30 or 32 chainring Santa Cruz Nomad?

PB Forum :: All Mountain, Enduro & Cross-Country
30 or 32 chainring Santa Cruz Nomad?
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flag tcarnie
Posted: Nov 16, 2015 at 18:59 Quote
Hey guys. Enduro bikes are the hottest things around, and people are buying them up quickly. I recently hopped on the bandwagon and got a 2015 santa cruz nomad. And i LOVE it! But heres the problem...it makes the climbs that I used to have fun on, well, daunting. I know it won't climb like the Santa Cruz 5010 that just got replaced. The drive train is a SRAM GX. It's actually amazing how fit you have to be to be able to ride this bike. I ride 3-5 times a week, am 5'10 155, and I still sweat ALOT grinding up hills. I live in Marin County, CA, and you have to pay to play here. I am curious if going to a 30 ring will make a difference...or if I should just sweat out the 32 until my legs are used to it. Riding where I almost always hit a 16% grade, it sounds like a good idea...or am I just being a wimp? There has to be a lot of you guys riding with these drive trains out there, curious as to your thoughts. There are also other options, getting a 44 in back, or more extremes getting rid of the Vivid Air and replacing with a shock that has a climb switch, or trying to shed weight in other places such as cranks, rims, tires etc. What do you think will be my best bet to make my sweet enduro bike a little better up the hill?
Thanks! Please no negative comments like "you bought the wrong bike" etc...because I do love it and wouldn't trade it for anything!
flag ubnaka
O+
Posted: Nov 16, 2015 at 20:18 Quote
I have the same bike but X01 build. I put a 28 tooth chainring on its perfect! I didn't think a 30 tooth was going to be enough. I'm positive I made the right choice for me as we climb a lot here in BC. The Nomad is an awesome climber once set up correctly.
flag hambee-enchurbro
Posted: Nov 16, 2015 at 20:25 Quote
In my opinion go with the 44 tooth as then you won't lose any of the top end gear from the 32 tooth which may mean you spin out on fast descents.
flag happy-gilmore
Posted: Nov 16, 2015 at 20:29 Quote
you bought the right bike, I run a Race Face Single Narrow Wide 30t chainring up front, loss some top-end, but its worth the trade off, I run a XTR 11-36t in the rear and slowly motor everything, the Wooftooth extended range 40t, 42t and 44t are other combination options to consider.

tcarnie wrote:
Hey guys. Enduro bikes are the hottest things around, and people are buying them up quickly. I recently hopped on the bandwagon and got a 2015 santa cruz nomad. And i LOVE it! But heres the problem...it makes the climbs that I used to have fun on, well, daunting. I know it won't climb like the Santa Cruz 5010 that just got replaced. The drive train is a SRAM GX. It's actually amazing how fit you have to be to be able to ride this bike. I ride 3-5 times a week, am 5'10 155, and I still sweat ALOT grinding up hills. I live in Marin County, CA, and you have to pay to play here. I am curious if going to a 30 ring will make a difference...or if I should just sweat out the 32 until my legs are used to it. Riding where I almost always hit a 16% grade, it sounds like a good idea...or am I just being a wimp? There has to be a lot of you guys riding with these drive trains out there, curious as to your thoughts. There are also other options, getting a 44 in back, or more extremes getting rid of the Vivid Air and replacing with a shock that has a climb switch, or trying to shed weight in other places such as cranks, rims, tires etc. What do you think will be my best bet to make my sweet enduro bike a little better up the hill?
Thanks! Please no negative comments like "you bought the wrong bike" etc...because I do love it and wouldn't trade it for anything!
flag Ben4575
O+
Posted: Nov 16, 2015 at 22:10 Quote
Go with a smaller chain ring 28/30 but keep the 32
flag JacobSpera
Posted: Nov 17, 2015 at 8:50 Quote
Why not 34?

I have a 32 on mine and feel like im slacking on climbs in granny gear and find myself spinning on the FLATS. I couldnt imagine racing with a 32 trying to haul ass on the downhills. Unless I was running beefy tires I wouldnt want anything smaller than a 32. Plus with a large front gear now you can get to the top a bit quicker Wink
flag shoshy
O+
Posted: Nov 17, 2015 at 23:49 Quote
Because OP is already struggling with 32/42

You could go 30/44, but in reality you should toughen up!
If you have vivid air on your bike, I'm assuming you have one of the top carbon models. Not much sense to try and lose weight since the bike should be very light already. Virtual pivot bikes are very efficient and pedal well seated. No need for a climb switch.
Just ride the bike as it is.
flag plxmtb
O+
Posted: Nov 17, 2015 at 23:56 Quote
JacobSpera wrote:
Why not 34?

