# SSCX gearing



## BikeNerd2453

Building my first SSCX bike, any advice on gearing combos? I've built single speed MTBs before, but this is my first 700c bike.
I'd like to go a little smaller on the gear size than usual, as I won't be pushing the high speed stylee.
What's the conventional wisdom on SSCX gearing?

Thanks for the advice everyone! Been learning a lot from the forum...


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## ewarnerusa

BikeNerd2453 said:


> Building my first SSCX bike, any advice on gearing combos? I've built single speed MTBs before, but this is my first 700c bike.
> I'd like to go a little smaller on the gear size than usual, as I won't be pushing the high speed stylee.
> What's the conventional wisdom on SSCX gearing?
> 
> Thanks for the advice everyone! Been learning a lot from the forum...


I race CX on my SS 29er mountain bike with cross tires. I use 36/16. Cat 4


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## BikeNerd2453

Do you think 34/16 might be too small? 36/16 is stock.


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## Joe Nation

I used 34/18 (and sometimes 34/16 with my White Dos freewheel), it was fine even for winter road use, but then I'm not exactly a racer.


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## ewarnerusa

BikeNerd2453 said:


> Do you think 34/16 might be too small? 36/16 is stock.


You'll just have to try it. Maybe you'll ride the runups easier, but get dropped on a drag strip.


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## davemess

right now I have two (well three) choices for my bike. 39 up front, and 18 or 15 (14) in the back. the 39 x 18 works pretty, but if it is a really fast course with minimal climbing and some pavement you will spin out. If there is any kind of mud, you have to use the 18.


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## Crack Monkey

I have a 39t chain-ring and 16t-20t freewheels. I usually race on the 40x18. Flat courses get the 17t cog, hilly get the 20t. Never actually used the 19t or 16t on race day. That's running 700x35c tires. 

Friend races a SS Salsa mtn bike with 32x16 and 2.3" tires. We end up about the same finishing position.


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## Germany_chris

33-17 here


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## cyklopath

When I was running SS, I was running the same setup as CrackMonkey. 

I used the 39-20 on hilly singletrack. 39-18 on flatter faster courses. 

I'm an outta shape, overweight dude and only raced the SS a few times.


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## 57-180

39:18 seems to be my sweet spot.


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## TylerF

I always ran a 39x16 when I raced single speed. Right now I run it at 42x20 for trail riding- not racing.


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## carlosflanders

42:17 is the classic sscx gearing. Adjust for terrain. 18T if you're a bit tired or it's a slow course. 16T if it's really fast or flat. It's amazing what you can get up if you have to.

This is for an okish cat 4, upgrading to cat 3 soon.

I've run 42:20 in a couple of CX races and it was too low.


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## endure26

I generally start with a 38x18 and adjust based on the course. I have 34, 36, and 38 rings and 17, 18, and 19 cogs on 175 cranks. The goal is to find a gear that allows you to get up the hills without spinning out on the flats. You might also choose to run up some short/steeps you would ride on a gearie. If there are alot of hills on the course, go easy and if it's more flats and downhill, then go harder. Another factor is race length. Our SS races are nested with another class. If we're with the 1/2/3's we're riding for 50+ minutes and if we're with the 4's then it's 30. 20 minutes makes a difference and will cause me to gear a little lower. I race masters and usually go off early so SS is my second race of the day. I'm usually toast by the time we start, especially if we only get 15-minutes in between. :thumbsup:


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## ZoomBoy

57-180 said:


> 39:18 seems to be my sweet spot.


Interesting thread. I'm in the planning phase of building a SS. So would 39:18 be a good starting point? My only experience with SS is my MTB which is a 29er. I run 34:22 since it suits the trails that are local to me. I don't mind swaping cogs since my SS will be used on trails and for racing. I just want a reference point.

Jeff


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## Crack Monkey

39x18 will probably be too steep/tall for trail riding (assuming you mean single-track). But, it's a good starting point for racing. I would keep a 20t cog on hand, so after you pre-ride, you can swap it needed.


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## ZoomBoy

Thanks. That is pretty much what I was looking to find out CM.


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## pwork

Did my first SSCX race this weekend. 39x20 was right on with some hills, only spun out on the pavement after a DH lead in.


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## tron

I have been on a 38:16. I wish I had more time to try out different gearing but I usually just grab it and go.


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## C Cow

*SSCX Gearing*

I'm in my third season with 42x18 as my primary combo. I have a 16, 20, and 22 on hand, but I've only ran out of "spin" once or twice with the 18. Row, row, row, your bike; climb what you can, and run the rest. The gear ratio should be chosen for the "majority dificulty" of the course: lots of long straights- gear for that; lots of twisty tech stuff- gear for that. Suffer the remainder of the course, it's CX anyway, and it's supposed to hurt.

