You are reading a single comment by @BringMeMyFix and its replies.
Click here to read the full conversation.
London Fixed Gear and Single-Speed is a community of predominantly fixed gear and single-speed cyclists in and around London, UK.
This site is supported almost exclusively by donations. Please consider donating a small amount regularly.
@BringMeMyFix
Did a hilly 90 miles today, out from Old St to Richmond Park, then joined a small grupetto and rode to Effingham to pick up one more, then a loop round Shere, Pitch Hill, Holmbury Hill, Leith Hill, Ranmore Common, Effingham, back to Richmond Park, and then home after some nice refreshments chez amis.
It was a geared group, apart from me on 45x16. I prefer to ride those hills on 45x17, but I knew the group was going to be descending fast and doing a lot of 20-25mph stuff on the flat, so pushed it a tooth.
I like 45x16 when I'm fit - my summer medium gear. Bit of a grunt & gurn to ride away from people on the climbs, but the long descent down Coldharbour Lane to Dorking was the hardest work: holding between 32 and 36mph all the way down the descent, followed by >25mph on the flatter section to try and close up the gap a bit on the freewheelers. It's easier at night to see where you're going (TNRC) than scanning the road in dappled sunlight, and I was getting fucking battered trying to soak up the bumps at high cadence and keep things safe/solid.
So yeah, 45x16 for caning it round the Surrey Hills with fit geared mates in summer :)