Gear inches

h2o 74. I can skid if I really want to but I don't really see the point. Stopping tends to work better.

I can stop too, skidding just makes it that little bit more fun. Add another reason why fixed wheel bikes are good!

jonaent (Jon) [quote]h2o 74. I can skid if I really want to but I don't really see the point. Stopping tends to work better.

I can stop too, skidding just makes it that little bit more fun. Add another reason why fixed wheel bikes are good![/quote]

I should have added a smiley, 'twas being facetious.

:)

49:18 gives 73.5 inches. Although that online calculator posted at the top gives that gear as 71.5... which is wrong, i think.

yeah, most calcs give out varied results..

fuck knows why.

I'm on 73 or 71 depending on what calc you use for 46/17

have used 44/16 and 44/17 in the past..

may go back to 44/17 at the first sign of winter/wind/hills/tiredness.

Are you calculating with 27" or for 700C? There's a difference.
I tend to use 27" for all calcs even though I run 700C wheels/tyres just because I get a consistent comparision between gears and an idea of just how much higher or lower a gear combo is.

always 700c

but then I go by what feels right , then look at the calcs to see what options are close with differing ring/sprocket combos

since changing crank length I've given up on gear inches - I think Sheldon's gain ratios are more meaningful.
That puts me on 5.5 (46:17 @ 700C/165mm), a bit higher than my all time favourite with 172.5mm road bike cranks of 44:16 which comes out to 5.3. No wonder the new bike doesn't feel as nippy.

Sheldon's ratios don't make any sense.... we all know what inches are

They are useful for comparing two bikes with different cranks, ie. Raleigh 165mm vs. Soma with 170mm.
I'd agree that gear inches are more commonly used and more meaningful for comparisons with other riders.

Ron Cooper - 68" 46 x 18
Holdsworth 76" 48 x 17
Lambert Proffessional has been on 49 x 16 about 83" but geared it down to 49 x 18 about 72"

The Raleigh and Falcon are in bits again at the moment :)

aidan its great! where i havent riden a smaller gear i have nothing to compare it to....so it kind of feels normal.it is quite difficult when it comes to hills but there aint to many of them in london so thats not a problem......it flies!!

I have quite a few hills in Basingstoke :( Toward work it's slightly downhill and then a small hill which I can just sprint up, but on the way home after a long day it's knackering.

I've gone for 42:16 on my new goldtec hub (ss at present). I was spinning like crazy on flats.

nv55 49:18 gives 73.5 inches. Although that online calculator posted at the top gives that gear as 71.5... which is wrong, i think.

You are only running 73.5 if yop are running 27" wheels, I suspect you are running 700 cc x 23 mm, hence a smaller number.

me 52x18 = 75.9"