How small a granny gear can you get on the Vendetta

Charles.Plager

Recumbent Quant
I don't know if the vendetta is less stable than Sofrider or my conversion, but I've got a 24t on my conversion and 22T on my Sofrider. I use this gear a lot and can comfortably ride under 3mph with no issues (even when pulling a trail a bike).

Of course, I'm gravitationally enhanced and it's quite hilly here...
 

mzweili

Guru
I think the lower the seat angle, the more difficult it gets maintaining the balance at low speed.
Proof, when you sit up, the control is easier.
 

ratz

Wielder of the Rubber Mallet
I experienced the same on my Silvio, I changed the triple for a double.
If you still want to give it a try, my triple crankset Shimano 30/39/50 hangs on the wall in my shop and is available
btw how are the 150mm working on the silvio?
 

ratz

Wielder of the Rubber Mallet
I don't know if the vendetta is less stable than Sofrider or my conversion, but I've got a 24t on my conversion and 22T on my Sofrider. I use this gear a lot and can comfortably ride under 3mph with no issues (even when pulling a trail a bike).

Of course, I'm gravitationally enhanced and it's quite hilly here...

Same on the Quest 20" low gearing is great, but the Silvio wobble wobble wobble too much torque too little weight on the wheel remind me of my old Y-foil66 with it's unusable triple; pedal in that gearing and pop a wheelie at 4 mph.
 

snilard

Guru of hot glue gun
You can get as low a gear as you can maintain speed on before falling over, but in my experience any gearing - no matter the chainring/cassette combo - under 1:1 is too low and at that point the bike becomes hard to handle and you simply have to get stronger. Or walk.
Robert, this depends on your prefered cadence. I have lowest ratio 34:40 and it is OK for my. I can imagine ratio 34:42 would be still OK for me.
 

super slim

Zen MBB Master
For us more matured riders, with slightly more ballast than required, and an under-powered engine, NEED a triple (130/74 BCD 5 H) Shimano Ultegra, or a (FSA Gossamer shortened to 153 mm by Mark at Bikesmith), with a 24T granny gear, and 53 T Q ring high gear, and a 34 T to 11 T rear cluster, so I can climb mountains at 4 kph (2.5 mph) when loaded for a tour, and speed down the other side pedaling up to 75 kph (47 mph).

I have a Silvio V1.0 with the BB clamps inboard of the external bearings, so the crank does not need to be moved to the right by 6 mm, to clear the wider external bearing clamps for the main stays.

This would move the chainring chainlines out to 45 mm Low, 52 mm Middle, and 59 mm Outer, so Low lines up with 6th rear cluster instead of 5th, Middle lines up with 8th, instead of 7th, and the Outer lines up with 9th, instead of 8th
 
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telephd

Guru
I have 34/40 as my granny and 34/36 as my next gear. Rarely use 34/40 and can ride both on my S30 with no problem.
 

jond

Zen MBB Master
You can get as low a gear as you can maintain speed on before falling over, but in my experience any gearing - no matter the chainring/cassette combo - under 1:1 is too low and at that point the bike becomes hard to handle and you simply have to get stronger. Or walk.

yes yes yes. given that lower gears than one to one is a need for you so presumably you would be struggling up big tough climbs (like most of us). add difficult handling to the mix and game over time to walk. best to get stronger fitter faster or work on deploying training wheels. tilt trike coming to a cruzbike store near you. :)

or do what i do . learn to love hills from afar like on the flatlands :)
 
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