We have no separate SS race here, and I'm running CAT 2 this year. I only do SS CX, no gear bike in the stable.

A smaller ring would be great, and adjust the freewheel sizes as necessary to get the desired gain rations. Sounds like micro-drive from the early 90's? 



C Cow
nmcross.com


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## TedH

I was advised to go 1 size bigger than 2:1, and have a 36x16, which does me well on most courses. I can push a 38x16, but look like Ullrich then. Gearing is a lot harder to get right in CX as there is too much flat or too much climbing for whatever gear you pick!


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## CDB

I ran 42x17 and also 32x13. That was the gearing you needed to win the USGP last year in PDX.


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## JayZee

CDB said:


> I ran 42x17 and also 32x13. That was the gearing you needed to win the USGP last year in PDX.


At least in our local SS class, that is also probably true. I run 42x17 for all of our courses, flat courses and those with some hills. If you want to hang on the flat sections I couldn't see going easier than 42x17 or its gear inch equivalent. 

If you are racing just for fun, then you may not care and just want something that will keep you in the middle somewhere.


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## mcgyver29er

*42X16 stock on the Kona Major One and Triscross Singlecross.*

The higher the gear the faster I go.
Got my Specialized Tricross Single cross with 42X18 and thought it was too easy for training on the road. Bumped it up to 44X18 and raced it. Was pretty hard but real fast. I always had the hole shot in the Master 2 cat around here. But I couldn't keep pushing such a high gear for the whole 50 mins. and I'd fade back.
Won my Major One in a draw and it came 42X18. Raced it that way and won. Not a lot of open flat sections in the course though. And everyone was running on the steeps. So I passed or gapped while running. I intentionally did lots of practice on the run ups leading up to this season. So I am strong there.
Switched the Tricross to 39X16 and it was pretty good, but not as fast. Switched it because I didn't wanna ride the heavy chain that comes stock, and the chain ring was BMX spaced teeth. I use it for my pit bike now. And when I flatted at my last race, I hopped on it and I found it was too easy. Actually got passed by a couple guys on the last lap because it wasn't fast enough to hold them off. (went from 2nd to 4th). Geared it back up to 42X18.

I generally don't switch gears for different races. I just suffer more in the hillier courses.
I find that you get used to pushing bigger gears the more you ride.
Just last night I went out on the local trails on the Major One (42X18) and I was ripping it up. Mashed up almost everything around.

I would say if you are just out for fun and kickin' around. Go with something like 39X17 or 18. If you are racing go higher and practice run ups a lot.

Good luck

 my blog


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## sashax

It depends greatly on the course and the rider. But I've been running 38x17 with a fair amount of success. I managed to finally destroy my crank, so I'll be swapping to 39x17, but that's not that much difference. 

As I think I've said before, 42x18 seems to be pretty standard in the singlespeed class in NorCal.


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## Thor

I am considering a Felt Breed for occasional racing (as a second race of the day sometimes) and a year round commuter. It comes with 36x16 which seems in the ballpark of what most people are reporting. For commuting, it looks like, based on gear inch charts, I'll need a 36x13. Can the dropout accomodate this change without pulling a link from the chain? What is the typical min/max of a rear cog you can run without pulling/adding a link?

Thor


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## Crack Monkey

I can switch between 39x17 and 39x20 without altering the chain on my San Jose. I do have to adjust the brake pads slightly.


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## dankilling

38x18, 19, or 20 depending on course/conditions.


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## ewarnerusa

Thor said:


> I am considering a Felt Breed for occasional racing (as a second race of the day sometimes) and a year round commuter. It comes with 36x16 which seems in the ballpark of what most people are reporting. For commuting, it looks like, based on gear inch charts, I'll need a 36x13. Can the dropout accomodate this change without pulling a link from the chain? What is the typical min/max of a rear cog you can run without pulling/adding a link?
> 
> Thor


I think the rule of thumb is you can adjust up to 4 teeth on a rear cog w/o a change in chainring. So if you set up your bike at 36/16 with the dropout all the way forward, it could handle cogs down to 36/12 without having to remove a link. My mountain bike setup can do 34/22 and set up for CX I'm at 36/16, each are at the opposite ends of my rear chain tensioning sliders using the same chain length.


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## joness

I set mine up as a dingle speed. I have both a 38 and 39 up front and usually have a 17/18 out back. 39/17 is my usual gear, and if it is really hilly or muddy I use the 38/18. If I know beforehand that the weather will be dry and the course will be super fast I will adjust my dropouts (sliders) and swap the back to 16/17. I'll put the chain on whichever seems better after my pre-ride. There is usually one course a year here in Oregon that a 38/19 would be good for - was Hornings, now Sherwood.


