Gear ratios

[Booyaa]

I am looking for some help from you knowledgable lot. Can anyone tell me how you can find out the gear ratios for two bikes, I am looking at a choice of two, one is an 8 speed and another is 24. I need to know if the 8 speed will be sufficient for me.

I prefer the bike but not sure of whether there will be a big enough gap between the top and bottom gears, can anyone tell me how I can find this out/make sense of the technical specs!

The two bikes are a Trek 7.2 FX and a Revolution Courier Race.

Thanks for any help to what is likely a pretty dumb question.

 

[ColinJ]

It isn't a dumb question if you don't know the answer to it!

You get the gear ratio by dividing the number of teeth on the front ring by the number of teeth on the rear sprocket/cog/ring selected. The highest/hardest/fastest gear is the teeth on the biggest ring divided by the teeth on the smallest sprocket and the lowest/easiest/slowest gear is the teeth on the smallest ring divided by the teeth on the biggest sprocket.

Strictly speaking, the wheel sizes should be taken into account but they are the same on the two bikes so you can ignore them.

The highest gears on both bikes are the same (4:1), but the lowest gear on the Trek is much lower than the other bike (0.875:1 as opposed to 1.375:1 i.e. about 1/3 lower) and you will appreciate that extra help if you need it on a tough climb.

I'd suggest getting the 24 speed if your fitness is not that great and you will be tackling big hills. If you are fit, or you will be avoiding big hills then the 8 speed should be fine.

 

[Booyaa]

I would give that answer full marks! Thanks a million mate, that makes a lot of sense and I am a bit worried it rules out the Revolution now!

 

[Andy_R]

I would also throw the Carrera Subway into the mix.....it may be from Halfrauds, but many on these boards have or had one, and they're very well respected, bomb proof, all rounders. Currently at £349, so in the same price bracket.

 

[Banjo]

Plus one to what Colin says.

Also Trek Hybrids are good bikes. I have had a 24 speed one for about 4 years,use it daily for work commuting also cram the panniers full of shopping and have done camping tours on it. Its been very reliable and fun to ride.

 

[Booyaa]

Thanks chaps, I was looking at the Carrera but I am getting this bike through the C2W scheme and the scheme does not use our orange and black friends.

Sounds like the Trek is a good bet then. I really liked the look of the Edinburgh Bike Cooperative but I think I need to be sensible and get a bike that will help me out as it has been a long time since I was last on any decent kind of cycle (15+ years)!

 

[KRUSSELL]

Giant Rapid

 

[defy-one]

.... Rapid .... Less of them on the roads