# 36-46 gearing?



## jroden (Jun 15, 2004)

I see a lot more new bikes coming with the compact 36-46. How does this tend to work out for people? I have always used a 42 or 44 either single or with a 39 as something I need occasionally or not at all. I was wondering how the 46 would be, seems pretty big.

I'm kind of an average sort of rider strength wise. I anticipate a rear gearing of something between 25 and 27


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## seppo17 (Dec 7, 2008)

Depends on the rider and courses they race. I run 38-46 with 12-27. There is almost always a section of course where I use the 46.

I think 36-46 pretty much covers everything, unless you deal with mud every single race.


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## Kram (Jan 28, 2004)

I'm switching over to that setup this year with a 26t rear. There are courses that my 38x26 was too tall for and swapping a chain ring is cheaper than a couple of cassettes, plus I already had the compact crank.


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## Guymk (Mar 27, 2009)

I have a 36/46 set up on my cross bike. Works for me.


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## dreww (Jan 22, 2004)

Do it, I too have used 42T single for years, you give up some top end of flat courses and some low end on hilly ones! but we make it work right.

I think 36/46 is a great combination. Its a newer idea, however it took some time for me to get used to 39/53 from my "old" 42/52. Ya cant fight the manufacturers for ever.

Im of average strength and I very often use the 46T, specially on road/gravel rides.

I got tired of hunting for "cross" rings at $60 a piece, now FSA make new 36/46 cranks for around $150, waay less on ebay


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## jroden (Jun 15, 2004)

dreww said:


> Do it, I too have used 42T single for years, you give up some top end of flat courses and some low end on hilly ones! but we make it work right.
> 
> I think 36/46 is a great combination. Its a newer idea, however it took some time for me to get used to 39/53 from my "old" 42/52. Ya cant fight the manufacturers for ever.
> 
> ...


Thanks, I'll stick with it then. I am avoiding the FSA's they drive me crazy with the spacers and outboard bearings that seem to fail very quickly. The shimano seems to be the least bad outboard bearings at this point. I have some SRAM ones on my MTB, they seem especially poor.


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## Jetmugg (Sep 22, 2010)

Yep, 36/46 here, with a 12-25 9 speed Ultegra rear. It gives a very usable range of ratios, especially if you are going to use your 'cross bike for more than just racing. (Commuting, Touring, etc).

SteveM.


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## adam_mac84 (Sep 22, 2010)

my left shifter went out on my 36/46 with 12-26. I got an emergency 40t on the way to my gravel road training ride, and it went well. I will probably mate it to an 11-28 just to cover my ass on both ends


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## availpunk9 (Oct 7, 2009)

I think 46t is a too big of a ring for cross. I run 38/44.


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## Vegancx (Jan 22, 2004)

I have run 36/46 off and on for about 6 years (about when road compacts became widely available). 

The verdict: 36 is too low. 46 is too high. 

I need to remind myself of this every couple of years, so I'll bounce from my preferred 40 or 42 single ring to the compact double. That's a stark transition in terms of riding style, so take it for what it's worth, but I've never been happy with the compact double. 

I think I'm going back to a double this season, and I'll be running 39/44


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## JeffS (Oct 3, 2006)

I think 46 is a compromise gear for people who use their bikes for something other than racing.


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## jroden (Jun 15, 2004)

JeffS said:


> I think 46 is a compromise gear for people who use their bikes for something other than racing.


I was thinking that, I have used either a 42 or 44 with the 39 for a bail out or for real steep climbs once in a while. The 46 seems like it might be too heavy and the 36 might be too light. I guess I can always just swap it out and not fret over it. 42 seems big enough, even for the dirt road races I do in the spring.


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## Gripped (Nov 27, 2002)

jroden said:


> I was thinking that, I have used either a 42 or 44 with the 39 for a bail out or for real steep climbs once in a while. The 46 seems like it might be too heavy and the 36 might be too light. I guess I can always just swap it out and not fret over it. 42 seems big enough, even for the dirt road races I do in the spring.


I tried out a 46/36 a few years back. Did some practices and workouts. Didn't race on it. I decided that I much preferred my 44/38.

Personally, the courses I tend to race I either stay in the 44 90% of the time *or* stay in the 38 90% of the time. So that combo works out well.


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## ZenNMotion (May 28, 2004)

A 46t is too steep for just about any amateur below strong elite/pro strength. You'll get more out of your gears with a 44t or even 42t as you'll not need to shift up front nearly as often, you'll never need a 46X12 and you can run a shorter chain, so less chance of bouncing off. A 46 is nice to have if you take your bike on the road but for a cross course it's steeper than ideal IMO. A 38t small ring works for me, but I prefer the extra bailout potential with a 36/43 compact 13-26 Shimano 8 speed drivetrain is the shizzle for me, I like 8 speed chains and low replacement costs, works perfectly with Campy 10 speed shifters with no modifications.


