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What is the maximum percentage gear range you can get with a drop bar gravel bike, using derailieurs that is.
Is there any way of approaching 600% perhaps using 2x and a combo of mtb and gravel gear?
Also interesting to know what chainring ranges people are using.
I suppose what I'm asking for is it possible to build a 26,36 chainset, with say an 11-46 cassette. I've struggled to find the info so far, so help much appreciated.
What are you wanting to winch up on 26/46
I am running sram axs with 46-33 rings and a 10-44 cassette.
The xplr rear derailleur is only meant to be run with a single chainring up front according to sram, but I am not experiencing any problems.
With axs you could run a mtb 10-52 cassette and rear derailleur, probably would need to have a single chainring for that though.
Not sure what % those two setups would work out at.
46/30 and 11-40T is certainly possible using Shimano road mechs and shifters.
E Thirteen do a 9-52 cassette (577%)
take some inspiration fron sheldon brown and the 63 speed bike
https://sheldonbrown.com/org/otb.html
I might stir things a bit and mention Shimano's trekking kit. It's mountain bike based but I assume that it'd work on a gravel bike with a 68mm bottom bracket (apologies if not, I'm not an expert). It's 3x10 (48, 36, 26) and 11-36 at the back. I run it with 44, 32, 22 & 11-36 on my Swift.
The problem is that it's designed for mtb shifters so, presumably, won't work with brifters. I suspect that there are 3x10 bar end shifters that would work and I'm aware that the trekking kit is often used on drop bar tourers, so there must be some work arounds.
I imagine that it'll be considered frightfully unfashionable!
Trekking never seems to be a thing in the UK but seems popular on the continent and seems to cover a range of cycling from bimbling around town to full-on expedition touring in the Himalayas.
I've toured on a GRX 46-30 chainset + 10sp 11-40 MTB cassette using a Tiagra 4700 mech with a <£10 Sunrace extender. Things might have moved on (the Shimano Cues stuff), but that was about as big as I could get at the time using brifters without having to bodge anything.
Airbike do a 9-52 cassette too: it'll be cheaper than the E13. I have a 9-50 on the hardtail (SRAM NX). On my drop bar bike I run 28/36 as my lowest gear with SRAM Rival 22 and that's fine for loaded touring (40/11 highest).
I’ve been using a 3x10 triple on the Fargo for donkeys years. Trekking 48/36/26 XT chainset, 11-36 cassette, 105 STI levers, 105 front mech, XT 770 rear mech. I did briefly run it with an MTB chainset at 44/32/22 with an XT front mech and it worked fine too so the options are out there.
Thats old hat now though as big cassettes up to 51t are being used with double chainsets with tweaks to rear mechs or using anwolf tooth range extender.
In response to 'What are you wanting to winch up on 26/46'
It's with regards off road bike packing. On the mtb I run a 26 with a 11-52 cassette. I like to ride up anything vaguely possible , hate pushing and regard spinning out as an opportunity to admire the view.
But saying that, on a gravel bike with the inevitable more tarmac I was thinking 2x. I think I need to bite the bullet and create a spreadsheet!
The elephant just popped his head around the door and whispered 'pinion'
You could run that 2x road rear hub (internal gearbox but meant to run with a rear shifter) to increase gearing beyond what you're thinking as well. That'd give 48 speed, with suitably different front rings you should have a bunch of range
I suppose what I’m asking for is it possible to build a 26,36 chainset, with say an 11-46 cassette. I’ve struggled to find the info so far, so help much appreciated.
spa cycles will build any chainset you like. Mine is 26 38 with a36 11 block. It’s Tiagra 10 speed shifters and a Tiagra front derailleur. Various rears including Tiagra, 105 and grx. On my 650b wheels it’s just about low enough great for me.
36 46 would need lots of chain. I think a 24 36 chainset might make more sense then you could run a slightly smaller cassette
My 2x grx setup is 11-40 x 31-48 without any goat link etc
The 11-40 cassette with 2x is in theory outside the limit of the derailleur but it works.
I don’t know how to do the maths on how much %age that is, but it works for me.
I've so far managed fine with GRX810 31-48 on the front and 11-34 on the back. Traction is more of a problem on the steeps...
That said on a multiday with lots of knacky climbing, I can see the attraction of adding a few teeth at the back. I recall there are some GRX specific YouTube videos which address how best to do this...
I did a Ratio conversion on some 11 speed SRAM drop bar shifters, and now they work with a 12 speed eagle mech, so 10-52. The conversion is easy.
AXS would be easier.
I'm slowly coming around to the idea of fitting a double to my Gravel bike (maybe next for winter) for loaded winching and/or climbs when I'm fully knackered. Currently using 1x10 with an 11-40t cassette, so a smidge under 400% range, it's useable but there's always an option for moar gearz...
Fundamentally there's no reason you can't have just about any collection of sprockets and chainrings on a gravel bike.
If 600% is absolutely required I suppose a double and certainly a triple could achieve that pretty comfortably, but an MTB 10-50t: ~500% cassette is an option also, all come with plusses and minuses...
It all comes down to what you want to actuate the chain with and how much time and money you're willing to invest.
It’s with regards off road bike packing. On the mtb I run a 26 with a 11-52 cassette. I like to ride up anything vaguely possible , hate pushing and regard spinning out as an opportunity to admire the view.
So is huge range really a requirement or is it just a really low gear you require?
As per @llama, yep, SRAM 10-52 + GX AXS + Rival AXS shifters will get you the 520% range, and Just Works. Depends what chainset you pair it with as to where that range lands; a friend is happily running 40t up front with that and very pleased. But of course you have the gaps of any 1x system; any wider range likely means smaller cassette, 2x, and really stretching that capacity (as already pointed out).
So is huge range really a requirement or is it just a really low gear you require?
Larger range so I can have both, winch up gears but also a reasonable top end for those toad cruises
Gevenalle shifters open up a whole world of MTB deraileurs - or bar end shifters.
I've a 28:36 Xtr chainset and 11:40 on my cutthroat using grx 810 kit with MTB cassette.
Seems to work grand. Glad I went for the double over a single ring and avoided the dinner plate cassette with corresponding massive jumps between gears.
How about some Sram Rival AXS shifters, GX AXS mech, a Sram 10-52 cassette and a Classified Power Shift hub, that should give you all the range you could need?