I have a 2015 Kona Sutra

Crankarms: Shimano Deore
Chainrings: 28/36/48t
B/B: Shimano Deore
Chain: KMC HG53
Freewheel Shimano Alivio 11-32t 9spd
F/D: SRAM X5
R/D: Shimano Deore SGS
Shifters: to F/D Shimano BarCon(friction shifter), to R/D Shimano BarCon(indexed shifter)

I'm planning a tour in hilly terrain, and I have been advised I need lower gearing maybe 22t, but I don't really want to lose any from the top end of my gears, as I also commute with this bike and don't want to swap components out every time I go touring. can anyone offer advice if I can swap to a 24t or 22t chain ring, and swap the cassette to a 11-34. and maybe swap the hire chain ring from a 48 to a 50 or a 52, but I'm less concerned about the higher gear.

azza_333, I'd start with a 24T granny and a chain catcher. Then a cassette if still not low enough for you. Here's the gear inch differences:
[TABLE]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TH="bgcolor: yellow"]22[/TH]
[TD="align: center"]9.1 %[/TD]
[TH="bgcolor: yellow"]24[/TH]
[TD="width: 12%, align: center"]16.7 %[/TD]
[TH="bgcolor: yellow"]28[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH="bgcolor: yellow"]32[/TH]
[TH="bgcolor: white"]18.7[/TH]
[TD][/TD]
[TH="bgcolor: white"]20.4[/TH]
[TD][/TD]
[TH="bgcolor: white"]23.8[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]6.3 %[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH="bgcolor: yellow"]34[/TH]
[TH="bgcolor: white"]17.6[/TH]
[TD][/TD]
[TH="bgcolor: white"]19.2[/TH]
[TD][/TD]
[TH="bgcolor: white"]22.4

[/TH]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]


Brad

+1. I'm running a 48, 36 & 22 crankset with an 11-32 nine speed cassette and 700xthirty-something sized tires. It's an enormous range. I can stay in the 50 to 100 cadence range from 3 mph to 35 mph. I can't imagine a touring cyclist needing a wider range.

Got along fine, touring, for a decade + 50:13 ~ 24:34, 622-35 tire bike

really steep I use my 2 foot gear .

If you swap out your smallest chainring for a 22T granny-ring, it won't affect your top-end. But you will really appreciate it hauling a heavily-loaded bike up those hills. As mentioned above, that gives you a huge spread of gears, and there probably won't be any need to change your cassette. This is probably the easiest/least-expensive improvement you can make to your drive train to improve your low-end gearing.

I can! I run a 44/32/22 with an 11-34, 9 speed. It will spin out at 29 MPH on the top end(@90 RPM), and gives me a low for those really steep, long hills. It also keeps the jumps between gears smaller than the wider range setups, and I think it shifts a little smoother. That is why there are so many choices

All other things being equal, there is only a difference of 3.9 mph between a 50 tooth chainring and a 44 tooth ring on an 11 tooth rear cog: 28.5 vs. 32.4 mph. Not many folks whether on a loaded bike or not can sustain those speeds for very long on the flat.

Fail. Check your math. The gear range you use is less wide overall with larger cadence changes between the cogs on the cassette. Do you really need to travel at less than 3 mph?

Edit to include the following: The 48, 36 & 22 divetrain has a total range of 635%, the 44/32/22 divetrain has a total range of less than 620%. The difference in speed between a 32 and a 34 cog at 50 rpm is 1/10 of one mph. Also the addition a 22t to the OP's crank is relevant, he doesn't need a new 44, 32 & 22 crankset to improve his gear range.

Yep. Doug's range is a tad lower but narrower. Assuming 700c wheels......

Doug's= 17.4 to 108
Barrett's= 18.5 to 117.8

(not that I'd ever need that big of a gear)

I'm not really sure how it works, but can I just swap out my smallest chain right for a 22t or is a 14tooth jump to big?

Too much "science" here.

I would opt for the 24T ring. Unless you are small and lacking strength, a 24T front ring with a 32 or 34 or even now a 36 rear large cog will serve you quite well with the existing crankset you have.

The 24-34 granny set-up was what I had when touring Hokkaido (and Britain and Europe and North America) with a load that travelled around the world with us. If you take the advice in the other thread, and travel as light as possible, you will have solved one of the gearing issues -- the lighter the weight, the less need for a really low gear.

Remember also, that as you practise for the trip (and you will be practising, won't you?) and on the ride itself, you will build your strength anyway. That's what happens over 3,600km...

...for you, maybe...

Actually, it's nothing more than high school math. No science is involved. No reason to be afraid.

Having Broken a Bone or 2 in my Life , I tend to use the Brakes on descents not try to out spin my Legs , to hit 40 MPH+ ..

no illusion of invincibility at 67..

First, what crank do you have?

The jump from the 36 middle ring to 22 should not be a problem for any shifting system. I'm using Tiagra STI brifters and a Tiagra front derailleur, with excellent results. A friction shifter will be easiest to set-up.

