Gear Ratio

Prabhu TL
2 Min Read
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The gear ratio of a gear train is the ratio of the angular velocity of the input gear to the angular velocity of the output gear, also known as the speed ratio of the gear train. The gear ratio can be computed directly from the numbers of teeth of the various gears that engage to form the gear train.

In simple words, gear ratio defines the relationship between multiple gears.

Gear Ratio= Output gear # teeth / Input gear # teeth

For example, if our motor is attached to a gear with 60 teeth and this gear is then attached to a gear with 20 teeth that drives a wheel, our gear ratio is 60:20, or more accurately 3:1

If you do not want to count a gears teeth (or if they do not exist), gear ratios can also be determined by measuring the distance between the centre of each gear to the point of contact.

For example, if our motor is attached to a gear with a 1″ diameter and this gear is connected to a gear with a 2″ diameter attached to a wheel,

From the centre to edge of our input gear is 0.5″

From the centre to edge of our output gear is 1″

Our ratio is 1/0.5 or more accurately 2:1

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Prabhu TL is a SenseCentral contributor covering digital products, entrepreneurship, and scalable online business systems. He focuses on turning ideas into repeatable processes—validation, positioning, marketing, and execution. His writing is known for simple frameworks, clear checklists, and real-world examples. When he’s not writing, he’s usually building new digital assets and experimenting with growth channels.
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