1. What is Gear Inches?

Gear inches is a measure of bicycle gearing that gives the equivalent diameter of the drive wheel on a penny-farthing bicycle. It's a useful way to compare gearing across different bicycles.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the gear inches equation:

Where:

• \( chainring \) — Number of teeth on front chainring
• \( rear \) — Number of teeth on rear cog
• \( wheel\_diameter \) — Diameter of the wheel in inches

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

3. Importance of Gear Inches

Details: Gear inches helps cyclists understand how "hard" or "easy" a particular gear combination will feel. Higher gear inches mean more distance per pedal revolution but require more effort.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the number of teeth on your chainring and rear cog, plus your wheel diameter in inches. All values must be positive numbers.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's a typical gear inch range?
A: Road bikes might range from 30-120 gear inches, while mountain bikes often range from 20-100 gear inches.

Q2: How does gear inches relate to speed?
A: Higher gear inches allow higher speeds at the same pedal cadence, but require more power to turn.

Q3: What wheel diameter should I use?
A: Measure your actual wheel diameter with tire inflated, or use standard sizes (e.g., 26" for MTB, 700c is about 27" for road bikes).

Q4: Why use gear inches instead of gear ratios?
A: Gear inches incorporates wheel size, making it easier to compare different bikes directly.

Q5: How does this help with gear selection?
A: By calculating gear inches for different combinations, you can find gears that match your preferred pedaling effort and terrain.