27 Speed Hybrid. How Many Useable Combinations? Is it really a 27 Speed?

[Lovacott]

On a properly setup 3 x 9, it is 27 speed. I can use all my combinations without skipping.

I can use all of my 27 speeds as well if I plod along on a flat road.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I can use all of my 27 speeds as well if I plod along on a flat road.

Try some hills, as hard as you can, a properly setup 3x9 will be fine.

 

[Lovacott]

Try some hills, as hard as you can, a properly setup 3x9 will be fine.

So why do some people pay ten times more for the same thing?

 

[roubaixtuesday]

So why do some people pay ten times more for the same thing?

Dunno.

You could ask the same of bottled water.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

3x7 here.
Lots of load.

That day I climbed over 2400 meters.
I can use all 21 gears.
Clearly something wrong with my bike

 

[Ian H]

If you're a cyclist, it's a nine-speed triple. Useability of all the gears will depend on the exact set-up, length of chainstays, chain-line, etc.

 

[Blue Hills]

On a properly setup 3 x 9, it is 27 speed. I can use all my combinations without skipping.

ditto here - even on a not properly set-up one. My front mech on one bike managed to move on its mount recently so wouldn't go down to the little ring. Have sorted that but i now have some rattling - am leaving for the mo as i don't want to remove the mech and do more serious work until i have access to my full tool kit. But all changes perfectly in all gears and no slipping whatsoever. in my opinion slipping needs sorting whether you are avoiding certain gears or not. No good can come of it.

edit after seeing above on hills - bike in question is climbing some big hills at the moment. no slipping.

 

[Punkawallah]

Just because it has 27 speeds, doesn’t mean that some aren’t duplicated?

O’course, if’n you had a -proper- bike with a 5 x 2 set up, you wouldn’t ‘ave these problems, would yer? :-)

 

[Blue Hills]

i am not techie and have an idea that doing gear inch calculations is a step too far into nerd-dom (i just need to know that i have enough at the bottom and don't spin out at too low a speed at the top) so haven't done any calculations on my 3x9 set-ups. Am pretty sure there are some very close gears though/a certain near duplication.
But what's the problem with a bit of duplication? It can minimise chainring shifting, helps if you have a bit of a glitch on one you can't fix immediately. As long as all cogs and rings get used (ie nothing wasted) I don't see the problem.

 

[Ajax Bay]

idea that doing gear inch calculations is a step too far into nerd-dom

See the link in my post #9 above (p1) and have a play, inserting your own data (chainrings and cassette). Shows @Punkawallah 's duplicates as well (and agree entirely with your take on duplication).

 

[DCBassman]

I thought everyone had got away from the "x-speed" nonsense and gone to AxB format, 3x9 instead of 27. This old system is what caused me to discover a 10-speed chain (modern) on my mixte (2×5, old). Unsurprisingly, the gears did not work well...

 

[Blue Hills]

See the link in my post #9 above (p1) and have a play, inserting your own data (chainrings and cassette). Shows @Punkawallah 's duplicates as well (and agree entirely with your take on duplication).

thanks - know about those things but am lazy
i think i'd only bother doing the calcs/throwing things into an app/calculator if considering a bike/setup that i feared might cause issues.
as it is i just know i will get up most things, even fully loaded, with a 22t front and 36t back available on a 3x9.

 

[MichaelW2]

Bikes have always been rated by the number of different chainring/sprocket combinations and have always had duplicate gears and extreme cross chaining combinations which dont work well.
We hear what they say but we know what they mean.

 

[Lovacott]

ditto here - even on a not properly set-up one.

You must get some chain rub on the front mech when you are in big to big or small to small?

 

[Ajax Bay]

You must get some chain rub on the front mech when you are in big to big or small to small?

Triple derailleurs/indexed shifters have a trimming mechanism which means that there are intermediate positions between large and middle, and middle and small. Use those and you can avoid the front cage rubbing. But those combos are best avoided because they result in a slightly reduced drivetrain efficiency and additional chain wear (latter surmised).