30t vs 32t chainring

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flag stereo87
O+
Posted: Jan 8, 2019 at 21:29 Quote
For my 1x11 setup I made some calculations (was on 30t) and going to 28t was like changing half gear up (approximately). Decided to go 26t front which was like one full gear up (again, approximately), especially that I use steep technical trails going up.
So if you are really struggling at highest gear and you don't use the smallest cog too often, go down to 28t and this will be a noticeable difference
flag Nikbod
O+
Posted: Sep 2, 2020 at 19:10 Quote
Great article:
How to find the perfect gear ratios for your MTB drivetrain
https://enduro-mtb.com/en/gear-ratios-mtb-drivetrain/
flag roskobosko
Posted: Sep 5, 2020 at 15:38 Quote
Nikbod wrote:
Great article:
How to find the perfect gear ratios for your MTB drivetrain
https://enduro-mtb.com/en/gear-ratios-mtb-drivetrain/

So, I have a SRAM Eagle 1x12, 10-50t cassette, with the 32t chain size. Can I simply change the chain size to 30t to get a little easier climbing gear (6% to 7%)? Nothing else needs to be changed? I'm not worried about my top speed.
flag DonLopez
Posted: Sep 6, 2020 at 7:07 Quote
Yes. I went up 4t and thought I would have to add a couple links to my chain, but everything worked perfectly without adjusting anything. And still working fine almost 4 years later. Going down 2t should not require any changes, but if your chain has slack when in the 10t rear cog, you could take a link out.
flag Daniel-01
Posted: Sep 11, 2020 at 20:42 Quote
32 x 11 F x R tops out at 30 mph on a 29er. At the OPs age dropping 4T will still not make him slow on the flat stuff.

I am 42 and in what I think to be good shape and can't hold 30 mph longer than 5-10 minutes on flat ground with negligible wind. 26 or 28 would probably be best. That is on a 29er with offroad tubeless tires pumped like I am seating the bead and not taking any particularly aerodynamic pedalling stance. These days I carry an air tank with me and just deflate/inflate in seconds like I do on my Jeep. Proper pressure does more than aggressive gearing.

Plus, if you need many low gears to climb you ought to be pumping for speed on the way down and not pedalling. My four year old barely pedals on descents and he still averages 20-25 mph on blue downhill descents. On a 20 inch bike....lol. On anything wavy he just pumps more than he pedals. Honestly, go to a pump track. Look to see how the kids do it and repeat until it sinks in. Often, you will see they launch and do the whole circuit.... With jumps along the way... While gaining speed. And, their usually very loud freehubs will click the whole way as they can't be bothered to pedal like "amateurs".
flag aaspinall
Posted: Sep 30, 2021 at 18:12 Quote
I think the most important questions are how often you ride and where do you ride.
I ride in the Rocky Mountains in Canada, where grades are regularly 16-20% for long sustained sections, and downhills are steep enough you rarely use your highest gears. So for me, and I would consider myself a very strong climber, a 30t with 1x12 shimano is even a bit much. I’ll be switching to a 28t right away. I’ll regularly put in 1000m plus days (over 3000ft) of vertical and having slightly fresher legs is worth it.
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