What's your favourite gear ratio?

It looks like they've used it just to be a bit different. There's plenty of room on those sliding dropouts to move the wheel

Imagine that, hipsters on single speed bikes 'to be a bit different'

You missed the point I was getting at.

63:11
650c though

Still pretty huge.

46:17
I was pushing 52:17 for about 5 months. For general suburban riding it was ok, but on circuit in Central London, with constant stop-starts it came to be horrendous. Also, having friends living the wrong side of Muswell Hill... enough said (I never did get it all the way up.. took to Cranley Gardens & MHR way round). But 30mph+ spinning = fun, can't do it for long on the new gear.

S2C hub at 42/22 gives a high gear of 69.5 and low of 50.4.

I used to ride 52:18 but it was hard to get up the hills in Bournemouth. Great fun on the flat with the wind behind you though.

42:16 can get over 30mph if i push it, was going to increase it but i don't like to ever have to push a gear below 75-80rpm unless climbing

people are missing a trick here. imagine a 'tension disk' with no bolt holes or cutouts and anodised pretty colours or designs (a badly drawn Amy winehouse with wonky eyes perhaps?)
£40-£50 and a spotted on old street and the doe-eyed hipsters on here would lap that shit up.

expect to see these in tokyo fixed/BLB/shop14 soon.

i want a cut of the profits though as it's my idea.

46x16

Only rarely spin out (down Southwark Bridge)

Going to try 46x18

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 :)

I started off riding a 52 x 15 twenty years ago thinking it was a "normal" gear and wondered why I was so knackered after my ride to work. Gradually started riding lower & lower gears until I settled on 47 x 19. Both my winter and summer bikes are set up like that now and find it copes with everything. Also taught me to spin.

hey people,

Im fairly new to ss/fg and im trying to work out a sensible gear ratio.. im currently on 47x18 but its too slow. Can anyone advise me on the following two choices:

47x16
40x13

what would the differences be? if any?

cheers

47x18 is a reasonable gear for in town.

or 48x18 - better if your running brakes/not skidding and want to run your chains into oblivion.

I have 47x17 on the HHSB for skidpatch reasons.

not interested in skidding, just commuting, but flat riding and downhill is too slow unless high cadence.

Im looking for something that will keep me at 21mph on the flat with 85rpm

hey people... ...its too slow.

cheers

Do you find it to slow after 3hrs riding? or just after 45mins?

It's great if it's the former... you must be strong.

not interested in skidding, just commuting, but flat riding and downhill is too slow unless high cadence.

Im looking for something that will keep me at 21mph on the flat with 85rpm

Learn to spin (or get gears).

Sorry to be blunt but it's one of the better things about going fixed. It makes you a better rider.

not interested in skidding, just commuting, but flat riding and downhill is too slow unless high cadence.

Im looking for something that will keep me at 21mph on the flat with 85rpm

spin2win

im used to using my road bike, but got this for commuting and for a change so yeah 3hrs riding it would still be a bit slow. not used to spinning, all about power

What chainring do you currently have?

I ride 52x19 in Yorkshire with big hills, was 52x18 but not enough skid patches.

I you're riding up any actual hills, 47x17 should be just right. You want power, ride that gear regularly for 3-4 months then tell me your power doesn't increase ridiculously...

also, when it goes downhill, spin2win... using your legs to resist and slow back down will also give you strength increases.

47t

ok so im using this calculator http://www.machars.net/bikecalc.htm to try and get an idea of what im looking for, not sure how accurate it is though

or just ignore us, do your own thing and find what you're happiest with. cogs aint exactly expensive to swap about.