Gear size for touring.

Neil Fat man on a bike

A quick question for you experianced tourers..........'How low do you go?'.......what size gear do you have, At present I'm running a 30" bottom gear but with a new cassette will get down to 24". Is this low enough?
This is all 'gearing up' :? for LEJOG this May.
What is the ideal gear range?

Thanks guys have a good weekend.

pneumatic

My range (in gear inches) is 20.6 to 117.8 (Deore touring gears as supplied on a Dawes Super Galaxy)

I don't remember ever using the lowest of the low, but I have used the one next to it (23.4 ins) when crossing the Alps and Pyrenees (with four panniers, a bar bag, a tent and a 15 stone me).

by that evidence, I'd say you are ok with what you now have, but of course it all depends on your own characteristics (fitness, load, endurance etc..)

Joatamon

I like to spin and my knees suffer if I grind up hills. I've managed so far with 19.9" bottom but on my last loaded tour I was occasionally fishing for another cog so I've just changed my gearing to 18.1" bottom.

Of course I'll spin out on the descents with a 95" top but I usually take the opportunity for a rest anyway.

Neil Fat man on a bike

Nice one guys, thanks for the quick response.

but I have used the one next to it (23.4 ins) when crossing the Alps and Pyrenees (with four panniers, a bar bag, a tent and a 15 stone me).

Well, I'd say your a lot fitter than me. I weighed in at a collosal 18.5 at crimbo. But I'm down to 17.5 as of yesterday ( aiming for as close to 16 as I can get for May and LEJOG ).

But that is encouraging that I'm in the right area for gear size when the new cassette goes on. The real test will be trying it out of course ( fringers crossed for some reasnable weather, more gales here today ).

andymiller

Sorry, but my eyes glaze over when people talk about inches.

I'm tempted to say 'if you need to ask, err on the low side'.

44-32-22 with a 12-32 cassette is a pretty common arrangement - though many touring bikes come with 48-36-26.

But there's no right and wrong - it depends on where you plan to tour, how much you plan to carry, on your pedalling style (high cadence or not).

satanas

1. What do you mean by "touring"?
2. How much will you carry?
3. How fit are you?
4. What is your riding style (and cadence) like?
5. Where will you be riding?

If touring = carrying very little and staying indoors, or doing audax rides, then something like 48x36x26 + 12-23 works for me (31-108"). If I have to carry stuff, but roads are good and gradients aren't super steep then ~25" will do it. If steep AND rough surfaces 20" is bearable but 18" is better, and if high altitude as well then you cannot go too low IMO. In the Indian Himalayas two years ago I frequently used 20x24, quite often used 20x28 and rarely used 20x32 but was very glad it was there when I did; in 2000 in Lahaul, 24x30 wasn't low enough at times - sometimes for hours on end. IME, it's better to have enough low gears, and to keep the ratios close and leave off one or two high gears which rarely get used with a load anyway; gears over 80" are rarely useful when loaded, and over 90" even less so. However, YMMV.

Neil Fat man on a bike

Chears mate
Pretty much sorted now ( 24" up to 120" ).

Thanks for the response.

vernonlevy

Neil Fat man on a bike wrote:

A quick question for you experianced tourers..........'How low do you go?'.......what size gear do you have, At present I'm running a 30" bottom gear but with a new cassette will get down to 24". Is this low enough?
This is all 'gearing up' :? for LEJOG this May.
What is the ideal gear range?

Thanks guys have a good weekend.

Having read the thread and seeing your target weight - 24" should be low enough. I'm six stones heavier than your target weight and 24" serves me well when i go cycle camping.