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36t vs 38t

Lelandjt

Turbo Monkey
Apr 4, 2008
2,508
821
Breckenridge, CO/Lahaina,HI
Hard to say. Depends on what cassette you're using and how low a gear you need for climbs. Also depends how fast you need to go. My DH bike uses a 12-25 cassette with 39T ring during the season and a 35T ring during the off-season when I have to climb a lot and I won't be going as fast.
 

dexterq20

Turbo Monkey
Mar 6, 2003
3,442
1
NorCal
I swapped from a 38 to a 36 (on a 12-27 cassette) this past summer and was glad I made the switch. I found I wasn't using all of my gears with the 38 tooth. With the 36 I can utilize the full range of my cassette. Plus I gained more ground clearance.
 

no skid marks

Monkey
Jan 15, 2006
2,511
29
ACT Australia
36 is better pick, but if you ride fast tracks mainly, you'll end up burning out your lil 11 tooth sprocket, and wearing chain prematurely. Doubtful this will be the case.
 

freeridefool

Monkey
Jun 17, 2006
647
0
medford, or
I dropped from a 36 to a 34 this year. I didnt think I would like it, but like someone else said, I now find I use my whole cassette more often. Im dont know if Im just becoming a better rider but I find I shift way more now too. Im more of a spin to win rather than a power pedaler tho. With the smaller gear up front I can be lower on my cassette, keeping the gear that works best with the cadence I like.
 

Trekrules

Turbo Monkey
Apr 12, 2007
1,226
148
Is a 34t or 36t chainring with a 12-23t cassette enought for trail riding and some XC stuff on my AM bike?
 

IH8Rice

I'm Mr. Negative! I Fail!
Aug 2, 2008
24,524
494
Im over here now
I dropped from a 36 to a 34 this year. I didnt think I would like it, but like someone else said, I now find I use my whole cassette more often. Im dont know if Im just becoming a better rider but I find I shift way more now too. Im more of a spin to win rather than a power pedaler tho. With the smaller gear up front I can be lower on my cassette, keeping the gear that works best with the cadence I like.
i went from 36t to a 33t w/ a 11-25 cassette and love it as well

Is a 34t or 36t chainring with a 12-23t cassette enought for trail riding and some XC stuff on my AM bike?
12-23t would be pretty small for trails by me.
 

Lelandjt

Turbo Monkey
Apr 4, 2008
2,508
821
Breckenridge, CO/Lahaina,HI
^Yeah. For non-racers I spec a 28T cassette to provide some climbing range. On my race bike I think a 25T is a good compromise between close steps and having a little range. 23T seems "chairlift only".
 

-BB-

I broke all the rules, but somehow still became mo
Sep 6, 2001
4,254
28
Livin it up in the O.C.
Interesting to see what people are running. I have always used a 40t up front, but with an 11-32 or even 11-34 in back.

A lot of what I ride though will have steep non technical fire road stuff in between tight tech stuff, so I always found myself spinning out with the smaller 36t setups. Shoot, I use a 36 on my trail bike.

Back to the dh bike though, the use of the 34 lets me do small climbs if needed, or if I need to get from one side of the Mtn to another (certain lifts might only run on weekends) I like having that bigger ring in back.
Some shuttle spots will also still have a small climb to get to the top of the trail and the 34t in back really comes in handy.
 

-BB-

I broke all the rules, but somehow still became mo
Sep 6, 2001
4,254
28
Livin it up in the O.C.
^Yeah. For non-racers I spec a 28T cassette to provide some climbing range. On my race bike I think a 25T is a good compromise between close steps and having a little range. 23T seems "chairlift only".
I never understood the need for a "close step". We have such range in our legs that I can still find an appropriate gear even in my 12-34 or 11-34s
 

Trekrules

Turbo Monkey
Apr 12, 2007
1,226
148
IH8Rice so 12-23 is too small for trail riding,will the 34 or 36 chainring setup work with the larger cassette like a 11-34?
 

IH8Rice

I'm Mr. Negative! I Fail!
Aug 2, 2008
24,524
494
Im over here now
IH8Rice so 12-23 is too small for trail riding,will the 34 or 36 chainring setup work with the larger cassette like a 11-34?
well i dont know how the trails are in the Netherlands, but around here it wouldnt work at all....it might work for a DH bike
i use a 32t up front and a 11-34 cassette but will be switching to a 34t soon and i find that perfect
 

Trekrules

Turbo Monkey
Apr 12, 2007
1,226
148
well i dont know how the trails are in the Netherlands, but around here it wouldnt work at all....it might work for a DH bike
i use a 32t up front and a 11-34 cassette but will be switching to a 34t soon and i find that perfect
My question was more of a general question,i don't always ride trails in the Netherlands but in Germany i do the most of my trail riding with bigger hills than in my own country
 

Carcinogen

Chimp
May 5, 2011
63
0
Seattle
I run a 38t on the front & 11-34 out back. I really don't want to pedal my bike up anything that takes more than a 1:1 ratio though.
 

