Mountain Biking - Which gear is easier to pedal?

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Collegefour
06-13-06, 04:05 AM
I put a triple on my road bike, and I'm wondering if it now has easier gearing than my Mtn bike. The easiest gear on the road bike is 30 in the front, and 34 rear. The easiest on the mountain bike is 22 front and 28 rear. So which is easier to pedal?

Svr
06-13-06, 04:43 AM
The MTB. Its low gear is about four gear inches lower.
1Fast4500
06-13-06, 04:58 AM
the MTB has more underdrive to it, but your road bike on smoth ground will be easyer to spin,

why does it matter anyway? it's like asking what gets better gas mileage, my chevy suburban or your ferrari F355 spyder? only you don't get to drive them both to find out :)

born2bahick
06-13-06, 05:45 AM
Not to nit-pick but are you sure the road bike has the 34 rear?
Collegefour
06-13-06, 05:46 AM
The MTB. Its low gear is about four gear inches lower.

Thank you, but I was kinda hoping someone would post the formula for how to figure this out. I don't really know what a "gear inch" is. :(
LowCel
06-13-06, 05:49 AM
Here is a great place to see for yourself. It's Sheldon Brown's (http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gears/)gear calculator.
Collegefour
06-13-06, 06:40 AM
Not to nit-pick but are you sure the road bike has the 34 rear?

Yeah, I'm sure. :) I changed it from a 13-27 to a Shimano Mega-wide 11-34 for a half-century ride that had over 6500 feet of climbing in it, up to a ski area and then over two mountain passes (this is in Southwestern Colorado, so the passes are no joke).
mcoine
06-13-06, 08:54 AM
Just put the bike in the gear you want, mark the point on the ground of one of the wheels, turn the crank exactly 1 revolution, mark the wheel again, measure the distance. The shorter the distance, the "easier" the gear.
cooker
06-13-06, 08:58 AM
The formula is very simple: (front cog over rear cog) times wheel diameter = gear inches. A 700c road wheel is approx 27"

Mountain bike 22/28 X 26 = 20. 4 gi
Road bike 30/34 x 27 = 23.8 gi

The lower gear inches on the mountain bike means it is easier.

This is a rough calculation, since the actual wheel diameters are not exactly 26" or 27", but it gives a close approximation.