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Gear ratio for hills

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  • 13-10-2016 4:10pm
    #1
    MileyReilly
    Registered Users Posts: 103 ✭✭


    I recently sold my bike to get the money together for a new lighter bike. On the bike I sold it had a really really low gear. I could spin uphill even tho I was very over weight. I don't know the ratio numbers, I just know that it had a very low gear.

    So the bike I want to buy has a triple ring. The smalls ring has 30 teeth. The biggest cog on the back has 32 teeth. Would that be a super easy gear? I need to be able to spin up the hills as the old knees aren't the best I don't want to be mashing. I have 8st lost so far so the hills are getting a bit easier haha


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    #2
    robyntmorton
    Registered Users Posts: 4,263 ✭✭✭robyntmorton


    Most people get away with a compact double at the front (34 small, 50 big) with something along the lines of an 11-25, 11-28 or similar at the back, and do hills just fine. This of course all depends on physical fitness (I used to struggle on a 34/28, but it gets easier).

    The setup you are suggesting should be more than capable of getting you up those hills. The important thing is that it doesn't matter how slowly you are going, just keep going.


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    #3
    smacl
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 15,754 Mod ✭✭✭✭smacl


    30/32 should get you up most things easily and is a very low gear for roads. To get lower than this you'd be looking at mountain bike gearing or touring gearing, where the front chain rings will be smaller, but I'd guess you wouldn't need it.


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    #4
    Fian
    Registered Users Posts: 2,192 ✭✭✭Fian


    This ratio is almost certainly easier than the gearing you had on your previous bike. This is an extremely low/easy gear. Should get you up a wall.

    Congratulations on 8 stone, fair play that is some going. No wonder the hills are getting easier!


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    #5
    smacl
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 15,754 Mod ✭✭✭✭smacl


    Fian wrote: »
    This ratio is almost certainly easier than the gearing you had on your previous bike.

    Depends on what type of bike the previous one was. My hybrid has a Deore triple group with 26/36/46 on the front and 11/32 on the back. Common enough to see 22t chain-rings on MTBs. That said 30/32 should be plenty low.


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