What's your favourite gear ratio?

Why not have a map of NZ in Rasta colours?

max answer your email

I don't know what to do, I might just have no avatar. Fuck this shit

max answer your email

Oh, cheers. I don't usually check my emails

Balki rep'd

My favorite gear ratio is double cream.

Touché. Sick.

Insomnia fueled suggestion's for max's avarta:
A really tall stick figure (posibly just the lower half of a stick figure, like a badly framed photo) the stick figure should have blond hair.
A bike frame with a massive head and seat tube... Frame needs to look rattle canned
A foot separating a head from sholders.
A picture of bojo
A boris bike with a massive seat post (2 max chiches in one!)... Preferably rattlecanned black... (3!)

Maybe an ani-gif of the words: max is tall and looks like bojo?

Since being on 50x16 I've started to look like Chris Hoy, but I feel like Victoria Pendleton

I just got my first singlespeed bike but I'm unsure what gear ratio I should use. currently it's 42/16 but I dunno if that's the best bet for me.

the bike is only meant to be a pub bike and for the odd blast about town.

as the bike (se draft lite) is a cheap hack I don't want to spend too much on it so I'll probably stick with the 42 chainring for now but will I improve the ride at all by moving to a different freewheel (will also have a crack at fixed when I eventually get some spd's sorted) if so what sort of tooth count should I go for? more or less than 16?

Easier gear = bigger sprocket/smaller chainring.

I just got my first singlespeed bike but I'm unsure what gear ratio I should use. currently it's 42/16 but I dunno if that's the best bet for me.

the bike is only meant to be a pub bike and for the odd blast about town.

as the bike (se draft lite) is a cheap hack I don't want to spend too much on it so I'll probably stick with the 42 chainring for now but will I improve the ride at all by moving to a different freewheel (will also have a crack at fixed when I eventually get some spd's sorted) if so what sort of tooth count should I go for? more or less than 16?

I'm sure all the boutique riders would disagree but I have to say there is nothing wrong with S.E duder :P I have a Premium Ale myself.

Great BMX heritage and they used to build frames and forks for S&M Bikes back in the day. I love it to bits, can't really say a bad world about it.

Started on a 46:17 (factory stock) recently swapped for 48:16 as stock parts were wearing badly. One thing you have to watch with S.E's: Well built frames shitty component parts.. Rip as much of the stock shit off as you can.

You'll find 42:16 is sweet enough for riding around town, enough to get up to some good speed should you want to. Beware the transition from single to fixed, it's very different, you'll find it unusual at first, it will be natural to stop pedaling when your legs get tired Don't... unless you fancy doing your best Superman impression..

When you feel that ratio isn't pushing you hard enough try a 48:16. It requires a bit more 'pump' but once up to speed the results are worth it..

Clip-less pedals, on London roads. Have to say, you if are thinking off going this direction, especially on a fixed, you are a braver man than I. I've just taken mine off and gone back to straps.

After being knocked off by a van a couple of weeks ago. Going over the arse over apex is one thing, but when the whole bike comes with you because you can't get the old feet to disengage quick enough, that's something else entirely. Lucky escape during rush hour traffic. Not something I would want to repeat regularly.

Much respect all the nutty couriers and racing snakes that are running clip-less pedal's but they are not for me. I was always much more confident with me straps, least you can get your feet out quick.

Good luck, be safe :D

I just got my first singlespeed bike but I'm unsure what gear ratio I should use. currently it's 42/16 but I dunno if that's the best bet for me.

the bike is only meant to be a pub bike and for the odd blast about town.

as the bike (se draft lite) is a cheap hack I don't want to spend too much on it so I'll probably stick with the 42 chainring for now but will I improve the ride at all by moving to a different freewheel (will also have a crack at fixed when I eventually get some spd's sorted) if so what sort of tooth count should I go for? more or less than 16?

