Gear Ratio Mountain Bike Vs. Ten Speed
Stand a mountain bike next to a road bike, and you'll notice a lot of differences: in the frame styles and materials, in the suspension and rigid forks, and in big knobby tires versus small smooth ones. But one of the most overlooked differences between a mountain bike and a road bike is not an aesthetic one: the gear range.
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Speed Differentials
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The larger the front chainring of a bicycle, and the smaller the rear cog, the faster the bike will go. Based on this equation, you might assume that the mountain bike is simply much slower than the road bike, but one must take into consideration the intended use of each bicycle.
Mountain Bikes
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Mountain bikes are meant for muddy, dirty trails, loose gravel, grass, and any other surface that is not flat concrete. This intention is apparent in the much larger tire size, and stronger frame construction of a mountain bike. The drivetrain, as well, is geared toward this use.
In order to overcome the friction of dirt, mud and gravel on wide tires, a mountain bike comes equipped with smaller available gear ratios than a road bike. This means that while the rider is not traveling as fast as she would be on a road bike, she is able to control the rear tire with more efficiency and less effort. The added torque that results from such a setup makes climbing muddy hills and conquering fallen trees a much easier task on the mountain bike than it would be on a road bike.
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Road Bikes
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Meant for smooth pavement and fast, steady speed, the road bike is given a technical advantage over the mountain bike in the form of higher gear ratios. For this reason, the road bike is able to travel much faster with the same amount of effort one would put into riding a mountain bike.
Because riding on the road does not involve loose pavement or mud (in the best-case scenario), the road bike produces much less torque at the rear wheel, but is able to sustain a higher speed more easily.
Gear Ratios
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A road bike will generally be equipped with a cassette ranging from 11 to 23 teeth on the rear wheel, and chainrings ranging from 39 to 53 teeth. A mountain bike will usually range from 12 to 32 teeth on the rear cogs and 32 to 44 teeth on the front chainrings.
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