General Cycling Discussion - Granny Gear

There's quite a stigma about one using the "granny" gear. It's an assault on our egos to have to use that low gear! I've begun to think that those of us that have them and never use them might look more foolish than someone actually using it. Why carry the extra weight around on unused components? So, honestly.... if you have them, do you use them or not?

I guess there are lower grannies mine is 33:31. I don't use it often or for long, but it is nice if the hill is long and steep enough.
Joe
:beer:

My smallest gear on roadbike is 39:21 which is enough here in Finland since we have no hills that last longer than minute to get up. On my hybrid and mtb I have 22:34 granny gear which I don't use very often :D

My commuter has a 28/28 which is too high for one of the small roads I take. (maybe a 25% gradient). If Im fit I can muscle it, but mostly I walk the short distance (maybe 10m)
Today I pick up my touring bike which now has a 22 granny, for tackling steep trails with luggage

The lowest gear on my road bike is 39/23. The lowest gear on my cyclocross bike is 39/26. The lowest gear on my MTB is 22/30 and I have never used it. In fact, I don't think I've ever gone lower than 22/14 in all the years I've had that bike -- and then only a couple of times.

The lowest gear on my road bike is a 42/23 and on my MTB it is 22/28. I don't use them very often but I guess there are times on my MTB where it comes in handy on the really streep trails.

My Trek's lowest is 42/26 and the
new Serotta has 39/23.
I didn't vote since although I don't use a
granny gear (although going to the 39 will help!)
I hold no aversion to them, nor to anyone who
rides em. Hell you shoulda seen me struggling
up some hills in 42/26 woulda given my left
arm for that granny gear!

Marty

my mtb i just switched to a 32 front and 34 in back. I dont have much need for the smallest ring now. but when i was just riding for fun (and racing but not in real good shape) i used it often without shame. I have a 2x9 setup on my road bike 39/53 11/25 and it's great and would never think about a 3x setup. I'm thinking about switching to a 2x9 on the mt bike 32x44 by 11/34

There are no flat rides around here, so I find myself in the 39x23 every time out. Even then, the steepest pitches bring my cadence down to 60 rpm. I'll shift to the 21t, though, when I get out of the saddle.

My spare wheel has a 12-27t cassette on it, which I like in the spring, for recovery rides and when I just don't feel like grinding up the hills.

Call me, "Little Red Riding Hood." I love Granny and I would never want to have to say, "...my, what great, big teeth you have there, Granny!"

http://bikeforums.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2580&highlight=love+granny

I don't mind my granny gear on my MTB, but I can't remember the last time I used it.

A good deal of my riding is on gradual grades. However, there are mountain roads I soon hope to tackle. I don't use granny right now, but may be happy she's there when I head into the canyons.

Carl

My granny gear is a 42 sooo.. Sure I use it. I have a 52/42 though. No triple for me

The lowest gearing on my MTB is a 22/34 and on some of the steep switchback trails around here, I'm constantly in them. I find that negotiating tight uphill switchbacks is easier for me if I'm not trying to muscle it up.

My roadbike's lowest gearing is a 39/27 and I have used it on some of the steeper grades but normally I don't use anything lower than a 39/21. I am however grateful that I can grab more gears if I need to. When I was spec'ing the roadbike, I debated going with a front triple and a 12-23 cassette but decided on the 39/52 and a 12-27 instead because I fiigured my shifting would be smoother/less problematic and I didn't think I'd really need a 30 in the front. Sometimes I wish for the 30 but generally speaking I'm glad I stayed with a double.

I would not have liked to do Mont Ventoux, or any of the other climbs (http://biketouring.eurotourism.net/tours/2001/map/) I did last year on my loaded touring bike without my 28/28.

Now, after an "emergency" repair, my triple chain ring is a 22-32-42 and that is too low for me. I miss my 48/11 on some descents, and the 32/28 is easy enough for the climbs in my area.

/Csson

OK help me out here folks, I don't have much technical knowledge about my bike. I get the idea that the granny gear is the lowest, but how do I know the numbers? (33:31 ext????) I know I have 27 speeds (I really never use them), but I want to learn more technical info about my bike, but I don't know anyone who could teach me.

The number of teeth can usually be found stamped on the ring. I never use the granny on my mt bike, but I would use it rather than walk. I can't imagine having one on a road or cyclocross bike, the only way to get better is to tough it out (uh, for me that is). Now sscyco will probably make a point of humiliating me at the Cyclocross races on his single-speed.

My low is 30 x 26 and I'm happy to use it as I don't like to go below 70 rpms.

Last night I went out for a training ride up Montebello Rd. The bottom third of this ride is between 9-11% grade with some 16% switchbacks. Man, I threw that sucker right into the 30 x 23 at the bottom and cranked for the next 20 minutes! I used the 30 x 26 on the steepest sections. From bottom to top is 2030 ft. in 5.3 miles. The base of the climb is only 2-3 miles from my front door so I didn't get a good warm-up. Fortunately, there is a middle section which isn't too bad and I was able to recover before the final push. It took me about 44 minutes to do the climb itself.

Last weekend I did a 97 mile ride. At mile 70 or so there was a long 7-mi. climb (Tunitas Creek Rd) that has a 2-mi. stretch at 8-9%. I was sooo happy to have my triple!