8 replies to this topic

[haank]

Hello all,

I'm looking at Fuji Cross bike and am concerned the 38 / 48 crankset might not be enough for the road hills I encounter. The bike is intended as an all-purpose Katy / commuter / road and gravel grinder. I live in New Haven MO where the hills are frequent and steep. I've tried the Kona Jake with a 50 / 39 / 30 triple and feel it may be a better choice, though to be fair I haven't put either bike on the kind of hills I routinely encounter at home.

Any feedback appreciated!

Oh yeah, I'm age 46, so the granny gear probably ain't too far off for me...

[jfp]

I'd consider changing out that 38 chainring for a 36 or 34 before I went with a triple.   Much easier to maintain.   Guessing the crank has 110 BCD  (http://www.sheldonbr...s_bo-z.html#bcd) which would allow that.

Wish I was still 46 and granny gear is no where in my future.

[cleeland]

Double check the BCD; 38-46 is pretty common on 130 BCD cranks as well.

Check the rear derailleur setup to see if it can take one of the 11-28 cassettes available from both shimano and sram now.  If you have that, the 38 may be just fine for you climbing hills presuming you're on nothing worse than katy trail-type gravel.

[Falasi4]

cleeland, on 04 June 2012 - 08:36 PM, said:

Double check the BCD; 38-46 is pretty common on 130 BCD cranks as well.

Check the rear derailleur setup to see if it can take one of the 11-28 cassettes available from both shimano and sram now.  If you have that, the 38 may be just fine for you climbing hills presuming you're on nothing worse than katy trail-type gravel.

That works or if you really need a lower gear and stay double ring up front - on my tandem (shifts with regular road levers/brifters), it has a mtb rear derailleur that can take a 34 cassette - just keep shimano/shimano  or  sram/sram to keep the shift ratios the same.

[cleeland]

I have a similar setup on my tandem. But on a solo bike not loaded for touring I can't imagine needing any less gearing than a 38-28, which is 1.4:1. Going to 36 gives 1.3:1. 38-34 would be 1.1:1.

(null)

[tileman]

I agree with above, try to stick with a double.  I had a heck of a time with a triple once and swore I would never have another.

I used to run a 38/48 on my Kona Jake the Snake and switched to a 36/46 cross crank when I built up my Gunnar Cross Hairs.  Down here in deep So Ill we have a lot of hills and bluffs and I seem to do ok with the 36/46 and a 12/27 on the back and I am not all that strong.  A lot of guys down here ride standard compact 34/50 on their cross bikes and some have mtb rear derailleurs.

Seems like the older you get, the nicer the easier spinning is on the knees...so a std 34/50 compact crank with a mtb rear derailleur and a large cassette may not be a bad idea if you are starting to count decades.

Edited by tileman, 05 June 2012 - 03:30 PM.

[Aaron Koch]

What components are on the bike now? If its SRAM go with Apex 50/34 and 11-32 with the mid cage RD. Triple range without the fuss.

[Beeg]

The cross bike I rode last year had a 34/48 crankset and I had a 11-26 cassette.  It seemed like the perfect gearing for the gravel that i ride around the weldon springs, defiance, and augusta area.   I agree with Aaron that one of the wide range cassette seems like a much better option than a triple chainring if you dont think that you can get up your local hills with a 34x26 or 34x28 gear.

Hear is a ratio cheat sheet that i made to help me pick my gearing:



Here is a shameless plug to buy the aforementioned 34/48 equipped gravel crusher:
http://stlbiking.com...yclocross-bike/

[live2beoutside]

I'm 50 and a  parennial back marker in C races in CX.  I also tend to run higher cadence than most.  I've run 36 x 46 up front with a 12-27 cassette and have found myself walking or running up only a few hills in the last two years...hills most everyone else ended up running as well. I'd postulate that a 38 x 48 would work just fine with a 12x 27 or 11 x 28 cassette, either of which can be used with most short cage derailleurs.