What's your favourite gear ratio?

i got a double fixed rear hub, i have a 16 philwood cog on one side and the other side is for me to test out different cogs haha, and thanks for that info, i didnt know you could flip the goddamn lock rings around!

nice one

didnt know you could flip the goddamn lock rings around!

If you use the 14T Miche sprocket, make sure the chain clears the lock ring, I'm not sure how big the tool interface is on the Phil. You need the OD to be 47mm or less to clear a chunky 1R8 chain with a 14T sprocket, obviously there's a little bit more leeway if you're using a wimpy chain.

What's a good ratio for my partner, who's not a particularly confident cyclist and just wants a bike to get her to and from work along a flat bike path? 42:16 or so?

Most women are grinders, so it might be too spinny.

Thinking about setting up a dinglespeed-fixed drivetrain on the commuter. I'm currently running 50/18, have just purchased a 48T chainring though as it's a bit high for pulling away from lights all the time and I never spin out. works out about 70"

The smaller gear on the dinglespeed would be used for lunchtime hill climbs up Belmont, (east Bristol) I've tried it on 48/18 before and it was no fun at all. It averages about 6.5%, and peaks at about 10%. What should I be aiming for on the lower ratio? About 60"? Or is this just a totally dumb idea and I should HTFU and get up there on my regular gear?

^tl;dr what ratio for climbing a 10% gradient?

70 and 60 would probably be a good combo. What sizes does the dingle cog come in?

It's a 6 bolt cog ala velo-solo, so pretty much totally flexible in terms of ratios, as long as I can get the chain length to match pretty close. I was scouring your thread but couldn't find much ratio chat.

Does anyone think it possible or not (from experience) to run 48 with a 14t and 17t on a single chain? Looking at a ratio for track and road.

Current plan is 46:14/16 but would prefer the above but three teeth might be pushing it.

Yeah if you have 23mm dropout space

Thanks, will measure it up!

I couldn't find an appropriate thread to ask but as I want 3, I just picked up some Condor Basic Sprockets.

Not sure if the word 'Basic' should come with a health warning but couldn't workout what more expensive ones have to offer, better machined/quieter/last a little longer?

better machined/quieter/last a little longer?

All of the above. Whether the benefits are good value for money is another question, Phil Wood are lovely but £135 for 3 sprockets makes them a product for tarts (like me) rather than rational actors.

Perfect, would normally go DuraAce when buying 1 for the road. No excuses but to do some track now.

So did you fit it in the end?

I just went up from 46x16 to 46x15 and there is much grinding so far.

That pace on the flat, tho

38/19

^ BMX talk

SSCX talk

Just moved from 48/18 to 48/14

Much more fun on the flats but starting from red lights is going to make me look like a grandpa next to all the multi-gear folks.

On another note, I'm using the EAI Gold Medal cogs and the 18t one has lost most of its 'Gold Medal' coating, is this a sign of retirement or does it make little difference?

You probably would have benefit from just going 1t smaller.

4t smaller is a very huge difference! you're practically riding on track gearing now.

...yeh I had a 16t somewhere but its been lost with time and 14t was in the spares box. I would agree that its not exactly a gradual shift

I'm using it with a different chain to the 18t as I don't really anticipate keeping it for long...

48/19

With 25mm tyres it means that 90rpm cadence is roughly 18 mph. Multiply cadence by .2 gives speed which is easy for a bear 🐻 of little brain like me.

I now find 48/19 a little spinny after riding track bike (like, actual track, for track, on track, doing track stuff) however in a good way that it take a while to get used to again.

Riding to the Surrey Hill with 48/19 remind me why this gearing is the perfect all round option, with a front brake and swissstop BXP of course.

what brake pad for the rear?

42/17 is as close to 48/19 I can get on the pink bike. It came with a 42 and I didn't want to get a new chain ring.

It's OK, but it's not 48/19.