flink

I just bought myself my first seven speed after owning 2 twentywhatever speed mountain bikes. I'm looking to mostly just putz around town and I found the simplicity appealing. that being said, I haven't spent much time on it yet so I don't really know how it's gonna work out in the long run. only one way to find out I guess.

thoughts?

Rootman

It ought to do you just fine. While more gears typically means more choices from top to bottom (and perhaps a little higher and lower range), seven should do you just fine.

I have a 21 speed and rarely use the first gear on the front derailleur, but it's there if I need it. So MORE is not always better or even necessary but nice to have when you need them.

wolfchild

One gear is all I need.

_Cyclopath

It's all about the terrain and your own strength.

I'm a new(ish) rider and there are some steeply steep hills on my commute and in the areas I ride for fun. I need all the help (gears) I can get!

flink

plus, I figure there's a fair amount of redundancy within those gears as well. not like I've ever sat down and done the math but out of twenty one gears, once you factor in all the duplicate combinations I wonder how many speeds you're actually left with.

again, only one way to find out. at $420 (globe work 1) it doesn't matter much either way really.

downwinded

Sheldon has an easy to use gear calculator. Can't post the link from my phone. Maybe someone else can post it.

Just got "access" to the pc. Here you go.
https://sheldonbrown.com/gears/

Papa Tom

As is the case with most of technical bicycling articles I read, I can't understand a word of that Sheldon Brown gear ratio gobbledeygook!

Personally, I don't think you need to get so technical. I ride to work everyday with my left (front) shifter on "2" and my right (rear) between "4" and "7." Recently, I did an overnight trip that took in all kinds of terrain, from flat streets to a hell of a climb over a suspension bridge, and from smooth pavement to very rough gravel. Over the course of about 50 miles each way, I never used more than seven gears, and for the most part, I stayed within the same four I use on my commute.

I'd love to get myself a seven-speed, especially one with an internal hub so I can stop worrying about derrailleur adjustments and maintenance. I don't know the type of gears you have, but enjoy them and, for the kind of riding you're doing, don't worry about needing any more than seven!

gregjones

Gear Calculator

Plug your numbers in for cassette and chainring teeth count. Go to "Speed over RPM Range" and check the sort box. You can see where your different ratios fall in relation to each other.

Bill Kapaun

If you didn't have a bit of redundancy, you'd get in situations where you are constantly doing double shifts back and forth as the wind or hills change.
But if YOU don't think you need more gears, you probably don't.

TransitBiker

I did fine with 4 for over a decade, so 7 should suffice.

- Andy

gregf83 

Depending on the cassette you have the only real difference you'll notice is a bigger jump in cadence switching between cogs. I use a compact for commuting and go from the 50/12 down to a 34/21 which is a ratio of 2.57. You can get the same range with an 11-28 7 speed cassette. You'll just have bigger jumps between gears.

10 Wheels

9 Speed triple with a 3 position hub,

flink

internal hub was what originally got me curious about fewer gears, but once the time came for me to actually make the purchase there weren't any available (I liked the Globe Work, really seemed to fit both me and my purposes and I didn't wanna start my search all over again). checked all over town. I was bummed but when I tried the derailleur version I found the experience to be similar enough and $300 less to boot. I didn't want to miss the rest of the summer, so I just went for it.

physdl

As others have said, it highly depends on the terrain, how much weight you're carrying, your fitness level, and the gears you have. I have 24 speeds: 26-36-48 on the front and 11-32 on the rear. Most of the time I'm in the second gear on the front and vary the rear as needed. But on my preferred route heading home, I use every single possible combination. When I'm doing 25-30mph down a hill and want to pedal even a bit, I need to be in the top gears. When I'm climbing a hill that maxes out at 13% grade, I need to be in the lowest gear or else I'd have to walk it. I guess I don't need the other two gears on the front, but then I'd lose some speed on downhills and would need to use other, less direct routes on the way back.

ThermionicScott 

+1. This being the Commuting forum, I've never needed more than one gear to get to work and back, and even for recreational rides, I can count the number of times on one hand that I've had to get off my FG and walk due to stalling out on a steep hill.

That said, I often ride one of my 14-speed bikes to work, but still generally stay within a narrow gear range for that trip. Say, 60-85".

devianb

Commuting I only use 2 out of the 8 gears. Only need one gear, but I like having options when needed.

Matariki

I have a 5 speed IGH. Commute is 12-18 miles round trip. A few 4-8% hills but none longer than ~ 0.5 miles. I rarely use first or fifth gear and frequently wish I bought a 3 speed hub. I frequently ride a local Rails to Trails route (60 miles round trip) on either this bike or one with a 2 speed IGH. The grades are gentler and so I can't imagine needing a bunch of gears. It's curious to hear my companions with their many, many gears constantly shifting up and down. Sounds like a lot of stress I don't need.

JanMM

My commuter bike has a road triple with 9-spd 11/32 cassette; most of my commuting is done on the middle ring, with brief uses of the big ring. Generally in the middle of the cassette but I do shift the rear quite a bit, especially for stops and starts. Standing starts in a too-high gear suck on a recumbent.
Shifting is not stressful.
If I didn't also sometimes ride this bike on longer rides involving up- and down-hills, I would consider simplifying the gearing.

fietsbob

make up your own mind

steve0257

I currently have bikes with a 2x9 and a 3x6 derailier and a SA 3 speed hub. I have also had a 3x7 and a 2x8. They all had about the same high and low gear. All adding more gears did was give me more options in the middle to fine tune the cadence.

acidfast7

one

the motor is good.

44/16/23-622