MTB gearing

[compo]

I just cannot get my head round this. If you have the same sized chainwheel and rear sprocket would a 700 wheel give lower gearing than a 26 inch wheel or t'other way round. I think the 26" wheel would give the lower gearing. Am I correct?

 

[TeeQue]

Surely the smaller the wheel the lower the gearing?

Other wise we'd all be using massive wheels to travel further for less effort!

 

[compo]

Surely the smaller the wheel the lower the gearing?

Other wise we'd all be using massive wheels to travel further for less effort!

That is what I thought. Because the 26" wheel is smaller it goes round further for each pedal revolution. Surprising the things you think about when cycling!

 

[PpPete]

nah - it goes round the same amount (same angle) but because the dia is smaller, so is the circumference, so you travel less far. For a given gear ratio between the cogs, it's going to feel easier (lower gear)

 

[fossyant]

What you worrying about it for ? Not worth comparing. Chuck in a bit of mud or rocks and it's what you can pedal !

 

[compo]

What you worrying about it for ? Not worth comparing. Chuck in a bit of mud or rocks and it's what you can pedal !

I'm not worrying! It's like when you hear a tune that sticks in your mind for a while and you cannot get rid of it. As I said it's sometimes surprising where the mind goes when pedalling away on a lovely morning,

 

[ColinJ]

The gear ratio is the gear ratio. What turning over that gear does depends on the size of the wheel. If you have a certain ratio and huge wheels, then you would travel a lot further than pedalling the same ratio at the same cadence with small wheels, therefore the effective gear is higher with bigger wheels i.e. more gear-inches.

 

[fossyant]

I'm not worrying! It's like when you hear a tune that sticks in your mind for a while and you cannot get rid of it. As I said it's sometimes surprising where the mind goes when pedalling away on a lovely morning,

You think too much

It's dangerous.