[saruti]

I don’t use more than 3 to 4 shifts\girs so.. Why don’t make the DH bike only have 4 shifts\girs? I think we cab even get lose of the rear derilier. And use 3-4 shifts on the front. less weight less parts that can break less part that’s on a part of the bike that don’t have any suspension (the rear derilier sits on the rear and get lot of abuse because it get all the hits that the rear wheel does.)

You can even make the front chain plates turn all the time like on old bikes. And than you don’t have to remember shifting girs before time.

what do you think?

 

[soul-skier]

dumb.

 

[redride]

DHkid runs just 5 gears on his DH rig...

 

[redride]

 

[trib]

singlespeed with a hammershmidt system is probably the closest you will get to what you are talking about, to much chain slack to have 3 gears up front and a single cog out back. Or maybe if rohloff finally started making a dh specific speed hub with only 5/6 closely spaced gears you'd have a solution

 

[Banshee Rider]

I ran this set up for a couple of years. It was awesome when I was racing a bunch because the easiest gear was the size I always started with in the gate, it dropped 1/4lb, and I got ride of the gears I never used. The downsides were that you had several extra clicks in your shifter, and despite running it forever, I still made misshifts if I over dumped the gears and needed to come back up again. This season when I cut back on racing I found the whole set up was really more trouble than it was worth, and went back to a full cassette.

 

[Damo]

What do I think? I think you had better be from a country where English is your second language.

I would happily run a 2-3 speed cluster.

 

[dante]

I'd do 5sp with the same 11-23 range that I have now. You need the range, but not all 9 gears (oh god, please not 10) throughout.

 

[miuan]

I've been running a 11-23t reduced 5 or 6 cog 9-speed cassette for 2 years. No problems so far.

 

[- seb]

I've been running reduced clusters for 5+ years. Currently on 11-19 6speed. Would be happy to drop a cog or two tbh, I don't need half of the granularity I have in that range!

To the guy who was over-shifting - just buy a longer grub for your limit screw - problem solved.

 

[redride]

- seb: are you running flows? sorry OT.

 

[DirtyMike]

I think this topic is kind of beating a dead horse now.... I belive there are at least three threads about reduced gearing already



So, I will state what I think again.

I belive it all depends on were your riding. When I am riding fontana, the upper part of the coarse I will be in the middle three of my 12/28, but along the wall, I stand up, and try my ass off to spin out the entire cluster.
When we hit angelous oaks, I will absolutly use the entire cluster from the 28 all the way to the 12. Too much variance in terrain.
Sycamore, Hell I might as well have a single speed there, course is too short to ever shift.

It all depends on were your at.
Just really depends on were I am at as to what gearing I will be using.

 

[- seb]

- seb: are you running flows? sorry OT.

I am, have been all year. Have done 20+ races on them, and a load of non-race riding too. Only place I elected not to run them was Fort William. They're stupid light, and don't ding nearly as badly as plenty of other rims I've seen. 823s win for peace of mind on really rocky courses though. OT over - PM me if you want any more info

 

[godfather]

To the OP:
The basic idea of your thinking is reasonable, but when it comes to real world functionality it just won't work for most. First you would have to eliminate all of the frames that have suspensions designed around a certain chainring size range to limit the efects of pedalling on suspension or vice versa. The next issue would be the time which it takes for the chain to move up or down the chainrings compared to the time that it takes to move up or down a cog (much quicker). Lastly, the forces/stress on the chain and chainrings when shifting under hard pedalling is more significant than those same forces on the chain and cogs with shifting taking place at the rear.

 

[big-ted]

Would be happy to drop a cog or two tbh, I don't need half of the granularity I have in that range!

My thoughts exactly. I'd happily run 5 speeds, but I easily use all of my 12-27 cassette. The only reason I run a road cassette is to allow the shorter derailleur. I don't think you need close ratios for DH. Is it THAT important to have perfect cadence? Not really IMO.

I'd want something like a 27-22-18-15-12 I imagine. Oh, and I'd do it properly with a singlespeed hub and not cobble it together with a bunch of spacers like Seb!

 

[ridingsupreme]

excuse my ignorance but what kind of spacers do you use for the hub to delete gears and what are the bolt dimensions you use to replace the stock stop? I'm gonna try the 5 spd set up I think. It looks pretty cool and other than the local trails I don't think I use more than 5 gears racing. and being the weight weenie that I am I wouldn't mind shaving like 40 grams rotational mass off the back end lolz. plus it would sure as heck simplify things for a retard like me.

Thanks in advance for your advice/help!

 

[Gary]

I'd want something like a 27-22-18-15-12 I imagine. Oh, and I'd do it properly with a singlespeed hub and not cobble it together with a bunch of spacers like Seb!

Mate, when you find that 150x12mm SS hub please post up here..

I know me, Seb and a few others on here have been waiting for that for years.

oh.. and to the OP - I rarely change gear on a DH run ever.. generally I pick a gear for the track and stick to it all weekend.. (I don't race anymore but if I was trying, I'd probably need no more than 4 gears for any run)

 

[gemini2k]

singlespeed with a hammershmidt system is probably the closest you will get to what you are talking about,

WUrd. This would make my single speed complete. Could run a really tall gear and a small gear for putzing around. If only there was like a saint-compatable hammerschmidt or something.

 

[- seb]

My thoughts exactly. I'd happily run 5 speeds, but I easily use all of my 12-27 cassette. The only reason I run a road cassette is to allow the shorter derailleur. I don't think you need close ratios for DH. Is it THAT important to have perfect cadence? Not really IMO.

I'd want something like a 27-22-18-15-12 I imagine. Oh, and I'd do it properly with a singlespeed hub and not cobble it together with a bunch of spacers like Seb!

You show me a lightweight 150x12 hub that'd be suitable and I;d have one. No-one makes anything yet.

And why would you start your cassette with a 12? Surely 11 is 1 better?

 

[gonefirefightin]

it really depends on the course....

I have a dedicated tool box filled with custom cassettes and gears just for creating the right combo.

when riding the national series there is alot of differences, thus needing set ups for more flat courses or certain torque sections.

I used to be a real geek with my edge computer and figuring out the grades and elevation scales and matching the gear sets.

now I just dont use the brakes as much and have stayed with a 9 speed cassette.

"keep it simple stupid"

 

[davep]

excuse my ignorance but what kind of spacers do you use for the hub to delete gears and what are the bolt dimensions you use to replace the stock stop? I'm gonna try the 5 spd set up I think. It looks pretty cool and other than the local trails I don't think I use more than 5 gears racing. and being the weight weenie that I am I wouldn't mind shaving like 40 grams rotational mass off the back end lolz. plus it would sure as heck simplify things for a retard like me.

Thanks in advance for your advice/help!

Wont really effect the rotational mass...it is unsprung mass though. BB spacers work, and there are of course cassette spacers from between single cogs in a cassette or specific SS parts.

Just pull your stop screws out and match the threads at a hardware store. standard metric 3mm IIRC. You might need to do some custom stuff as some deraileur stops dont really line up when you stop them down that much. Putting whatever set-up you choose in the middle of the freehub will make this easier (rather than sliding everything to one side) although that precludes the use of an 11....

 

[Gary]

Just pull your stop screws out and match the threads at a hardware store. standard metric 3mm IIRC. You might need to do some custom stuff as stupid SRAM deraileur stops dont really line up when you stop them down that much. Putting whatever set-up you choose in the middle of the freehub will make this easier (rather than sliding everything to one side) although that precludes the use of an 11....

fixed that for ya