What's your favourite gear ratio?

You should speak to my dad ... he takes the piss outta me for having a inner ring on my racing bike ... he used to ride 54 outside ring and 11-15 on the cassetter with no inner ring. He complains that the 11-21 I put on his 7 speed racing bike is too lower gear. He says mountain bikes are gaylords for having a triple.

But seriously ... if It is flat I feel best doing 70-80rpm in a biggish gear, it is almost rest most times. If I am going uphill I will try to spin it at a proper gear but for me SS/Fixed I should be pushing it.

Haha, your dad sounds a bit like mine. my dad had a 54T on I thin a 11-21 last time we went out on the bikes together, he didn't laugh so hard when I left him for dead on my compact chain set(34-50).

Like I said if it feels good, ride it. If you do get some knee twinges go a little smaller. I know a few of the hills around Bournmouth and coming down them I wished I'd had a bigger gear or a brake. Good riding though.

^ Agree ... After riding up some stuff on purbecks on 70GI it makes everything look flat ... I know I can get up it.

On my road bike I have got a 53-32 with a 13-26 cassette so it is well easily to spin up stuff but the 100GI+ is there is I want it.

I know purbecks, I'm getting married around there next year. Might have a hill climb comp at the wedding, I'll give you a shout closer the time.

I've climbed big stuff on 100+" gears(not for long), and thats where you find the pain. Good luck with your search.

I know purbecks, I'm getting married around there next year. Might have a hill climb comp at the wedding, I'll give you a shout closer the time.

I've climbed big stuff on 100+" gears(not for long), and thats where you find the pain. Good luck with your search.

Give us a shout for sure ... :D

53:16, brakeless/fixed.

you're either a liar or the blenchest guy in the history of blench guys. or you don't ride off the track

I dunno .... I was trying to explain today that low gear ratios hurt a guy like me on the flat and I can turn 80 GI+ on the flat at low cadence all day but I need the resistance so I don't hurt... very few people get it .. it how my body works .................... argh fuck it.

It is how you have trained your body to work. Ride at 100+ RPM for a few months and your body will then be trained to ride at 100RPM+

Although could see why you wouldn't want to as high cadence vs low cadence is still up for debate I guess.

I'm rocking 46:17 on the fixie, gonna switch it up to 48:17
Mtb is 36:16, which is fine for my local hills.

i havent tried many different gears out but i really like the 48:18 i have at the moment.

48:19 suits me perfectly both in town and in the country. Commuting daily for years on that (apart from a 48:17 macho interlude which hurt my knees) and recently rode from oxford to london through the chilterns (and only had to dismount and walk once:-(

Great cadence for super acceleration away from lights though can't keep up with some of the young rodies though i suspect it's their youth or my ancientmess rather than the gear that's responsible.

just got a 42:16 .... do i need a 46...

just got a 42:16 .... do i need a 46...

I'd stick with 42 ,
46 would be too big (for me)

currently also on 48/19 v useful go anywhere gear

have been thinking 47/19 for next winter and to encourage more spinning

Recently got my First Singlespeed (apart from when i was a Young 'Un) so perhaps not me first !!!

It's a Revolution Track with Gearing of 48 16....finding it good slow start but good speed once moving....will try the fixed sometime when i'm feeling Confident/Braver.

Enjoying thr bike much more than my geared Road Bike.

Moved up to 50x19 from 49x19 a little while ago and love it. I was riding a 49t ring for so long I got to the point where I felt like I would be more comfortable spinning at the same cadence in a slightly higher gear, as if my legs needed it.

Turns out I made a great decision. I feel faster, my leg muscles are developing like they should and I can still control my bike exactly like I could on the smaller GI. Acceleration from traffic lights also feels better, feels more like I'm rolling into a standing start with the right amount of power behind me... If any of the makes sense...

You're up early today Max.

I do things nowadays.

I recently moved to 46x16 from 48x17 and it's not nearly as fun. Didn't think such a small change would make such a big difference. Maybe I'm not putting enough effort in to build the extra power but I just can't spin it at the same cadence. I think I might go back. Will it get easier?

48x18 :)

I started with 47x18, then 48x18, tried 50x19 now I'm riding 50x18. Everything else is too spinny until I went to the 50x18 which is just right for Sheffield. Just.

if carl can do 50 :18 in sheffield, i can do a 46:16 in york ( its at flat as keira knightly) not a big fan of too "spinny"

Tut tut! No foot retention.

Can't get it started anyway!

I have a 144 BCD Raleigh crankset with a 54T outer chainring and an inner 44T one to choose from. I think I will either go with 54x20,22 or 44x17,18 with a flip flop double fixed. This will be my first time fixed, please advice.
Crank arms 165mm, 28mm tyres.

I would go 54x20 for the following reasons: less chain and sprocket wear, better transmission efficiency, less frame flex and grinding noise from misalignment due to the flexing under load. Winter and fooling around should call for a 54X22 flip with only 5,5mm in wheel displacement.

Disadvantages: bigger ring to avoid bashing, less overall skid patches (10,11 vs 17,9)

Could use 1 chain engaging 10 teeth of the sprocket (out of 20) and when it's time to throw it away another one would mount on the other 10 teeth, sheldon's way. Pro'ly would go for 10k miles with just one sprocket and two wipperman chains using this setup.

Found this calculator on the forum, it is very useful (crank arm length DOES matter along with tyre and wheel size):
http://software.bareknucklebrigade.com/rabbit.applet.html