1. What is Gear Inches?

Gear inches is a system that expresses bicycle gear ratios in terms of the diameter of an equivalent directly driven wheel. It helps cyclists compare different gear setups across various bicycles.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the gear inches formula:

Where:

• Gear Ratio — Chainring teeth divided by cog teeth
• Wheel Diameter — Actual diameter of the wheel including tire (in inches)

Explanation: The formula calculates how far the bike travels with one complete pedal revolution.

3. Importance of Gear Inches

Details: Gear inches allow cyclists to compare different gear setups and choose appropriate gearing for terrain and riding style. Higher gear inches mean harder pedaling but more speed per pedal revolution.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the gear ratio (front chainring teeth divided by rear cog teeth) and the actual wheel diameter including tire. Both values must be positive numbers.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's a typical gear inches range?
A: Road bikes typically range from 30-125 gear inches, while mountain bikes range from 20-100 gear inches.

Q2: How do I measure wheel diameter?
A: Measure from ground to axle and double it, or check tire specifications which often include diameter.

Q3: What's considered a low gear?
A: Generally below 50 gear inches is considered low, good for climbing hills.

Q4: What's considered a high gear?
A: Generally above 80 gear inches is considered high, good for flat terrain and descending.

Q5: How does this compare to meters of development?
A: Meters of development is similar but uses circumference instead of diameter (multiply gear inches by 0.0254 × π ≈ 0.08 to convert).