What's your favourite gear ratio?

it'd be easier yeah, if you want a pretty large decrease in strain though go to 18 or 19

Yeah I'm not sure I want anything too drastic. The doctor said cycling should be fine but it's definitely making my knee hurt more, just looking for something that will be a little less effort, less strain on my knee I guess.

Do you tent to skid? If not, 48-18 is a great around town gear ration, but only 1 skid patch. I'm using 49-19 at the moment which is around 72 gear inches (as opposed to your 48-16 which is 79) and quite enjoying it.

Do you tent to skid? If not, 48-18 is a great around town gear ration, but only 1 skid patch. I'm using 49-19 at the moment which is around 72 gear inches (as opposed to your 48-16 which is 79) and quite enjoying it.

Yeah I'm riding brakeless so I tend to skid quite a bit. I havent been doing on 48/16 as I've had the knee injury longer than the bike, and it hurts way too much to skid.

I'm not sure what gear ratio my old bike was on.

started fixed at 46/17 then moved to 48/17 which im finding great for flats and still easy enough to go uphill at a good speed.

48/16 has 1 skid patch and 48/18 has 3, stick a 17 on there if you're going to be doing superwickedawesomecool skidz.

48/16 has 1 skid patch and 48/18 has 3, stick a 17 on there if you're going to be doing superwickedawesomecool skidz.

I do like to be superwickedawesomecool

started fixed at 46/17 then moved to 48/17 which im finding great for flats and still easy enough to go uphill at a good speed.

this is exactly how i started as well, found the 46/17 to be a little light on flats

Having started out in 1946 when I was 12 years old on a 64 inch gear (not gear inches) which was considered to be the ideal general purpose gear at the time, espesially for touring, I now find myself, after riding all the gear ratios you can think of, 66 years later, back, on the self same 64 inches, and still loving it by the way.

Neil

Hey Neil, are you still riding fixed?

IndraRipper.

Yes, I wouldn't ride anything else. I have a geared bike hanging in the garage but I never ride it. All the other bikes (14) are fixed.
I just got back a couple of hours ago after a nice wet 30 miles through the Surrey countryside.

Neil

That's awesome, your knees are still fine?
I assume your not brakeless?

IndraRipper

Knees are fine. I did have a touch of arthritus a couple of years ago, but I just dropped the gear to about 54 and rode through it.
I never ride brakeless, just a front brake.

Neil

Neil for president <3 - if you one day have some spare time, it would be nice reading if you put some words in to your 66 years on fixed and your 14 bikes. Definetly interesting read.

Truly great!

49:20 with 22t white industries freewheel for when I get tired over hundred miles.

I've just switched my Genesis Flyer frame for a Pearsons frame, running 48 x 16. Not sure if it's my imagination but I seem to be spinning out a lot quicker on the new frame, so I may need to make a change. Would I notice a difference running, say, a 49 x 16 to slow my cadence down a bit?

I've just switched my Genesis Flyer frame for a Pearsons frame, running 48 x 16. Not sure if it's my imagination but I seem to be spinning out a lot quicker on the new frame, so I may need to make a change. Would I notice a difference running, say, a 49 x 16 to slow my cadence down a bit?

Keep 'spinning out' during the winter, you wouldn't like to get caught on a heavier gearing with headwind and snowy roads as your new friend.

I've just switched my Genesis Flyer frame for a Pearsons frame, running 48 x 16. Not sure if it's my imagination but I seem to be spinning out a lot quicker on the new frame, so I may need to make a change. Would I notice a difference running, say, a 49 x 16 to slow my cadence down a bit?

If thats fixed and you skid then you will want to change it, your tyre will die pretty quick. A 17T sprocket on the rear is perfect and as someone mentioned cranking a heavy gear all the time on the roads is not the one, it soon gets tiring although there are some people on here running near track gearing on their daily's.

48 x 16 during summer and 52 x 17 on my winter hack.
I stripped my 19 and haven't gotten around to ordering a new one, plus spinning in the winter sucks..

No wickedcool skids in summer though.

For me 49/16 or 17 seems suitable on most rides (700x21 tires, 165mm crank), or rather this is about as low as I can go at moment without seriously compromising my top speed. Would love to (will) go lower, but I'm a masher by nature and can't spin. For TT style riding secluded from traffic and other other unforeseen obstacles - with no real need for sudden acceleration/deceleration - I will quite happily push a 53/14 ratio.

#Note to self: must learn to spin!

It's a lot like pedaling, but faster.

"It's a lot like pedaling, but faster."

Lol!

I've heard rumours to that effect. Maybe I should just go low, thus forcing myself to learn, or grow to appreciate being overtaken - the latter won't happen!

Try polo, any gear will seem big afterwards.