lowest gear ratio

[Jansen Danganan]

Hello Guys,

Most trails here in our area are coupled with steep up and downs terains.

What do you guys used on your drivetrain? I am using an xtrm900 crankset 48-36-26 with 12-32 cogs,
and seems pretty hard to climb those technical terrains.

Now I am on the process of fabricating an adapter to be use on this crankset, and I will use an 18t
granny which came from an LX cogset.

Any idea folks?

 

[Spademan O----L]

"Jansen Danganan" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Hello Guys,
>
> Most trails here in our area are coupled with steep up and downs terains.
>
> What do you guys used on your drivetrain? I am using an xtrm900 crankset 48-36-26 with 12-32 cogs,
> and seems pretty hard to climb those technical terrains.
>
> Now I am on the process of fabricating an adapter to be use on this crankset, and I will use an
> 18t granny which came from an LX cogset.
>
> Any idea folks?
>
Anyone that goes to the trouble of working round a problem and fabricationg there own kit has my
respect, however I imagine you might have problems with chain tension, and finding a derailleur to
cover the gear spread from 18T to
46T.

Steve.

 

[Jansen Danganan]

"spademan o---[) *" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Jansen Danganan" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> > Hello Guys,
> >
> > Most trails here in our area are coupled with steep up and downs terains.
> >
> > What do you guys used on your drivetrain? I am using an xtrm900 crankset 48-36-26 with 12-32
> > cogs, and seems pretty hard to climb those technical terrains.
> >
> > Now I am on the process of fabricating an adapter to be use on this crankset, and I will use an
> > 18t granny which came from an LX cogset.
> >
> > Any idea folks?
> >
> Anyone that goes to the trouble of working round a problem and
fabricationg
> there own kit has my respect, however I imagine you might have problems
with
> chain tension, and finding a derailleur to cover the gear spread from 18T
to
> 46T.
>
> Steve.
>
>
The XTR m900(48-36-26), i'l take out the granny 26T, together with some washers in it and insert an
adapter then an 18t granny, so that will make a 48-36-18t crankset.

regards

 

[Shaun Rimmer]

Jansen Danganan <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>
> "spademan o---[) *" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> >
> > "Jansen Danganan" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> > > Hello Guys,
> > >
> > > Most trails here in our area are coupled with steep up and downs terains.
> > >
> > > What do you guys used on your drivetrain? I am using an xtrm900 crankset 48-36-26 with 12-32
> > > cogs, and seems pretty hard to climb those technical terrains.
> > >
> > > Now I am on the process of fabricating an adapter to be use on this crankset, and I will use
> > > an 18t granny which came from an LX cogset.
> > >
> > > Any idea folks?
> > >
> > Anyone that goes to the trouble of working round a problem and
> fabricationg
> > there own kit has my respect, however I imagine you might have problems
> with
> > chain tension, and finding a derailleur to cover the gear spread from
18T
> to
> > 46T.
> >
> > Steve.
> >
> >
> The XTR m900(48-36-26), i'l take out the granny 26T, together with some washers in it and insert
> an adapter then an 18t granny, so that will make
a
> 48-36-18t crankset.
>
> regards

What Steve is saying (regardless of him saying 46 instead of 48), is that most (all?)
deraileurs will struggle to change gears over that range - you may well have to change all the
rings for smaller ones (losing you biggest gear in the process, mind) to keep it in a range the
derailleur can cover
(e.g. 22-32-42, although you should be able to maybe get away with 18-32-44? Possibly....).

Shaun aRe

 

[Bomba]

Jansen Danganan wrote:

> Hello Guys,
>
> Most trails here in our area are coupled with steep up and downs terains.
>
> What do you guys used on your drivetrain? I am using an xtrm900 crankset 48-36-26 with 12-32 cogs,
> and seems pretty hard to climb those technical terrains.
>
> Now I am on the process of fabricating an adapter to be use on this crankset, and I will use an
> 18t granny which came from an LX cogset.
>
> Any idea folks?