You will want to add a dog-tooth chain guide to reduce the risk of dropping the chain on the inside. I put these on all bikes with triples.

very strange they put a 48/36/28 on it isnt it? Why not a 26 at the least??

that aside, a 22 may go on with no problem, probably yes, but any good bike store can slap one on in less than 5 mins and then they will know, if not, go with the 24. In either case, its a cheap change and will be very useful on horrible hills when you are knackered.

re 14t jump, I ride with a 13t jump and its not too bad, I have ridden a bike with a 16t jump and it worked but you had to shift up at least 2 gears when you'd go to the granny--but who cares if you get easier gears going up with loads of stuff on the bike.

a 22 or 24t chainring will cost $25 perhaps, perhaps more like 30-35, but really its an easy change and doesnt affect your regular cruising mid ring or downhill 48 ring.

as for top speed, a 48-11 is ample and I would wager that top speed down big hills comes much more from having the safe conditions and experience to get really going, and any gearing is going to run out past 70 or 80kph anyway, so its a moot point the small differences that are being argued about (and more a question of being comfortable at speed and judging when its ok to go really fast)

And yes, who can hold 40 or 50kph on the flat on their own--no one in my opinion and certainly not for long--but your 48-11 will still allow you to pedal along at 50k down a long mountain descent, which is nice sometimes and keeps the legs moving.

ps, about a 22 or 24t ring, go into some bike stores and ask what they have, you will see how one 24t will cost $25 and another racing light one will cost $60....so ask around, any steel cheap one will be fine, who cares if it weighs x grams less than another, and steel will last longer.

My first location in Japan will be Yakushima. I have been there before and it is amazing, but to get to the start of the interior mountain hike it was a 40min bus ride up up up, 40minutes of constant climbing (about 40km) of a pretty steep grade, so I might jump on the side of caution. by going as light as possible. I would rather a 22t than a 24t just to be reassured I found this Shimano Deore FCM530 Triple Chainring | Chain Reaction Cycles, so is going from a 36t middle chainring to a 22t inner safe/ok or is that why you advised the 24t chain ring?
I'm definitely going to swap to a 11-34 Shimano Alivio HG400 9 Speed MTB Cassette | Chain Reaction Cycles since it cost next to nothing
Training for the trip is all well and good to say, but where I am, we don't have any hills to ride, so all I can really do is get time in the saddle.

Does this help, this is all the info I have on my bike, as I don't know much about components of bicycles

Crankarms: Shimano Deore
Chainrings: 28/36/48t
B/B: Shimano Deore
Chain: KMC HG53
Freewheel Shimano Alivio 11-32t 9spd
F/D: SRAM X5
R/D: Shimano Deore SGS
Shifters: to F/D Shimano BarCon(friction shifter), to R/D Shimano BarCon(indexed shifter)

Does it look like the crankset in my picture? There are a hundred different Deore cranksets.

You have bar end friction shifters. Set up is easy.

the crank arm looks the same, the two larger chain rings look the same.
the F/D and R/D are different.

Then this OE Shimano 64x22 inner gear will fit perfectly: https://www.universalcycles.com/shopp...s.php?id=23798

$8.

You won't need to swap out anything else.

Install a chain retainer: https://www.universalcycles.com/shopp...ls.php?id=1806

Thanks for that

I have just calculated the average grade for the climb up Yakushima(the first destination i'm going in Japan), and its 18km(11.3mi) and a grade of 8.5% (from sea level to 1500m)
so will this gearing definitely be low enough? or should I still swap out the cassette?

I'm an overweight (100 kg) 58 year old guy who has climbed a 15% grade with a lighter load with no problem.

I climbed this 1100 meter climb in Italy with a similar gear set (26t x 34t), it averaged 6-7% with long stretches that exceed 10%, see: https://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/415036552

It's a tough climb, but a steady pace on the 6 to 10 km/hour range should make it possible.

I like to buy my stuff of chain reaction cycles since i'm in Australia, and they seem to have no trouble sending stuff to Australia

are these the same thing, and will they work with my kit?
Shimano Deore M532 Inner Chainring | Chain Reaction Cycles
Shimano Deore FCM590 Triple Chainring | Chain Reaction Cycles
SRAM Red Braze-On Clamp & Chain Spotter Stop | Chain Reaction Cycles

The first two are correct Shimano Deore chainrings, the second link provides better information. You want the 64 bcd bolt circle with 22 teeth.

The bottom item is not your basic chain retainer. It's an adapter for a braze-on derailleur.

is this the same thing then?
Deda Elementi Dog Fang (Chain Catcher) | Chain Reaction Cycles

I would start by getting a 34T bail out on your freewheel. I think you will be very surprised how often you will skip for an easy seated climb. With a 34T bail out and your 28T ring you will have extreme pull...

Don't forget there is no shame in getting off and using your bipedal gear...