1. What is a Cycling Gear Ratio Calculator?

Definition: This calculator determines the gear ratio of a bicycle based on the number of teeth on the chainring and cog.

Purpose: It helps cyclists understand their gearing setup and compare different gear combinations for optimal performance.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the formula:

Where:

• \( GR \) — Gear ratio (unitless)
• \( Chainring \) — Number of teeth on front chainring
• \( Cog \) — Number of teeth on rear cog

Explanation: The gear ratio shows how many times the rear wheel turns for each pedal revolution. Higher ratios mean harder pedaling but more speed per pedal stroke.

3. Importance of Gear Ratio in Cycling

Details: Proper gear ratio selection affects pedaling efficiency, speed, and comfort. It's crucial for climbing hills, sprinting, or maintaining cadence.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the number of teeth on your chainring and cog (must be whole numbers greater than 0). Common chainring sizes are 34-53 teeth, cogs 11-32 teeth.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's a typical gear ratio?
A: Road bikes often have 2.5-4.5 ratios, while mountain bikes range 1.0-3.5. Track bikes can exceed 5.0.

Q2: How does gear ratio affect riding?
A: Higher ratios require more force but yield more speed. Lower ratios make climbing easier but limit top speed.

Q3: What's a good climbing gear ratio?
A: For steep hills, ratios below 1.5 (e.g., 34 chainring with 28 cog = 1.21) are recommended.

Q4: How does wheel size affect gear ratio?
A: This calculator shows the basic ratio. For complete gear inches, multiply by wheel diameter.

Q5: What's the difference between ratio and gain ratio?
A: Gain ratio considers crank length and wheel size for more precise pedaling dynamics.