Most people, even in the most mountainous regions, cope with a 22t front with a 34 rear. 18t seems a
little extreme.

 

[Spademan O----L]

"Jansen Danganan" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Hello Guys,
>
> Most trails here in our area are coupled with steep up and downs terains.
>
> What do you guys used on your drivetrain? I am using an xtrm900 crankset 48-36-26 with 12-32 cogs,
> and seems pretty hard to climb those technical terrains.
>

Also if you are having difficulty on technical terrain then it will be very easy to stall with a
tiny gear ratio. Time to brush up on technique maybe?

Steve.

 

[Paladin]

"Jansen Danganan" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Hello Guys,
>
> Most trails here in our area are coupled with steep up and downs terains.
>
> What do you guys used on your drivetrain? I am using an xtrm900 crankset 48-36-26 with 12-32 cogs,
> and seems pretty hard to climb those technical terrains.
>
> Now I am on the process of fabricating an adapter to be use on this crankset, and I will use an
> 18t granny which came from an LX cogset.
>
> Any idea folks?

Start the rap music.... "just stand up, just stand up..."

Paladin No, I'm not joking.

 

[Twohat]

"Jansen Danganan" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Hello Guys,
>
> Most trails here in our area are coupled with steep up and downs terains.
>
> What do you guys used on your drivetrain? I am using an xtrm900 crankset 48-36-26 with 12-32 cogs,
> and seems pretty hard to climb those technical terrains.
>
> Now I am on the process of fabricating an adapter to be use on this crankset, and I will use an
> 18t granny which came from an LX cogset.
>
> Any idea folks?
>
>
I use 48 36 22 with 32/11 on the back. This gives me a good high gear for the tarmac bits (and any
downhills where I'm feeling really brave), and a gear low enough to wind up the side of a house. Any
lower than 22/32 isn't really useable IMHO. In fact, most technical uphills are best tackled 4 cogs
off the bottom on the granny - the only time I use the real bottom cog is to wind up a long smooth
slope when I'm getting tired. Too low a gear on anything bumpy and I can't keep the front wheel
down. I find better traction a gear or two higher as well, so long as I've got the strength to turn
it. I think my combination of gears is about as wide as I would like to go from a point of view of
chain length and the ability of the front der to shift it reliably.

Hope this helps,

Twohat (because two heads are better than one)

 

[Mark Hickey]

"Jansen Danganan" <[email protected]> wrote:

>"spademan o---[) *" <[email protected]> wrote
>> >
>> > Now I am on the process of fabricating an adapter to be use on this crankset, and I will use an
>> > 18t granny which came from an LX cogset.
>> >
>> I imagine you might have problems with chain tension, and finding a derailleur to cover the gear
>> spread from 18T to 46T.
>>
>The XTR m900(48-36-26), i'l take out the granny 26T, together with some washers in it and insert an
>adapter then an 18t granny, so that will make a 48-36-18t crankset.

I'd suspect the 36 to 18 (and vice versa) shift to be pretty awful. If your adapter adds any width,
it's very possible the chain will get hopelessly wedged.

Why not just chase down one of the old Suntour Microdrive cranks and be done with it. They came with
42-32-20 rings. That's pretty much pushing the edge of the envelope in terms of chain tension
already - the additional 10% you'd get with an 18 is probably too much unless you're a real
lightweight.

Mark Hickey Habanero Cycles http://www.habcycles.com Home of the $695 ti frame

 

[Paladin]

bomba <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Jansen Danganan wrote:
>
> > Hello Guys,
> >
> > Most trails here in our area are coupled with steep up and downs terains.
> >
> > What do you guys used on your drivetrain? I am using an xtrm900 crankset 48-36-26 with 12-32
> > cogs, and seems pretty hard to climb those technical terrains.
> >
> > Now I am on the process of fabricating an adapter to be use on this crankset, and I will use an
> > 18t granny which came from an LX cogset.
> >
> > Any idea folks?
>
> Most people, even in the most mountainous regions, cope with a 22t front with a 34 rear. 18t seems
> a little extreme.