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## jroden (Jun 15, 2004)

ZenNMotion said:


> A 46t is too steep for just about any amateur below strong elite/pro strength. You'll get more out of your gears with a 44t or even 42t as you'll not need to shift up front nearly as often, you'll never need a 46X12 and you can run a shorter chain, so less chance of bouncing off. A 46 is nice to have if you take your bike on the road but for a cross course it's steeper than ideal IMO. A 38t small ring works for me, but I prefer the extra bailout potential with a 36/43 compact 13-26 Shimano 8 speed drivetrain is the shizzle for me, I like 8 speed chains and low replacement costs, works perfectly with Campy 10 speed shifters with no modifications.


8 speed, wow. I run shimano 10, it would be nice to run those big fat chains and cheap cogs. I doubt it would work for me though.


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## scrub (May 19, 2010)

I also ran 38/43 last season with an 8 speed 12-26 cassette. It worked great but I got a killer deal on a DA 46t ring so this year I'll try 39/46 on the days I'm not riding the singlespeed.

And I agree on the 46t for those of us that commute etc. in addition to racing.


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## m_s (Nov 20, 2007)

I've used 38-46 and never left the 38. Now I usually use a 42 single ring with a 12-25 or 28 cassette if I'm not singlespeed. I keep a 48t around for road use.


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## 88 rex (Mar 18, 2008)

39/48 here with an 11-28 on the rear. I think I was in the 39t for roughly 98% of the season last year. I only switch to the 48 for the finish line sprint......if there is one.


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## ZenNMotion (May 28, 2004)

jroden said:


> 8 speed, wow. I run shimano 10, it would be nice to run those big fat chains and cheap cogs. I doubt it would work for me though.


Oh yes it would! A few years ago when out of commission to race from asthma, I spent several busy weekends working the pit for my team toward the end of the season when the courses were getting sticky and half frozen. Several guys were running 8 speed or 9 speed. The difference in the frozen crap getting stuck in the gears between these and the 10 speed drive trains was impressive- the 10 speed guys without pit bikes often couldn't finish, the 8-9 speeds remained functional through the races often without changing bikes. It was real life confirmation of my cheap bastard ways, channel your inner hack mechanic...


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## mblock (Jun 11, 2010)

I have run 48/36t that came stock on my bike. I have switched to 46/36t, then 42t single and experimented with a 39t single. I'm now on a compact crank with a 42/34t combo and I like that the best. Pretty much run the 42t most (almost all) of the time but I have the 34t to bail out if there is real steep or sloppy grinder races. I am not a super power rider so I like to have some range and lower end to spin more but I have never felt under-geared with a 42t (even with a 12t in back).

In back I have used 12/26t and most recently 12/27t but am now switching to 11/28t for this season.


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## TedH (Jan 1, 1970)

I run 44/36 and like it a lot. I ran a 46 for a while, but was always on the upper end of the casette when using it. Saw Katie Compton running a 44 and thought if that's what she's pushing, I shouldn't be pushing a 46 in killer B's. Tried it, liked it, keeping it with a 12-26 on the back.


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## Guest (Aug 13, 2011)

44-36, 12-27 in hilly western NC. The 44 gets me up and over most courses in our region. With the 46, I'm shifting between chainrings too much.


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## Speedmenace (Aug 15, 2011)

Won't make a great deal of difference


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## MShaw (Jun 7, 2003)

Huh. Y'all are animals! I'm running 34/44 when I'm racing.

...and NEED that 34 lots!

M


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## cyclevt (Aug 6, 2004)

*Mine...*

Front: either a 36 or 38 little ring + 46 big ring on a SRAM force compact crank
Rear: racing 13-26 9sp campy, training/other 12/13

Verdict: I don't use my 46 too much and agree with a few others that a 46 might be too big for the 35+/Cat4, beer drinkin' dad's fields. 

I think a 36/44 with 12(or13)/x26 cassette would be spot on for "the rest of us".

Some of my fellow team mates run 36/48 x 12/26 set up, some run 42 single up front.

We're in Colorado where we don't get too much mud... FWIW


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## rkj__ (Mar 21, 2007)

I'm currently running 36/48 rings with a 12-26 cassette. It is a good compromise for all around riding. 

For CX, I find the 48 too big, so I stay in the 36 the majority of the time, which can feel too small for the faster sections.

So, in the future, I'm considering going to a 38/48 with a 12-27 cassette. That would allow me to keep the low gear, but but get a little higher gear without shifting to the big ring. Also, I'd retain the 48 tooth ring for road riding. 

If I was just racing cross, I'd either go to a single ring with a wide range MTB cassette. Maybe 42 x 11-32, or a two chainring setup with a small gap, something like a 38 / 44 x 12-27. 

I'm not sure 36 / 46 tooth rings are ideal for the average CX racer, but it's not far off.


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## T0mi (Mar 2, 2011)

MShaw said:


> Huh. Y'all are animals! I'm running 34/44 when I'm racing.
> 
> ...and NEED that 34 lots!
> 
> M


34x25 is a slightly higher gear than 36x27.

Talking only about the chainrings is irrelevant


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## jroden (Jun 15, 2004)

Thanks for the input, turns out the bike ships with an ultegra conventional crank, which is great. I think I'm going to have the shop swap to a 42 or perhaps a 44


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## CapitalCrewBiker (Aug 24, 2011)

I am thinking more and more about going 1x9... 42 front seams ideal.


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