Lelandjt

Turbo Monkey
Apr 4, 2008
2,508
821
Breckenridge, CO/Lahaina,HI
Are you serious?
Yup. 7 speed cassette. I find that an 11 tooth cog doesn't hold the chain well when applying a lot of power while going fast over bumps. The 39T ring is cuz I was going from 170 to 165 cranks, needed a new ring anyway, and wanted to keep the same feel. When this cassette wears out I think I'll make a 12-25 6speed.
 

HAB

Chelsea from Seattle
Apr 28, 2007
11,580
2,005
Seattle
Yeah, I've been toying with the idea of going to something like a 11-25 5 speed setup, just haven't ever gotten around to it.
 

Lelandjt

Turbo Monkey
Apr 4, 2008
2,508
821
Breckenridge, CO/Lahaina,HI
^You have to ditch the 11T if you want the added benefit of improved chainline when going to a cut down cassette. The 11T fits on the freehub body differently than the other cogs and needs to be in the outermost position. I use spacers on either side of my cassette so the gears are in the middle.
 

Lelandjt

Turbo Monkey
Apr 4, 2008
2,508
821
Breckenridge, CO/Lahaina,HI
Spacers that are marketed for using a singlespeed cog on a standard freehub body. I think they came from Problemsolvers. Longer limit screws for the derailleur came from the hardware store.

Hey OP, take me to the Motherland cuz you've been high-jacked!
 
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freeridefool

Monkey
Jun 17, 2006
647
0
medford, or
I never understood the need for a "close step". We have such range in our legs that I can still find an appropriate gear even in my 12-34 or 11-34s
Because I rely on cadence. Im not a huge guy but I pedal like one cause I know what cadence I want regardless of the terrain. If Im just throwing in two cranks, its still my normal cadence. I dont have the huge leg strengh to start slow in a gear and spin it out. I snap through gears.
 

no skid marks

Monkey
Jan 15, 2006
2,511
29
ACT Australia
I'd be curious to see say a 200 meter downhill run into a slight up hill timed with a tight gear ratio cassette Vs a bigger gapped cassette with less changes used to see what was quickest.
So Less shifts with poorer gear choice Vs more shifts with closer to perfect cadence.
 

freeridefool

Monkey
Jun 17, 2006
647
0
medford, or
I'd be curious to see say a 200 meter downhill run into a slight up hill timed with a tight gear ratio cassette Vs a bigger gapped cassette with less changes used to see what was quickest.
So Less shifts with poorer gear choice Vs more shifts with closer to perfect cadence.
I think the difference would be small if any difference at all. Its more about what your comfortable with. When Im in race mode, I dont want to have to think about shifting and what gear im in. I just want it to happen.
 

no skid marks

Monkey
Jan 15, 2006
2,511
29
ACT Australia
I think the difference would be small if any difference at all. Its more about what your comfortable with. When Im in race mode, I dont want to have to think about shifting and what gear im in. I just want it to happen.
Not sure what you're saying. For me that means higher spaced gear, where it's obvious, and each shift makes a tangible difference to suit what track variants(often extreme)may offer quickly.
Close shifts take too long so you end up in equally as wrong gear as you are with having larger spaced gears that aren't theoretically perfect.
 

descente

Monkey
Jul 30, 2010
430
0
Sandy Eggo
i like how easy it is to shift with road cassettes. i had a 11-25 and 38T on my last bike and loved it. if you are used to standing and pedaling all the time (IE you are a single speeder) then it really isn't that bad. i've got 11-28? 38T on my new bike and its a little nicer simply cause its a 10 speed and the shifts are just as smooth but a little more range. its the same cassette i had with a 28 added. it works good cause i now live in a place with a little bigger hills. i'm actually thinking about going with a 36T front just for a little better ground clearance, and cause i can't remember the last time i revved out in top gear anyway.
 

Kntr

Turbo Monkey
Jan 25, 2003
7,526
21
Montana
FR Hammerschmidt and XT 11-34 on my DH bike. I run the larger 24t on the Hammerschmidt, which is 36t in OD. I pedal out of the 36t sometimes. I wish it was a 38t on certain trails.