# My climbing ability just reached a new low.



## Tall BMX'r (Jan 11, 2021)

I have been pretty happy with my 28 tooth chainring on my Sram Eagle 1 x12 GX 29r set-up, but there were those long steep climbs where I wish I had that Lower gear. I found a Race Face direct mount 3-bolt 26 tooth chainring that would work on my Sram GX cranks. Both my old 30 tooth and 28 tooth chainrings had a 3mm offset, which moves it inward. The 26 tooth Raceface chainring has a 4.5mm to 5mm offset. I like the offset because it moves it a little closer to my 50 tooth cassette. So when the chain is under a lot of stress, it's more aligned. 
I rode it today and did some steep climbs. I would say the jump from my stock 30 tooth chainring to my 28 tooth was a huge improvement. I could finally clear climbs I had to walk before. With the 26 tooth, I really noticed how less winded I was when I reached the top of a climb. I would climb then rest with my 28t, but with the 26t I didn't feel the need to rest much at all. The first steep switchback I rode up with the 26t, I kinda stalled mid turn and had to put my foot down. I wasn't used to how much slower I was going. I just have to pedal a little faster to keep some momentum in spots. So far I happy with it and no shifting issues at all. In fact, I like the ratio changes with the other gears. It feels easier to find the right gear to match speed. I wouldn't go any smaller. I'd probably stall and lose my balance from lack of momentum. 
*Any of you older riders looking for a granny gear, this is it. No emtb needed yet*
The 30t to 50t is a .60 ratio.
The 28t to 50t is a .56 ratio.
The 26t to 50t is a .52 ratio.


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

It'll increase antisquat (AS), which will cause the bike to move "upwards", may not ride as well over tech when climbing, less of an issue when riding downhill.

I rode 26t until I learned about the AS issue, now on a 28t which improved ride quality and is still low enough for steep sustained climbing, still not in the ideal range of 30-32t which most FS bikes are designed for, but it's a good compromise.


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## mikesee (Aug 25, 2003)

Good on ya for going to the 26t. 

Don't feel like you have to 'park' in it tho -- use it when you need to recover for sure, but then drop down one harder gear when approaching switchbacks or steeper bits where you need to apply a bit more power to get through.

Then you still have that easier gear to recover in before the next hit.

The wife and I run 24 x 52t on our FS mtb's and our fatbikes. Tis better to have and not need...


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## 141 (Jun 25, 2021)

Looks awesome, wish I had this setup but stuck with a 28t because I don't want to replace my Shimano cranks. It seems to me that overall in cycling gearing has been getting easier and easier, so eventually the market I think will catch up with demand and start offering smaller chainrings. Looking at bikepacking setups, most of the riders with Shimano cranks have 28t chainrings, which I would think would be a signal to Shimano that if they made a 24t or 26t chainring that riders would switch over ...


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## Champion_Monster (Nov 30, 2014)

Easier gearing for climbing but maintain the ability to run tall gearing in speedy sections, covering the widest range possible sounds like a job for double chain rings in front.

Imagine it, something like a 36 and a 22 front combo with 10 gears out back, perhaps in the 11-42 range. I think it would be all the rage!


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## Tall BMX'r (Jan 11, 2021)

141 said:


> Looks awesome, wish I had this setup but stuck with a 28t because I don't want to replace my Shimano cranks. It seems to me that overall in cycling gearing has been getting easier and easier, so eventually the market I think will catch up with demand and start offering smaller chainrings. Looking at bikepacking setups, most of the riders with Shimano cranks have 28t chainrings, which I would think would be a signal to Shimano that if they made a 24t or 26t chainring that riders would switch over ...








Race Face Cinch Direct Mount Chainring | Jenson USA







www.jensonusa.com




I think this will fit?


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## In2falling (Jan 1, 2005)

I switched to oval few years back and love oval now, I find it great for slow technical climbing. 
Also OneUp Switch chainring is a great chainring, can easily switch chainrings (only have to remove pedal) and can get rings in round or oval. 








Chainrings







www.oneupcomponents.com


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## ddoh (Jan 11, 2017)

I like the title of this post. Each year it seems like my climbing ability reaches a new low.


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## Arm&Hammer (Dec 19, 2020)

Ha, I increased to a 34t to force myself to work harder on the climbs, will need a 36t soon 😵‍💫


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## 141 (Jun 25, 2021)

Tall BMX'r said:


> Race Face Cinch Direct Mount Chainring | Jenson USA
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I forgot to specify, but I have Shimano 12 speed:
"*Compatible for *8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 speed (except Shimano 12-speed)"


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## teleken (Jul 22, 2005)

Dang that is low & slow gearing (glad it works) you must have great balance to stay up right.


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## LVLBTY (Jul 15, 2020)

Try oval the next time you switch chain rings. Made a nice improvement on climbing for me.


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## Loll (May 2, 2006)

This kind of things that was lost in going 1x. Some of us climb steeps around 30% grade, for training purposes. The same bike is used the next day to sprint and do intervals. 

You all might not agree with 2x, but not easy at all to do intervals with a 26 or 28, same can be said climbing with a 36 for mere mortals.

only option left is to buy a 2x crankset, skip the shifter and derailleur, and do a manual change based on the day’s riding needs. I realized this is likely not majority of mtb rider out there, so ymmv👍


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## BadgerOne (Jul 17, 2015)

I've been putting off a ring reduction out of laziness, but I really need to get that done at some point. I can wield the 32t well enough even on steep climbs, but it sure does kick my butt and sap my energy if I'm less than 100%. Being anaerobic in the first few miles doesn't exactly make for a fun ride, and it's also not so good for the longevity of the dinner plate which is the only alloy cog on the casette. Then again I need to be careful, because I do make it to my 10t occasionally and don't want to lose too much there. Fast is still fun.


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

It seems like my comment on increase anti squat flew under the radar ...

FS bikes are designed around 30-32t chainrings, so if you reduce the chain ring size below this, the AS goes up.

In some cases this will not improve how the bikes rides.

Hardtails don't care what you spin.


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## Tall BMX'r (Jan 11, 2021)

Nurse Ben said:


> It seems like my comment on increase anti squat flew under the radar ...
> 
> FS bikes are designed around 30-32t chainrings, so if you reduce the chain ring size below this, the AS goes up.
> 
> ...


Not at all. I researched the AS effects and it's a very complicated subject. Lots of 100% and 120% and 200% without actual geo data. The motorcycles and automotive industries have studied it extensively. After getting my head around the Center of Incidents and comparing standard FS bike drivetrains and my own SC VPP, I don't see going from a 28t or even 30t to a 26t has any affect on pedaling efficiency. After riding this morning, which was my second outing with the 26t, I noticed very little pedal bob. To test this, I let my shock open and reset the sag set O-ring as I started to climb a long 500 ft elevation up with some steep sections. At the top I checked how far the O-ring had moved beyond my static sag position. It moved about 5mm. So 5mm's of pedal bob in the open shock position. I couldn't even feel any bob. The 26t gave me a little more gas in the tank, and I was able to do one more lap today. Definitely easier to pedal up the up with less effort, but I'm using my second gear more now too. I feel the change in my overall gear ratios is better because I'm using the mid range gears more and they are tighter together ratio wise. 
Now comparing that to my wife's Giant Anthem which has a 2x setup with 24t chainring to a 42t cassette, her bike pedals great almost no bob. Seeing that most suspensions pivots where originally designed for 3x drivetrains with a 24t chainring, I don't think the 26t chainring is out of the normal AS design range. 
As for my Santa Cruz Hightower with the VPP suspension, this is probably why I don't notice any change in the AS:


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