I have a 32 on mine and feel like im slacking on climbs in granny gear and find myself spinning on the FLATS. I couldnt imagine racing with a 32 trying to haul ass on the downhills. Unless I was running beefy tires I wouldnt want anything smaller than a 32. Plus with a large front gear now you can get to the top a bit quicker Wink

what he said. put in the miles and the legs will come, or make other sacrifices to build the strength. I ride in Marin often and there's nothing there that warrants a 30T up front when you have a 42T in the rear. *edit* I also ride a 2016 Nomad https://www.pinkbike.com/u/plxmtb/album/mistress/
flag splitendz
Posted: Nov 18, 2015 at 7:46 Quote
plxmtb wrote:
JacobSpera wrote:
Why not 34?

I have a 32 on mine and feel like im slacking on climbs in granny gear and find myself spinning on the FLATS. I couldnt imagine racing with a 32 trying to haul ass on the downhills. Unless I was running beefy tires I wouldnt want anything smaller than a 32. Plus with a large front gear now you can get to the top a bit quicker Wink

what he said. put in the miles and the legs will come, or make other sacrifices to build the strength. I ride in Marin often and there's nothing there that warrants a 30T up front when you have a 42T in the rear. *edit* I also ride a 2016 Nomad https://www.pinkbike.com/u/plxmtb/album/mistress/

Sweet ride bor !
flag tcarnie
Posted: Nov 18, 2015 at 9:40 Quote
plxmtb wrote:
JacobSpera wrote:
Why not 34?

I have a 32 on mine and feel like im slacking on climbs in granny gear and find myself spinning on the FLATS. I couldnt imagine racing with a 32 trying to haul ass on the downhills. Unless I was running beefy tires I wouldnt want anything smaller than a 32. Plus with a large front gear now you can get to the top a bit quicker Wink

what he said. put in the miles and the legs will come, or make other sacrifices to build the strength. I ride in Marin often and there's nothing there that warrants a 30T up front when you have a 42T in the rear. *edit* I also ride a 2016 Nomad https://www.pinkbike.com/u/plxmtb/album/mistress/
Sweet ride man!
Just curious what trails you hit out here in Marin, because west Marin has some brutal spots. (Woodacre, Forrest knolls, etc) Also, I tend to do a lot of climbing in general ( I like climbing repack). And shooting over whites hill from tamrancho and grinding up to the ridge.

Also thanks everyone for your responses,loving the input. As for anyone else with enduro bikes, please chime in! I'm starting to feel like I'm just a soggy buttery biscuit right around now who needs to suck it up!
flag smuggly
Posted: Nov 18, 2015 at 20:36 Quote
I also own the Nomad, I see you discovered the many reviews that claimed - 'it climbs like and XC bike...' to be a load of crap!

Running a 30t, with XT 11spd 11-42t out back, need the 30t just to get up a few long grindy hills where I ride, the trade off is I almost always run out of gears heading back down, SRAM's 10t wins in this department.

But for 90% of my riding and climbing I'd prefer a 32 or even 34 to make everything else better.

Inregards to a climb switch, I don't see the value in one for the nomad, unless your climbing smooth fire road, the bike pedals quite nice if your sit and spin, maybe if your a masher, the climb switch would be a winner?
flag tcarnie
Posted: Nov 18, 2015 at 21:55 Quote
Yeah...the climb switch is more of a extreme method to solving my problem haha. I'm really starting to love the vivid air...so yea. But I do have to make long fire road climbs quite often !
flag no1000
Posted: Nov 19, 2015 at 10:22 Quote
32T smallest I would go

Trying to build myself up to 34t but still granny gearing it on my local trails
flag RunsWithScissors
Posted: Nov 19, 2015 at 15:46 Quote
Man up and pedal. You're only talking about 2 teeth difference.
flag benben1
Posted: May 24, 2016 at 17:51 Quote
Hey guys, I just got a Nomad and certainly would not mind if it would climb a little easier. It will go up everything that my 5010 would go up. But, after the ride I am a lot more tired. It just seems like it takes more effort to get up things with this bike. Maybe I'm just getting older. Anyway... Has anyone tried one of those oval/ elliptical chain rings? I was thinking about getting one. Looks like they get good reviews.
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