28T chainring with 12 Speed drivetrain?

Recently got a new bike that came with SRAM GX Eagle 12 speed drivetrain and it came with a 32T chainring... which is fine in general but my fitness isn't the greatest and can use all the help I can get for climbing. Looking to get a slightly smaller chainring... trying to decide between a 28T or a 30T (likely oval). Are any of you running a 28T with a 12 sp cassette? Is it too small? I don't care about losing out on the higher end since I'm rarely pedaling at full speed anyways.

One of the guys i ride with resorted to that for the chilcotins. He didn't have any issues.

It may put the chain below your suspension pivot and that may change how your suspension works/feels under pedalling. 

I put a 30t chainring on my Slash and felt it was less comfortable when climbing.

Personal preference. I have 30T x 12 on both bikes. I prefer it, most people I ride with have 28T. Like you say your fitness isn't the best then go for the 28T

Id say you might also have to worry about having too much torque in the easiest gear.  My wife runs a pretty small front ring and finds that she spins out on anything that is too steep and loose.

So your lowest gear would be a 28x50?? That's really low.

Posted by: craw

So your lowest gear would be a 28x50?? That's really low.

I decided to stick with the double on the new bike and went 32/22 with a 52T in the back - should be able to climb up the grind if I want.

Posted by: syncro

Posted by: craw

So your lowest gear would be a 28x50?? That's really low.

I decided to stick with the double on the new bike and went 32/22 with a 52T in the back - should be able to climb up the grind if I want.

Typo?

Posted by: tungsten

Typo?

https://www.aliexpress.com/w/wholesale-11-52t-cassette.html

Another consideration is how much top end do you need? I have a 30t oval on my 27.5 bike and a 28t round on my 29er. They work out to feeling pretty similar.

Both bikes top out around 45kph (on Seymour parkway on my way to the trailhead, I can't hit 45kph on any trail I've ridden on the shore. I don't commute with them and I'm not training to enter world Cup downhill events, so that's fast enough for me. Anyone telling you they are regularly exceeding 40kph in North Shore trails, and not only that but also needing to pedal while doing 40kph is a god level rider (or full of it).

I say do it for sure. As fitness improves you will use the 50t less. Imo Eagle works well if it's setup so you use 2nd and 3rd gear for most climbing and the 50t is a bailout gear anyways.

I put a 28T absolute black on the yeti with a 11-46 cluster, I think I had to remove a couple of  links if memory serves

I have an Aeffect crank with a splined interface which allows small chainrings

so a good question is will your front crank take a 28  ?

Posted by: XXX_er

so a good question is will your front crank take a 28  ?

It's direct mount so I assume there shouldn't be a problem, right?

Posted by: craw

So your lowest gear would be a 28x50?? That's really low.

Yeah for sure... my plan would be to mainly be using the 2nd and 3rd gears for climbing (as Kenny mentioned above) and then use the 50 only in limited situations when it is really steep or if I need a break but still want to keep moving.

I went from a 30T to a 28T last year and I love it, but this is with 11-speed and 11-42 cassette (on a 27.5). 28x42 is plenty low for me, any lower and it's faster to walk I think!

It really made a difference for me, I feel less tired and it makes a 2nd or 3rd lap easier.

I have my 11 speed setup with a 28T and an 11-47 cassette (27.5). I usually try to do most of my climbing in the 37t and 42t but definitely find the need for the 47t on the low energy/lazier/steeper days.