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## JayZee

Thor said:


> I am considering a Felt Breed for occasional racing (as a second race of the day sometimes) and a year round commuter. It comes with 36x16 which seems in the ballpark of what most people are reporting. For commuting, it looks like, based on gear inch charts, I'll need a 36x13. Can the dropout accomodate this change without pulling a link from the chain? What is the typical min/max of a rear cog you can run without pulling/adding a link?
> 
> Thor


Personally, I would swap out the 36 chainring for a 42 so I wouldn't have to go so small in the rear. A 42x16 would be a good commuter gear. Throw on a 17 or 18 for hillier cross races.


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## Reparto

44/18 all season in CO. Treefarm runs 39/16 regularly in SS in PDX.


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## Dion

I'm a noob CX rider, but have been riding single-speed for a long time (well, if you count BMX you can say I was rocking 44X16 a LONG time ago!). Since I don't race I geared mine for trail use and 38X19 is working well. I had it at 38X22, but that was WAAAYY too spinny for the road work.


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## l-s-d

mcgyver29er said:


> The higher the gear the faster I go...
> 
> Got my Specialized Tricross Single cross with 42X18 and thought it was too easy for training on the road. Bumped it up to 44X18 and raced it. Was pretty hard but real fast.
> 
> Switched the Tricross to 39X16 and it was pretty good, but not as fast....I use it for my pit bike now. And when I flatted at my last race, I hopped on it and I found it was too easy. Actually got passed by a couple guys on the last lap because it wasn't fast enough to hold them off. (went from 2nd to 4th). *Geared it back up to 42X18*.


I'm down with how things "feel", but you're just going to confuse people who won't do simple gear ratio math:

39x16 > 42x18 by nearly three inches. Also, 39x16 is really close to 44x18, within a few tenths of an inch.



mcgyver29er said:


> I generally don't switch gears for different races. I just suffer more in the hillier courses. I find that you get used to pushing bigger gears the more you ride.
> 
> I would say if you are just out for fun and kickin' around. Go with something like 39X17 or 18. If you are racing go higher and practice run ups a lot.


This is all good advice. Err on the higher side if you want to try riding fixed.


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## Swerny

Thor said:


> I am considering a Felt Breed for occasional racing (as a second race of the day sometimes) and a year round commuter. It comes with 36x16 which seems in the ballpark of what most people are reporting. For commuting, it looks like, based on gear inch charts, I'll need a 36x13. Can the dropout accomodate this change without pulling a link from the chain? What is the typical min/max of a rear cog you can run without pulling/adding a link?
> 
> Thor


I recently bought a Felt Breed that I'm using mostly as a commuter/fireroad bike.

I'm running 32C slicks.

The 36/16 that comes stock is too spinny for the flats IMO. 

I start bouncing on the saddle over 28 KM/H

Should i go 42/16 or 40/16 for commuting, and switch back to the stock gearing and 34C tires should i decide to try a CX race?

Thanks in advance guys!


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## Local Hero

Bump for necromancy and a question: 

I'm racing on a dry, fast course. 


36X15?


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## wtfbbq

Local Hero said:


> Bump for necromancy and a question:
> 
> I'm racing on a dry, fast course.
> 
> 
> 36X15?


Depends on your fitness. I'll say yes and elaborate.

I always suggest picking a gear that will give you the most bang for your buck. Try to decide where you might spend most of your time and gear for that.

Example 1) Hilly race: In a race that is pretty much all up and down, I gear for the ups. I'll spend the most time on the ascents and a tall gear is a sure way to kill my legs quick. I chose a 42x22. It was perfect.

Example 2) Punchy race with turns and a few hills. I'm going to spend a lot of time accelerating. A smaller gear will get me up to speed fast. Even if there are a couple of fast spots, they aren't going to overcome the rest of the course. 42x20 was a good choice.

Example 3) Most races. 42x18. The majority of races I ran that combo and it worked well.

Example 4) Flat dry course. I did a race last year that was almost pancake flat with lots of real estate between transition sections. There was one 1/4 mile drag strip on packed doubletrack that was *fast*. It was also the start. After riding the course I decided to stick with the 42x18. I lost contact with the fast guys on the start almost immediately. However, I spent the rest of the race with the people I usually race with.

I wished I had a taller gear on that one section, but it was great for the rest of the course (grass mostly with some beach). FWIW, the Bs started behind us and the B leader came past just as I hit the drag strip. I caught a ride behind him for almost an entire lap -- sure I was spinning crazy sometimes.

I have a 38t ring and a 16t cog in my toolbox which gives me the same gear as your 36x15 and slightly taller gear than 42x18. I might use that one at that flat race this season. For me, going to 42x17 would be too big of a jump for the rest of the course.


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## Local Hero

Thanks for your reply. It's helpful. 

I'm on the Central Coast of California and will be racing in the CCCX and Surf City series. Has anyone done these races on a SS?


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