What gearing you using on your 690

[aka.Goliath]

So I need to replace chain and sprockets very soon and I'm undecided what gearing to go to. Standard is 15/45. Now I use my 690 on some very technical routes (read: Burnt out clutch doing enduro loop and ride it like a plastic) and know that the gearing is quite high but I also do long distance rides (Namibia, Northern Cape, etc.) and need a good cruising speed (like 130kph at lower RPM's). My idea is to carry with me a smaller front sprocket for when I get to the technical bits but use a taller gearing for the long distance stuff. So what ratios have any of you used for high speeds and how was it around town? What has worked for you? oh and its a 2014

[boere]

So I need to replace chain and sprockets very soon and I'm undecided what gearing to go to. Standard is 15/45. Now I use my 690 on some very technical routes (read: Burnt out clutch doing enduro loop and ride it like a plastic) and know that the gearing is quite high but I also do long distance rides (Namibia, Northern Cape, etc.) and need a good cruising speed (like 130kph at lower RPM's). My idea is to carry with me a smaller front sprocket for when I get to the technical bits but use a taller gearing for the long distance stuff. So what ratios have any of you used for high speeds and how was it around town? What has worked for you? oh and its a 2014

Mr Golliat when i spoke to the gents at Addie 2 Race thet said 1 "toof" bigger will help for the cruising at lower refs.

[witblitz]

16/45 - Use it for open road, dunes, or single track. Just ride faster, then you don't need to use the clutch as much.

[boere]

16/45 - Use it for open road, dunes, or single track. Just ride faster, then you don't need to use the clutch as much.

Jirre 

[Buff]

I've got a 16 front lying in my garage as well that I fit when doing Cederberg type runs. The rest of the time I run it standard 

[Xpat]

I finally settled on 15/48, which seems to be a real sweet spot for my riding. I went through a stage of 16/48 (i.e. equivalent of original 15/45) for a trip to Bots over Easter, but have battled going slowly on the pans off the flooded main tracks on the grassy plains with tons of rabbit and aardvark holes. I did carry 15 with me but was lazy to change it.

I did change it afterwards as I was doing De Wildt every weekend, and it really is great allround ratio for me. I can do slow stuff, but surprisingly it is sweet even for a fast dirt roads (no idea about speed as my speedo/revmeter packer up already in Moz) where the wide spread of power allows me to stay most of the time in 6th, only occasionally going down to 5th in deep sand. And the bike is very responsive throughout.

[Dwerg]

Mine is 15/46 and it revs @6000 with 130 as indicated speed. I'll try to remember to check the ICO for true speed

[Werner747]

I finally settled on 15/48, which seems to be a real sweet spot for my riding. I went through a stage of 16/48 (i.e. equivalent of original 15/45) for a trip to Bots over Easter, but have battled going slowly on the pans off the flooded main tracks on the grassy plains with tons of rabbit and aardvark holes. I did carry 15 with me but was lazy to change it.

I did change it afterwards as I was doing De Wildt every weekend, and it really is great allround ratio for me. I can do slow stuff, but surprisingly it is sweet even for a fast dirt roads (no idea about speed as my speedo/revmeter packer up already in Moz) where the wide spread of power allows me to stay most of the time in 6th, only occasionally going down to 5th in deep sand. And the bike is very responsive throughout.

Hi Xpat, just for interest sake, 15/48 should be the same ratio as 14/45?
Any reason why you'd rather increase the rear instead of lowering front?

[Xpat]

@Werner: no it is not the same ratio - 15/48 is little longer (3.2 for 15/48 vs. 3.214286 for 14/45). It looks like splitting hair, but I found 15/48 more agreeable on easy dirt/tar (and even in tough technical stuff) than 14/45 (which I have ridden in Moz in December).

The reason why I went to 15 upfront (and corresponding rear sprocket) was that there are people on advrider advising strongly against 14 upfront, because it is too small and angle of chain between the sprockets and guides is too big (or some such) probably contributing to accelerated wear. I have no clue how valid this is, but hey - why not follow it as 15 is the standard sprocket and for me it did result in better ratio anyway.

[Werner747]

@Werner: no it is not the same ratio - 15/48 is little longer (3.2 for 15/48 vs. 3.214286 for 14/45). It looks like splitting hair, but I found 15/48 more agreeable on easy dirt/tar (and even in tough technical stuff) than 14/45 (which I have ridden in Moz in December).

The reason why I went to 15 upfront (and corresponding rear sprocket) was that there are people on advrider advising strongly against 14 upfront, because it is too small and angle of chain between the sprockets and guides is too big (or some such) probably contributing to accelerated wear. I have no clue how valid this is, but hey - why not follow it as 15 is the standard sprocket and for me it did result in better ratio anyway.

Aha, thank you, makes sense. I was toying with the idea of a 14 front, (Just because it is easier to swap back , if I want to) but, think I will also rather look at 48 at the back now!