Rohloff gear chart

[Danneaux]

Hi All!

I've been a gear-freak since the late-1970s, using log paper to plot derailleur gearing combos and then building them. Custom crank spider drillings, spider adapters, repurposed freewheel cogs as chainrings and repurposed chainrings as freewheel cogs and heavily modified derailleurs made it possible to enjoy gears as low as 11-12 gear-inches.

And, to keep track of it all (and avoid lethal cross-chain combos) I always made and taped little gear-charts to the handlebars. These were really handy for helping me visualize the shifting patterns and to quickly find the next higher or lower gear, but all has been rendered obsolete by my switch to the Rohloff-hubbed Nomad Mk2. No longer is a gear chart "needed"...just twist the dial to the next higher or lower number as needed and off y'go. Ease and freedom in the twist of a grip-shifter and no thinking required.

Almost.

You see, I still like gear charts and after so many years of riding with one, it is fun (yes! really! for gearheads, anyway...) to see what gear I'm pulling.

It took me awhile to wrap my mind around it, but I've come up with one adapted from my old derailleur practice, placing the Rohloff's lower (1-7, blue) and higher (8-14, orange) ranges as faux chainrings. Gear 11 (direct drive) is designated in green. The attached example reflects my new gearing, 36x17, and is calculated on actual inflated tire diameter, so it differs slightly from some other Rohloff gear-inch charts for this combination. Making the chart gave me a practical idea where the Rohloff's low and high ranges came in (the 7-8 split) and where my Gear 11 direct drive fell in the available range as well as the absolute highs and lows.

It just adds to my fun.

Based on my derailleur bikes, my favorite cruising gears are going to be 55 and 62 gear-inches, and I often drop to a 42 gear-inch combo when fighting a headwind. Lest the whole gear range appear too low, remember I'm a spinner who pedals at a pretty constant 110-120RPM, so that 62-inch cruising gear is good for about 22mph/35kph. In the 80in top gear, I'm good for about 28mph/45kph. Beyond that, I'll coast downhill. Direct drive (Gear 11) is a 55in gear, so at my pedaling speed, that works out to 19mph/31kph, spot-on at the middle of my preferred 17-21mph/27-34kph cruising speed. I'll probably be flipping between the Gears 11 and 12 as I hum along on the flats.

With the truly massive water loads and food stores I need to sometimes carry up very steep 16%-24% pronghorn antelope and big horn sheep trails, the 15-inch low is going to be very welcome. Top of my low range is 33 gear-inches. This as close to perfect as I could imagine, and very close to what I had on Sherpa with the 22/32/44, 12-36 9-speed combo. I could never pull the 95-inch top gear on it unless I was pedaling downhill at crazy speeds anyway. Take away that (for me) useless top gear and one near-duplicate, and I actually had one gear less on 27-sp Sherpa than I do on the 14-sp Nomad.

Best,

Dan. (...who is charting a course for fun)

[Andre Jute]

A perfect illustration of why the Rohloff is so superior to derailleurs.

An enlightening essay, Dan. I'm amazed at what you get for spinning. Probably just as well that you're a spinner, though, because where you need a 15 gear inch ratio balance must become a serious problem, and the gyroscopic effect of spinning must help.

I'd rather look at the scenery, or the ladies riding with me. Much prettier than gear charts.

Andre Jute

[Danneaux]

where you need a 15 gear inch ratio balance must become a serious problem, and the gyroscopic effect of spinning must help.

I think spinning does help balance by smoothing the power output. I rode rollers for years, and that helped smooth my output considerably.

I find I can tootle along as slow as 2.5mph when needs be for an hour or so at a time by dropping down to 55RPM or so briefly on the steepest parts. The trick is to "let the hill come to you" when spinning, rather than attacking the hill as one would if mashing. I pick a cadence and hold it -- even with no load -- until the pressure exerted by the slope catches up with me and I can begin to "load" the pedals.

On one 8mi/13km di22-24% hill during my 2010 tour, this meant humming along nonstop in my 16in low at 80-120RPM. This resulted in a forward speed of 3.8-5.7mph/6.1-9.2kph for over 90 minutes solid. It was only about as fast as pushing while walking, but considerably more comfortable, considering I was wearing racing cleats and the surface was playa and slick rocks (see photo). Loaded touring bikes make lousy wheelbarrows as the pedals knife into one's shins or calves; I'd rather be riding at the same speed, its easier.

I'd rather look at the scenery, or the ladies riding with me. Much prettier than gear charts.

Indisputably! Still, there are some things to see while toiling up the hills. The dust storms you're trying to outrun, for example.

All the best,

Dan.

[Andre Jute]

What spectacular scenery. It's own reward.