Best gearing for gravel bike

[Gideonw]

I'm building a gravel bike. Need to know the best gear ratios to use. From crank to cassette/cog

[etienne_jordaan]

I think as with mtb gearing it depends on the area/terrain you ride and what your strong points are as a rider. I run 11spd on my 650b trail bike 32 x 11/46. Tried it on my gravel bike ( hardtail 29er mtb) but have now switched to 2x10, 38/28 chainrings and 11/40 cassette.

[Fat Boab]

How long is a piece of string...

 

I'm building a gravel bike. Need to know the best gear ratios to use. From crank to cassette/cog

[Nico van Loggerenberg]

For general gravel riding, a 52/36 crankset with 11-32 cassette is perfect. 

 

If you want to ride more technical stuff or are not very strong on climbs, 50/34 crankset with the same cassette should have you covered. I run an 11-32 with a 53/39 and am fine on most trails and gravel rides, and can do road riding with that easily as well. 

[coppi]

I run 40 chainring and 11/42 casette

[Wayne pudding Mol]

For general gravel riding, a 52/36 crankset with 11-32 cassette is perfect.

 

If you want to ride more technical stuff or are not very strong on climbs, 50/34 crankset with the same cassette should have you covered. I run an 11-32 with a 53/39 and am fine on most trails and gravel rides, and can do road riding with that easily as well.

You must be a mountain goat - those are my roadbike gears and definitely wouldn’t get most normal fun riders up a gravel pass

[Monark]

Agree with Wayne - road gearing wont cut it when adventuring.

 

I have a 38 oval single up front and a 11 - 40 on the rear. Happy as.

[tinmug]

Surely WHERE you ride (over WHAT you ride) is the more pertinent question? 

[Monark]

Tinmug I agree, this thread needs more pics...

[Gideonw]

Im building a gravel bike from a le Jeune steely. Have 9 spd Sora group set. Need to know if I should get a compact crank

[Jewbacca]

On a gravel bike, my rule of thumb is generally '1 bail out gear with less than 1:1'

 

Si 1x a 42 and 11/46 or a 40 and 11/42... 2x 50/34 and 11/36 (I found this the sweet spot)

 

Got over Swartberg pass 42 ovval - 11/42 last year but it was a grind. I felt 1 gear light

[Fat Boab]

Good point...1 less than 1:1. I ride 50/34 and 11/36 which is good for all I've ridden this far.

 

But perhaps add in if you're touring/bike-packing, in which case 2 less than 1:1 seems more prudent (I'm about to go to 11/40 for this reason).

 

 

On a gravel bike, my rule of thumb is generally '1 bail out gear with less than 1:1'

 

Si 1x a 42 and 11/46 or a 40 and 11/42... 2x 50/34 and 11/36 (I found this the sweet spot)

 

Got over Swartberg pass 42 ovval - 11/42 last year but it was a grind. I felt 1 gear light

[Wayne pudding Mol]

On a gravel bike, my rule of thumb is generally '1 bail out gear with less than 1:1'

 

Si 1x a 42 and 11/46 or a 40 and 11/42... 2x 50/34 and 11/36 (I found this the sweet spot)

 

Got over Swartberg pass 42 ovval - 11/42 last year but it was a grind. I felt 1 gear light

And you weigh nothing

 

For those a “little” heavier and in hilly areas, a bailout gear is essential - I have a 42 on the front with a nice big 50 at the back - I don’t use it much but it’s handy to have

It’s all about what and how you ride plus what you’re carrying up the hill but no shame in granny gears

[Jewbacca]

And you weigh nothing

 

For those a “little” heavier and in hilly areas, a bailout gear is essential - I have a 42 on the front with a nice big 50 at the back - I don’t use it much but it’s handy to have

It’s all about what and how you ride plus what you’re carrying up the hill but no shame in granny gears

This is also very, very true.

 

It is the main reason I prefer the 2x as I can run a more tightly spaced cassette.

 

I'm currently building a spare parts Drop bar tourer that will employ 42/27 up front and an 11-34 out the back, so a 'similar' bail out gear under load.

 

But OP, to answer your question, get a compact crank. It is a lot easier to get good ratios than with a 53/39. Big road cassettes or small mountain cassettes as opposed to playing with massive gears.

[JuliBoB]

I am new to Gravel, but what I've noticed on my Trek Checkpoint when I ride on rugged roads/trails, a rear derailer with a clutch would be nice. So what ever you decide gears wise, just keep this in mind....

[Nico van Loggerenberg]

Also depends what tyres you're running - the bigger they are, the lower your gear should be. Check out Sheldon Brown's 'Gain Calculator'