Yeah, even a 22 x 34 will cause the guy to do the mega-hamster dance. He'll be spinning too much to
remain in good control of the bike. And there's no power to draw on to go over logs or rocks when
you're that low.

Some things like strength and conditioning, money can't buy. For all else, there's
mastercard. Right?

Paladin

 

[Paladin]

bomba <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Jansen Danganan wrote:
>
> > Hello Guys,
> >
> > Most trails here in our area are coupled with steep up and downs terains.
> >
> > What do you guys used on your drivetrain? I am using an xtrm900 crankset 48-36-26 with 12-32
> > cogs, and seems pretty hard to climb those technical terrains.
> >
> > Now I am on the process of fabricating an adapter to be use on this crankset, and I will use an
> > 18t granny which came from an LX cogset.
> >
> > Any idea folks?
>
> Most people, even in the most mountainous regions, cope with a 22t front with a 34 rear. 18t seems
> a little extreme.

Yeah, even a 22 x 34 will cause the guy to do the mega-hamster dance. He'll be spinning too much to
remain in good control of the bike. And there's no power to draw on to go over logs or rocks when
you're that low.

Some things like strength and conditioning, money can't buy. For all else, there's
mastercard. Right?

Paladin

 

[Taywood]

> Now I am on the process of fabricating an adapter
> > to be use on this crankset, and I will use an 18t granny which came from an LX cogset.
> >
> > Any idea folks?
>
> Most people, even in the most mountainous regions, cope with a 22t
front
> with a 34 rear. 18t seems a little extreme.

I'll accept you guys with young strong legs feel you may spin out of control with a 22/34. But I've
got old tired legs and I'd like something even lower than this. Climbing a rough mountain pass in
'Pete Jones Scottish routes' with a pack and overnight camping stuff I just hate to do the pushwalk
when I know I should be riding. There must be others like me. Mike

 

[David Kunz]

Twohat wrote:
> "Jansen Danganan" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>
>>Hello Guys,
>>
>>Most trails here in our area are coupled with steep up and downs terains.
>>
>>What do you guys used on your drivetrain? I am using an xtrm900 crankset 48-36-26 with 12-32 cogs,
>>and seems pretty hard to climb those technical terrains.
>>
>>Now I am on the process of fabricating an adapter to be use on this crankset, and I will use an
>>18t granny which came from an LX cogset.
>>
>>Any idea folks?
>>
>>
>
> I use 48 36 22 with 32/11 on the back. This gives me a good high gear for the tarmac bits (and any
> downhills where I'm feeling really brave), and a gear low enough to wind up the side of a house.
> Any lower than 22/32 isn't really useable IMHO. In fact, most technical uphills are best tackled 4
> cogs off the bottom on the granny - the only time I use the real bottom cog is to wind up a long
> smooth slope when I'm getting tired. Too low a gear on anything bumpy and I can't keep the front
> wheel down. I find better traction a gear or two higher as well, so long as I've got the strength
> to turn it. I think my combination of gears is about as wide as I would like to go from a point of
> view of chain length and the ability of the front der to shift it reliably.
>
> Hope this helps,
>
> Twohat (because two heads are better than one)
>

I run 20/32/44 and the 20/32 shift is tough to get tuned-in and working reliably. I'd be amazed if
he can get an 18-36 to shift.

I spin and find that a 20-34 ratio works much better for me than the 22-34 on steep hills --
especially long slow crawls. It's also ok for technical terrain. I balance well and have good
traction control. I DO go up a gear or 2 if there're places where I'm going to need more rotation
out of the back tire on a single stroke to clear an obstacle.

But, just get a 5-arm compact crank set and several manu's make 20 tooth rings. I typically use
Race Face.

David