Anyone using an 11-speed 11-42t (or similar) with a triple chainset?

[horizon]

I have 19 inches (24/34) but I still couldn't get up to the top of Pork Hill from Tavistock with a load of luggage. .

Do you know anyone who can?

I guess that 70 is just too old and I've always found hills tough! I can push the cranks round but I just get out of breath

Well, at half that age most people would get out of breath. So enjoy the walk!

[Mick F]

I have 19 inches (24/34) but I still couldn't get up to the top of Pork Hill from Tavistock with a load of luggage. .

Do you know anyone who can?

Yes, me.
Did it with Mercian when in training for my LEJOG and BACK 2006
Bottom gear was 30/26 back then = 30"

Later, when training for my Grand Tour 2008, I did it again.
Bottom gear then was 30/29 = 27"

I could do it tomorrow weather permitting, but my bottom gear is now 28/30 = 25"
I'd have to get the trailer sorted out and find a 40lb concrete block, though TBH, I couldn't be bothered. I have no doubt whatsoever that I could do it.

BTW, I'm 66 later this year.

[Manc33]

I agree a 11t feels rough whereas a 12t feels smooth.

Got a lowest of 16.1" and a highest of 105.5" now.

I think this might be the setup I will settle on for good (he says half-sarcastically).

[horizon]

Yes, me.
Did it with Mercian when in training for my LEJOG and BACK 2006
Bottom gear was 30/26 back then = 30"

Later, when training for my Grand Tour 2008, I did it again.
Bottom gear then was 30/29 = 27"

I could do it tomorrow weather permitting, but my bottom gear is now 28/30 = 25"
I'd have to get the trailer sorted out and find a 40lb concrete block, though TBH, I couldn't be bothered. I have no doubt whatsoever that I could do it.

BTW, I'm 66 later this year.

Well, Okay, but I meant normal people .

[Mick F]

Nothing normal about me!

[whoof]

I use a 42-32-22 with an 12-36 cassette and a non shadow derrailleur on my tourer works out at 15.25 inches.
A little bit of adjustment on the B screw no problems, I run a shadow derraileur on a 42-33-22 with a 11-34 casseette easily. I think it would probably go to 40. With an extender it would go to 42. Just avoid extremes big-big, small small.

Mrs Whoof has recently bought a Surly LHT and specified the same gearing, 22/32/42 with 11-36. Just got back for 17 days touring in Spain and she had no problems with stability due to going slowly including 2600 m climbs and 20% + gradient hills.

As for getting off and walking it's something I've never done and I don't plan on starting.

[horizon]

Mrs Whoof has recently bought a Surly LHT and specified the same gearing, 22/32/42 with 11-36. Just got back for 17 days touring in Spain and she had no problems with stability due to going slowly including 2600 m climbs and 20% + gradient hills.

That's interesting. Was she carrying much luggage? I find that with front panniers, the zig-zag effect is exaggerated and it is a bit tricky. However, what I said above about 17" being the lower limit is hearsay, I haven't tried lower. This is because (a) it hasn't really been available (AFAIK) up till now and (b) no-one ever really supplied it except on MTBs. The front lowest ring on touring bikes is often 28T AFAICS. TBH I don't mind a walk from time to time and I'm finding 17" sufficient. But if it comes to renewing rear clusters then I'll look at least at 34T and maybe 36T. The 22/32/42 chainset for me is standard.

[Mick F]

22/36 should give you 16"

[whoof]

Mrs Whoof has recently bought a Surly LHT and specified the same gearing, 22/32/42 with 11-36. Just got back for 17 days touring in Spain and she had no problems with stability due to going slowly including 2600 m climbs and 20% + gradient hills.

That's interesting. Was she carrying much luggage? I find that with front panniers, the zig-zag effect is exaggerated and it is a bit tricky. However, what I said above about 17" being the lower limit is hearsay, I haven't tried lower. This is because (a) it hasn't really been available (AFAIK) up till now and (b) no-one ever really supplied it except on MTBs. The front lowest ring on touring bikes is often 28T AFAICS. TBH I don't mind a walk from time to time and I'm finding 17" sufficient. But if it comes to renewing rear clusters then I'll look at least at 34T and maybe 36T. The 22/32/42 chainset for me is standard.

She had one rear Ortlieb Roller Classic pannier which was pretty full and a bar-bag.

[horizon]

22/36 should give you 16"

It comes out a bit less on a 26" (15.5 approx depending on tyre size). I'm already on 17.26" with a 32 sprocket on my Sardar. I'd like to try it on my 24" folder but I doubt it's possible.

[Manc33]

I was OK (regarding wobbling) on 22 x 36t and I reckon it could probably go to a 40t at the rear. I think it depends on a lot of factors though, stem height/length mostly.

[Manc33]

I'm again wondering what a setup would be like with a 22-36-48 triple and 11-speed 11-46t cassette.

The rear mech would be vastly under on its capacity, the capacity of the RD-M8000-SGS is 47t but the above setup would require a 61t total capacity. If you take the difference between 61 and 47 (14) and take that off the low sprocket (46t -14) you end up at 32t, so on the inner chainring that means the rear mech would only cope with the last 3 biggest sprockets on such a cassette (32t, 37t, 46t). After that, on smaller sprockets than 32t on the inner chainring, the mech will be fully folded up, with the chain gone loose.

It might be worth doing even though I'd always have to be wary about not clicking to higher gears when on the inner chainring. What an absolute faff it would be though lol... and cost around £200 if done with M9000 rear shifter/M7000 cassette/M8000 rear mech, keeping it all at pretty much the same kit I have now, albeit 9-speed.

Another (more sane) option might be to put an 11-speed 11-32t cassette on but of course, they don't exist in a MTB variant, at least ones made by Shimano don't and probably none do because the only reason a 11-speed MTB cassette can be used on a standard freehub is the cassette itself is offset, allowing those massive last few sprockets to be set back and towards the spokes more.

So I'd need a road 11-speed rear hub to have 11-32t on 11-speed and it starts to get pointless/expensive. All it would achieve then is having slightly smaller gear jumps. Also I don't know if 11-speed road and MTB cassettes have the same spacing between sprockets, which would put a stop to any ideas about using a MTB rear shifter on a 11-speed road cassette anyway. If they use different sized freehubs then my guess is yes the spacing is going to be different on the sprockets between road/MTB on 11-speed cassettes. Bummer!

Those Chinese "Sunshine" and "Bolany" cassettes, what on earth are those... £12 for a new 11-speed cassette? They have got to be absolute trash.

[Bmblbzzz]

So your lowest gear would be just 13", assuming a 700c wheel. Presumably this is for off-road use?

[NetworkMan]

Another way to look at it is what is the lowest speed you can ride on an upright bike without wobbling too much and what is the cadence you'd like to use?

Take 2.5 mph and a cadence of 80.
Then gear inches = 336*2.5/80 (I believe that's correct?) = 10.5 inches.

Personally I'm in the process of abandoning super low gears having decided to push when required!

[Manc33]

It ends up at 11.84 gear inches. The standard 22x32 is also there to compare to at pretty much exactly 17 gear inches.



It's a challenge staying balanced yes but what's harder is pushing off again up a steep hill if you stop. It sounds like it would be a laugh having gearing this low.

The fact is the granny ring would probably never even get used, why use it when you already have 19.38 gear inches on the middle chainring and low sprocket.

Also when does it get to the point where you're able to bend your spokes or snap a chain with the amount of torque put on the rear wheel/chain.