Question about the chainring set up for my new freeride bike...

[Bobby Peru]

OK Kids, I am building my FR bike with spare parts from my DH bike and others that I have bought. I currently have an '04 Iron Horse SGS DH Pro. But I got a '05 Santa Cruz Bullit frame. I am slowly building this up, the first thing I bought was new cranks.

I got the Race Face Evolve DH model. I am using a e.13 chainguide and for the other two chainrings I am using the two that came with the cranks. They are 32 and 22 teeth. My friend came over and was looking at my cranks and said "you are using just a 32 and a 22?"

I didn't realize that it was a bad choice?!?! So my question is this- What size chainrings are you using on your FR bike? Will the 32 and 22 be sufficient?

[OGRipper]

A lot of people use 32-22 but I have found the 32 is not a big enough gear for me. I run 36-22 with a DRS, 11-34, and a medium cage derailleur. Every now and then I wish for bigger gears but I don't race so I don't care so much.

[Sir_Crackien]

i run a 36-22 as well and i much prefer this setup! i find that setup to be the best comprimise of most all the ratios

[scr1be]

i was wondering, if i'm going to do a 1x8 setup, what should my 1 gear be, 32 or 36, since i won't have the 22?

would it be that big of a difference if i got a 32 instead of a 36 or vice versa? (i don't know much about gear ratios and such).

[skurfer333]

for a freeride bike I'd run something in the 36-40t range. I had a 32-22t setup and rode freeride, downhill, dirt jumps, urban and a little commuting and I NEVER used the 22t. I never even used the 11t cog in the rear. Its all personal preference and people run some pretty wide varieties so the best advice I can give you is to ride what you have and see how it feels, that will at least give you a starting point. If its too low of a ratio then step it up, if its too high then do the opposite.

[davet]

It depends on what the terrain is like where you normally ride. If the downhill is fast you can easily use a 38-40. If it's tight and tech, 32, 34, 36 will likely do. If you find yourself running out of gear on the fast descents, go to a bigger chainring. You can always use the granny ring for the tough climbs. You just don't want to have to drop it down every time the trail points up for a bit.

[Roasted]

I run a 32-22. I find 36 on the mountain would be better but because I ride a lot of ups in the valley too I need the easy gear sometimes. I would say most of my friends in this area run that setup as well, unless they are xc dudes.

[Transfer]

It all depends on what you ride up and down.