Zan

I'm not a great rider. To some, i'm not even "good." However, i do ride, and i ride regularly. i'm faster and stronger (at biking) than any of my friends.

Anyways...

How do you fellow riders pedal around in your high gears? I find when i'm off the road on my SC Chameleon I can't get out of my small chain ring (22T). Using my 22T chain ring and my 11 - 34 cassette, i can access every ratio i need to on the trails.

even when i'm on the road, i don't really need to go any higher than my 22-11 ratio.

i can ride around on my middle chain ring (32) on the trails as well, but sometimes have to drop to the 22T for some slopes.

i almost never touch the 44T ring, not even on the roads.

how do you guys do it? i asked the guys at my LBS about removing chain rings and the guy i regularly deal with asked me why i was removing it; that little guys like me crank them and go speedy fast.

now i'm thinking of removing the 44t and 32t ring 'cause i don't need them and the 44t ring catches on fallen trees.

would riding on my kenda nevegal 2.35" tires be the cause of my slowness? what is it? how do you guys do it?

mcoine

Running 22-11 is called cross chaining.. stop doing that.

I rarely use my 22t chainring.. or the 44 for that matter.

Zan

i try not to cross 'em . i'm usually in the middle of my cassette (conscious of crossing)

mtnbiker66

Well........I'm not one to boast but I am a beast.

junkyard

I only use the middle or small ring. Unless, of course, I'm wearing a testosterone patch on my nuts. Then I use the big ring exclusively. And, the bike has been known to implode under me.

Who's a beast now, '66?

dminor 

Only time I've consistently gotten up on the big ring is XC races, either where a short descent has helped me carry that speed across a flat or in the last quarter mile sprint to the finish.

DirtPedalerB

at 22 - 34 can you even keep the bike upright??? I try to stay in the 32 tooth ring, even if I make crap rpms... those low gears I seem to be content going slow. my method is when I get comfortable I just grab a gear and pedal harder until I get comfortable again.

try a different tire on the rear and see if it helps

jcook1989

I have a 22 and a 32. I am almost always in the 32 unless I hit a gnarly climb then I'll drop into 22. I had a 44 but I almost never used it. I am thinking I am going to change from a 32 to a 34 or 36 though as I have found myself running out of gears. My advice ditch the 44 and get a bash guard and stay in the 32 untill you need to run in the 22.

LX302

Maybe you need to find faster friends. :-)
I almost always ride in my middle ring and use the 22 for big climbs on my Chameleon. I use a 2.35 tire up front and a 2.1 on the rear.
You use the 44 for road riding and faster off road trails.
A lot of riders will remove the 44 and put a bashring on.

Zan

i use the 22-34 for the steep steep slopes.

i suppose i could ride with the 22 + 32 and slap on a bash ring.

jcook1989

Get a E 13 or and MRP bash. They are super beefy. You also might want to consider a chain guide. Blackspire, MPR, E 13 all make them for a two ring setup. I am running an E 13 DRS and I haven't dropped a chain since I put in on.

deraltekluge

Work out the ratios. The top gear with the middle ring is 32:11, which would be approximately a match with 44:15, if you have a 15 on the cassette. If you have 11, 12, 14, 16,... on the cassette, the 44t ring gives you about 2½ gears higher than the 32t ring. The 32t ring also covers all but about the lowest 2½ gears of the 22t ring. https://www.sheldonbrown.com/gears/

scrublover

Meaty thews.

ed 

Zan-

Try going 1x9...this would mean take the 22 and 44 off. This will force you to push yourself harder on the hills. Using a single 32t front ring has changed my life. It made me stronger, braver, my hair grew back, and I'm a stallion at home

(I live in KS though so if you live in an area with any hills at all...I'd stick with a 22,32,bash ring setup)

Zan

i was thinking of going 1x9. i tried riding the trails using the 32T ring. it's cool for the most part. i haven't been able to hit the larger slopes, though. storms knocked a tree over the slopes which prevents me from climbing. since i'm the only one who maintains the trails, the tree is still there. i'll get around to it sometime.

if i can climb that one slope with my 32T chainring, i think i'll go with a 1x9. more simple

ed 

When it's loamy...there is a hill around here that makes me dismount. It's very short/steep and is over quickly.

The simplicity and dead-sexy-looks of a 1x9 are worth that little dismount in the loam.

scrublover

Ride lots.

Cheeto

Go my style and be a 1-byer.. lol
run 1x9.
It makes you stronger, and its awesome.

Get on it man, clear that trail!

ca7erham

Just wondering, are you running 1x8 or 9?

Cheeto

Im running a 1x8


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Sixty Fiver

On my old Trek I removed the 22 and the 42 as all I needed was the 32 and the 11-34 in the rear... the new Blizzard has a full drivetrain with 24 speeds and that granny doesn't see any use either.

Cheeto

Strip it off and join the

BAGG
Bikers Against Granny Gears

troie

+1 except I run a 1x8 with 34t up front

Cheeto

1x8's UNITE!

ed 

What about the chainguide-using "Freeriders Against Granny Gears"?