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Knowing how strong a rider you are and where you live, I'm wonder where your commute goes for you to need gears at all. I suppose there is Tite Hill (going up to Windsor Great Park from Egham), but it's possible to avoid that one with a simple detour!
clubman-
I’ve actually moved recently and I’m now in Ottershaw. The new commute is 14 miles and goes through Addlestone - Weybridge - Walton - Lower Hampton Road etc. It’s a bit up and down but it’s quite doable fixed. I just fancied sometimes having a slightly easier time!
I don’t think I’ve ever actually ridden up Tite Hill! I don’t go up there all that often but it’s a bit of a blind bend going up the hill and the cars coming up the hill tend to be driving a bit unpleasantly. The times I’ve been up there by bike I think I’ve either gone up Middle Hill (which is quieter) or gone the long way round up the A30.
Jonny69
It’s going to have gears because it is going to be my geared commuter. It doesn’t need a massive range, but it’s for the days and rides when I don’t want to ride fixed. So it basically needs my daily 48-16 plus a bit to get up hills plus a bit to stretch out down hill. It has 120mm rear spacing. I think I might be able to squeeze 8 gears off a 10-speed cassette on a 6-7-speed hub on a 90s wheel with a spacer taken out and slightly re-dished. No cold setting needed. I have 10-speed downtube shifters but it looks like the shifter bosses might need modifying to suit. I have a black 10-speed Shimano 105 derailleur which will need stripping back so it doesn’t look out of place, or I’ve also got a silver 90s 6-7-speed Exage derailleur which will also pull across that range as long as it clears the biggest cog. Or might look for something older which has the same SIS pull ratio which will look less out of place.
I think the frame might be for 27x1-1/4”, but I’m going to try 700c probably with mudguards if it all fits. Kind of down to where the brakes reach to and how much clearance there is.