Your Favourite Gear Ratio

[Wee Jock]

I suppose after a while, most of us would accumulate a collection of chain rings of varying sizes plus a few rear sprockets as well. We could then change them around to suit the conditions. Now, if we could just take the spare ones with us when we go cycling and swap them over when we go up or down hills it would improve our cycling. Maybe, instead of carrying them around in our backpack, we could mount them together on the axles or cranks and devise some way of moving the chain from one to another ......

Made me chuckle anyway

[hartleymartin]

+1 - I had good little chuckle over it too.

[bergs]

46/18 on my fixed commuter
48/15 on my track bike

[.isaac.]

Im going 46/17 on my First Fixed.

[Resg]

I have 48 / 18 on my fixed gear bike, and haven't met a local hill that I couldn't climb. Or descend. That's with 700 x 23 tyres. Compared to the mountain bike that I usually ride and occasionally commute on, it's light and very responsive.

Richard

[yehuda]

I'm now 51x18 on one bike and 48x19 on the other. I ride brakeless so I like as much skid patches as possible. Although the 48x19 is a bit too spinny, I may throw a 17t on the back.

[G-rig]

46/18 on my fixed commuter

Same. Can't imagine having harder gearing (at least until my legs are stronger again) as you still lose a fair bit of speed on short sharp hills (compared to my road bike). This gear also spins out fairly quickly but is good for improving your spinning, and can still wind out to 35km/hr quite comfortably. Seems good overall but may change to a 17T on the rear once I get back in form.

[elStado]

Im going 46/17 on my First Fixed.

Haven't you been building a "fixie" for the past few years? When are you actually going to cobble together the required parts and actually build it?

I'm now 51x18 on one bike and 48x19 on the other. I ride brakeless so I like as much skid patches as possible. Although the 48x19 is a bit too spinny, I may throw a 17t on the back.

I've got 52x18 on the SS and 52x17 on the fixed side, even then the SS side is way too spinny and the 17T is borderline too low. Might drop it down to a 16T which should be just right.

[.isaac.]

Im going 46/17 on my First Fixed.

Haven't you been building a "fixie" for the past few years? When are you actually going to cobble together the required parts and actually build it?
Have a look at my thread.

[Lark2004]

Im going 46/17 on my First Fixed.

Haven't you been building a "fixie" for the past few years? When are you actually going to cobble together the required parts and actually build it?

Have a look at my thread.

well...... he has been mucking around with trying to get bits and pieces for a few months, not years and he hasn't built it, he got a shop to put it all together for him at least with the shop having done all the work, the bike should be fairly safe to ride.

[.isaac.]

I didn't have most of the tools to put it together. I did put some together though. Im riding 46x17 fine at them moment btw.

[dizit]

I don't know if this is my favourite ratio, but it's what I'm running atm.

46/15

its hard to ride but no where near as much strain trying to take off on my mtb in 10th gear.

really should put a brake on it...

[.isaac.]

I don't know if this is my favourite ratio, but it's what I'm running atm.

46/15

its hard to ride but no where near as much strain trying to take off on my mtb in 10th gear.

really should put a brake on it...

YOU HAVE NO BRAKE ON 46/15? Thats ridiculous, I sometimes have trouble with 46/17.

[singlespeedscott]

I have been running 49 x 18 around Brissie for a few years and it seems a good all round gear. I run 28mm tyres so GI is around 72.8". This gear gets me to work and allows me to spin along at 40km/hr on group rides. Once the pace hits 45km/hr I get dumped out the back

[pathobo]

My first fixed was 48/17 and I really grew to love it and the burn I got on hills, I then built a new one and tried 44/17 but it sucked, look like a fool going down hill, switched to 44/16 which made a big difference but wouldnt mind trying 44/15.

[G-rig]

You have to decide if you look like more of a fool spinning down hills quickly or walking your bike up hills
One speed doesn't do either real well.

[dizit]

YOU HAVE NO BRAKE ON 46/15? Thats ridiculous, I sometimes have trouble with 46/17.

Yea it was a bit getting used to, but i ride around at a luxurious pace no matter what bike I'm on so speed isn't much of an issue.
that and having no helmet atm also causes me to avoid main roads. so lower chances of emergency stops

and if i do need to stop fast...
foot jams with volleys stick like poop on a blanket

[rustychisel]

YOU HAVE NO BRAKE ON 46/15? Thats ridiculous, I sometimes have trouble with 46/17.

Yea it was a bit getting used to, but i ride around at a luxurious pace no matter what bike I'm on so speed isn't much of an issue.
that and having no helmet atm also causes me to avoid main roads. so lower chances of emergency stops

and if i do need to stop fast...
foot jams with volleys stick like poop on a blanket

Yeah, but you're running SS not fixed. We all used to do that on 'skidkid' bikes, my record was wearing out 3 pairs of Volleys in one summer, but try doing it on a fixed gear bike and you'll win a quick trip to Emergency with a broken ankle or leg. Hint: the cranks keep going around.

[dizit]

Yeah, but you're running SS not fixed. We all used to do that on 'skidkid' bikes, my record was wearing out 3 pairs of Volleys in one summer, but try doing it on a fixed gear bike and you'll win a quick trip to Emergency with a broken ankle or leg. Hint: the cranks keep going around.

It is a fixed gear bike, i just lift both feet off, left foot on the front and then have the side/top of my right on the back. the rear is all for show really but it keeps my legs out of the way of the pedals.

i have never needed to use it yet but i do it most times before i turn into the drive way at the end of a ride for good measure.

don't worry I am in the process of installing a front brake, and getting a helmet... which should be all in next week or so.

[europa]

48/18 for me ... and I live in the hilly, southern end of Adelaide.

It gives a cadence of 90 at about 30 km/hr which is a nice median speed on the flat. I can pull 40km/hr for extended distances on the flat (with my heart rate monitor having hysterics), can climb up the first hill on the Veloway here in Adelaide (with my hrm having hysterics) and regularly top 50km/hr going down the hills (that's a cadence of 150+ so it's usually me that's having hysterics).

It's all rather personal though. The trick is to find a gear that puts the extremes of your riding at the edges of your gearing and that depends on the topography, your strength and, often, how stubborn you are.

Richard

[Mugglechops]

I ran a 59in gear on my old SS mtb commuter for about 3 years then bought a 29er rigid SS and went to 58in as I used it more for off road.

My fixie was 65in and was good for riding to work but not the best for riding home as I had to spin out too much downhill. Changed it to 77in but have not ridden that gear yet as my frame cracked and i am waiting on a new one.

With gears I just use whatt I have got my Cyclocross bike has 46/36 and a 12-27 cassette and my 6inch dually has 44/32/22 with an 11-34 cassette.

[bpm]

48x19 love the spin!

[mmhbeer]

I ride 81 gear inches. Perfect for riding around Adelaide where its pretty flat.

When I flip the wheel for a ride in the hills I run 76 gear inches.

[waramatt]

I run 48/18 on my custom build SS with 700x23 - weekend cruising and sometime dry weather commute and 42/16 on SE Draft Lite all-weather commuter with 700x32. Thinking of going up from 70 to 75 GI to see how things go. Not too hilly around my way.

[ohshift]

46x17! perfect.