigger spread of gears (obviously) – you may find yourself in the granny ring and halfway down the casette more than with a 32.

i was thinking of changing my 36 for a 32 because on some undulating trails i seemed to be changing rings more than usual. although i have since changed my dodgy rear mech and now have gears that work better. and don’t fid it an issue.

2 rings seems a better set up imo, one for up one for down.

I use 22/36/ bash. 32 I find too low – spins out too easily. 36 I can spin to nearly 30 mph which is fast enough for me.

with the 22/ 36 bash option there is a big jump when you change down to the granny ring – I find I tend to change down to the granny ring and up a couple on the cassette. I also find I use granny 1-5 and the whole of the 36.

The other issue is some hills that I could climb in a 32 ring I need to drop to granny for now. I use an 11-34 casstte

Overall I like the 22/36 / bash set up – gives me all the gears I need.

Another vote for 22/36/bash.

I think i’m on 26/36 and 11-32. works fine for me on the hills i do.

26/38 with a 11-34 works fine for me, in fact I very rarely use the granny ring.

where did you get a 38T xc ring?? I want to find a cheapish 38t and maybe a bash for the outer ring.

my other bike (marin quake) is 36T and I’m seriously considering going bigger single ring at the front.

XC ring!
Its an E-13 Guidering, shifting is pretty good between the two rings even though it has no shifting ramps/shaped teeth.

I swapped my triple for 24/34 bash and a 11/34 cassette, spot on for me.

I use 1 e-thirteen 36t guide ring, my legs are now stronger, stop pussying about with a granny ring!!

I’ve recently fitted 22/36/bash on one bie and I’m finding it very agreeable. If you do the maths you only really loose top gear – 44/11 and middle ring/bottom gear – 32/34 – from a tripe ring set up.

I’ve been running a 24/36/Bash set-up for three years and find it perfect for pretty much all my usual trails.

Only spin out on some long and fairly steep roads around here. The drop to the granny ring is alot though but i rarely use it.

22/32 here, mainly as I had a good condition 32 so left it on when I took the 42 off.

only spin out on the road, which isn’t a big deal. Prob go with something a tad bigger when it’s time to replace. 34 I suspect.

I am currently running a 26/32 on the front, with a 11-34 on the back: This is fine for most of the riding I do, but I do find I spin out on fast downhills.

22/36/bash with 11-34 here as well. Hills are too steep round here, so I need the low end. Gravity mostly makes up for the top end. I used to always use the 32, but 36 is a good a compromise on a double.

I use 34/24/bash – 11-32

I’ve never done the sums on all the different ratios but it feels right for me & I rarely need to trouble granny

22/32/bash, 11-32

I top-out on flat and downhill roads but nowhere else. I usually find myself climbing a ludicrously steep trail in the bottom 3 gears then free-wheeling down the other side, only pedalling when the speed drops on any flatter bits. So it’s OK. I imagine if you have routes with more linking road bits, a 36 ring would be noticeably better. I’ll be putting my 44 ring back on for the South-West Randonee because there is a lot of fast road bits.

I use just a 36/bash at the front and an 11-32 (maybe 34) at the rear. Seems fine to me. I’ve never felt the need for anything bigger or smaller. Only problem is the chain occasionally flaps off on bumpy bits.

Currently on 22/32/bash, bit bit too low for me… probably switching to 24/36/bash soon…

22/36 bash on one bike. 24/38 on the other (lighter and easier to go uphill) bike.

38T xc ring here

Hmmm interesting. Does a 34t make any noticable difference, compared to a 32t?

22-36 here, with an 11- cassette. As Peter says, you really only miss the top and the bottom.

just go 1×9 and ditch the front mech & shifter – I’ve got a 34t/11-32 on one of my bikes. I reckon 32t would be too spinny for me but if I went to a 36t I’d probably struggle a bit too much on the techy climbs.

Kev

22/36 with a 11-32 cassette, chosen because i only wreck the big ring anyway. Its perfect.

22/36/bash and 11-32 here for the last 2 years. As pete says do the maths and its almost the same range as a triple apart from top.

I dont find the big drop much of an issue really, you just get used to it. Sometimes I’ll do as Jeremy said and shift one down at the back too.

Far less spinny than a 32

I will say that having decided to use my existing x7 long mech till it dies, I do get the odd chain drop. When I eventually shift to a short cage mech, I’m sure that it’l become alot rarer

Did you shorten the chain scienceofficer? Usual big to big plus a link

22/36 bash with an 11-34.

Good spread of gears, as others have said you use the granny more.