What gear range do you use.

[mjr]

From memory and calculators:

Dutch bike: 42-73"

Roadster: 43-77"

Folding bike: 40"-80"

Road bike: 35-103"

Hybrid: 25-94"

MTB: 20-80"

The first three bikes get used more. I just walk the rare very steep stuff or pick another route. It's not like I go much quicker up it riding the lower-geared bikes!

[hondated]

Thanks KBM the problem I have is determining what range of cadence I am happy with.

When you're next out on a level road find a gear you like. Note the gear and the range of speeds in mph (min and max) you are comfortable with before you feel you need to change either up or down.

Speed(mph) x 336 ÷ Gear(inches) = Cadence (rpm)

When you're back home pop the relevant figures into the above, should serve as a starting point.

Thanks gaz I will do that.

[hondated]

Quick calculator:

http://cycleseven.org/bicycle-gear-inch-calculator

Thanks KBM the problem I have is determining what range of cadence I am happy with.

The calculates cadence at a given speed or speed for a given cadence just need to enter wheel/tyre size and chainring/sprocket.

http://www.bikecalc.com/speed_at_cadence

Thanks whoof

[Patrickpioneer]

19'' to 80'' on all my bikes with 6 speed free wheel

[Giles Pargiter]

Carlton Corsair; 23 1/2" - 116" Clubman/tourer

Raleigh (mule) 23" - 112" Tourer/trecking

Dawes Mtb 23" - (about) 100"

I use all the gears on all of them pretty much every ride.

[The utility cyclist]

Lowest 24-28 though have a 12-30 cassette that will get put on for very particular trips and there's an 11-36 waiting in a box for when I get old and doddery.
Currently biggest gear is 52-11, use it relatively frequently in the summer but not as much as i used to as I don't ride the A505 luton to hitchin anymore.
I run out of gears on the daily around half the trips i make and that tops out at 48-12
Funny that my first ever tour my bottom gear was a 42-24, not that it was hilly but I was pretty fit, about 3stone lighter, 26 years younger and my commute average over 7 miles was about 19mph.lol!

[PH]

Audax bike 24 - 94", 3 X 9 most riding divided between the middle and large ring,
Trad tourer 20 - 112", 3 X 9 most time spent in the middle ring, probably 90%+
Rohloff DIA 19 - 100" All gears used but mostly the top half

I'd never calculated that before and it was interesting to look at, I was aware of the difference in bottom gears, but didn't realise there was such a big difference in the top gear between the Audax bike (50 X 14 and 28mm tyres) and the Tourer (46 X 11 and 32mm tyres)
But the question was what do you use, not what do you have. I'm happy to walk up those hills I can only ride up at walking pace, like to freewheel down a long decent and see a tailwind as an opportunity to take it easy rather than go faster. So, I spend so little time in the gears under 24" or over 90" that I wouldn't miss them much if they wren't there.

[Tigerbiten]

But the question was what do you use, not what do you have. I'm happy to walk up those hills I can only ride up at walking pace, like to freewheel down a long decent and see a tailwind as an opportunity to take it easy rather than go faster. So, I spend so little time in the gears under 24" or over 90" that I wouldn't miss them much if they wren't there.

I'm on a recumbent trike, so the dynamics are slightly different so ....

I find it a lot easier to pedal up a 25% hill at sub 2 mph in a sub 10" gear than I do trying to push/pull it up the same hill.
I need one hand on the mudguard at knee height for steering and the other on the back of the seat for power. But the steeper the hill, the more likely I am to lift the back wheel off the ground with my full touring load. This twists the whole trike sideways making it more difficult to get it up the hill. So I'll only walk the trike up a hill if I've got no other option, it's normally only on wet/greasy/loose/muddy/icy surfaces wheres theres no traction.

As for my silly high 176" gear.
Nothing beats pedaling slowly down alpine type descents at around 40 mph with a silly recumbent .........
I'm not putting much effort in, I'm only keeping the muscles warm.

[Roadster]

But the question was what do you use, not what do you have. I'm happy to walk up those hills I can only ride up at walking pace, like to freewheel down a long decent and see a tailwind as an opportunity to take it easy rather than go faster. So, I spend so little time in the gears under 24" or over 90" that I wouldn't miss them much if they wren't there.

My sentiments exactly. With its range of 28" - 86", those gears aren't there on my Alfine 8 system and I don't miss them at all for much the same reasons. Most of my riding time is spent in 5th gear which is 53".

[rickd]

I have gone back to a tripple on my new bike after having a compact double on my last bike.

Min is 23" max is 121"

I have 30,39 ,50 on the front and 11-34 10 speed cassette

[rickd]

I have gone back to a triple on my new bike after having a compact double on my last bike.

Min is 23" max is 121"

I have 30,39 ,50 on the front and 11-34 10 speed cassette

[Stevek76]

23-123 on my 'commuter'. I keep toying with the idea of dropping the granny ring to 26t to get it down to ~20". It's only really an issue in the summer if I'm trying to get somewhere with some luggage without getting a sweat on on the silly steep hills.

[tykeboy2003]

I don't use any range of gear except possibly cheapo shorts and leggings from Lidl.

I'll get mi coat....

[Rusty Rider]

Is it OK to say I haven't a clue and probably don't care? (Should I revoke my forum membership?)

I don't have a clue what they're talking about, its all chinese to me.

[[XAP]Bob]

I don't have a clue what they're talking about, its all chinese to me.

There are a number of ways to measure gearing, the UK system is to look at the equivalent 'Ordinary' cycle wheel. That's a penny farthing to most people.
So what is the effective wheel diameter of the wheel you are turning.

If your driven wheel is 27" diameter, and your gearing means that it turns twice for every revolution of the pedals then you have a 54" gear.
If the gearing is such that the pedals turn three times for each rotation of the driven wheel then you have a 9" gear.

Gear Inches = Wheel size * Teeth on Chainring Sprocket / Teeth on Cassette Sprocket (* internal gear ratio if you have a hub gear as well)