I have ridden 42/15 for a year now with no problems on a fixed SE draft lite.
The bike is a piece of crap(soon to become my wet weather only bike) but will do great for pub runs.
I do feel the need for a bigger gear sometimes, but the chainring is hard to replace on the SE - you need to replace the cranks, and maybe the bb to get the parts to fit.

yeah I have no illusions about the bike, I could have spent an extra hundred and got something much better but in this case crap (but rideable) is what I'm after.

in terms of changing the chainring I've seen the lasco track chainset which is £35, I'm assuming if I throw in a jis bb (£15) it'll fit the frame ok then I just need to add a rear sprocket with the tooth count I'm after and job done. question is do I want to spend £60+ on a POS hack pub bike.

already I'm loving singlespeed riding for my commute and even if i were to ignore the fact my tricross needs some work doing to get it running smooth again (new chain, gear re-index maybe new cables) it would still be struggling to get a look at the moment. so I may save my money and just let the draft lite do what it was intended to do (cart me around when I'm a bit drunk and look a bit shit so no one wants to nick it when it's locked up) and instead put the money I would spend doing it up on buying decent parts to build a 'nice' ss bike for my commute as time goes on.

Sounds reasonable, there is a review here which says that there are a few alignment problems with this crankset, but it can't be worse than the way my SE came.
The difference between front and back was over 11mm.
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/components/chainset/product/track-chainset-10-36966

I am going to be forced to replace the lot soon as the parts have worn quite fast, that lasco may well do the job for me too as a cheap fix.

i run 42/16 - this is perfect for London, including a few hills. good for commuting and top speed when required.
next step up would prob be 48/16 although this is a lil too much for commuting, pub crawling, etc (at least at this stage!!!

Sounds reasonable, there is a review here which says that there are a few alignment problems with this crankset, but it can't be worse than the way my SE came.
The difference between front and back was over 11mm.
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/components/chainset/product/track-chainset-10-36966

I am going to be forced to replace the lot soon as the parts have worn quite fast, that lasco may well do the job for me too as a cheap fix.

not that I know much of anything about such things but my chainline looks off by a massive amount so mine will probably wear quite fast too. but I may as well get as much use out of the stock chainset as I can before swapping it for something else. it's a lot less 'dubious customisation' if you're replacing worn parts I guess.

Been riding Hilly Leeds on 52x18 past few months, works out about 80GI i think.

hard work on the ups but great for rolling/flatish/downhills.

Just trying to figure out, I had been doing my 18 mile commute on the fixed, switched to my geared bike past few days thinking I'd shave 10 minutes off easy. Came in exactly the same time (an hour 20, not fast i know)

Must try harder.

I just took the cranks and chainring from a road bike I am converting and put it on my current bike to see what it is like for a week. 53x15 - a pretty stupid jump from 42x15 but I live in a dead flat city and I thought it would be fun for a week to see how it is.

53/15 is pretty stiff! I ran 52/19 for a while which was fine, but then the cold weather hit so I changed to 42/16 again. Not much difference in GI but enough for the old knees I think and I spend a bit less time out the saddle taking off from the lights. Might change back in Spring when its warmer.

Been riding Hilly Leeds on 52x18 past few months, works out about 80GI i think.

hard work on the ups but great for rolling/flatish/downhills.

Just trying to figure out, I had been doing my 18 mile commute on the fixed, switched to my geared bike past few days thinking I'd shave 10 minutes off easy. Came in exactly the same time (an hour 20, not fast i know)

Must try harder.

That makes your average cadence about 60rpm. Hope you're keeping those knees warm in the cold weather…

PS. 76" gear on 700c

Balki rep'd

+1

That makes your average cadence about 60rpm. Hope you're keeping those knees warm in the cold weather…

PS. 76" gear on 700c

Low I know, Last 7 miles has alot of uphill though, from Leeds city centre to Horsforth.

Only recently started riding seiously again so expect as the fat comes off the time should drop to about 1:05

I am the only man I see riding about in shorts..!

oh yeah, 77.3 with 28c and 170 cranks, it was 42x14 that was 80ish

The time would definitely drop if you rode a gear 5 to 10 inches smaller :)

Maybe, actually got a 20t to put on... but realised then it'll be too spinny on the downs.

18 stone at the minute, so think once I'm back down to 14 1/2 I'll be moving quicker up the hills!

Old bike was 48x15, now riding 46x16 and have to say I prefer it - easier to get going and not much slower.