What's your favourite gear ratio?

I've never measured but I ride my polo bike around at what I can only assume is a fair whack more.

Have a play and see what your cadence roughly is if you've got a little strava data to look at.
http://www.bikecalc.com/speed_at_cadence

Or should it be for me? That seems really excessive.

100rpm is a nice cadence and one you should be aiming for if you want to look well pro. Your bouncing in the saddle just says that your form is poor, as indra suggests.

The good news is that you can improve your form at high cadences by... riding at high cadences. Get a cheap cadence sensor and condition yourself to spin faster until you can cruise at 100rpm comfortably with no bouncing. You'll be a much better cyclist for it and you'll smoke chumps mashing big gears right, left and centre.

Seems like I average ~60 rpm (15mph) , and hold 80 for a few minutes. What do people usually aim for on a geared bike?

According to that chart and strava I could hold an average of around 90 for an hour at 48/17 when I was bothering to use strava.

Seems like I average ~60 rpm (15mph) , and hold 80 for a few minutes. What do people usually aim for on a geared bike?

Ouch, 60 is a very low cadence. I think most people who are untrained have a natural cadence of around 80rpm so you should look at bumping that up.

You'd aim for around 80-100rpm on a geared bike, too, you'd just be able to be more consistent over different types of terrain because you can gear up or down to maintain your cadence.

Try polo, you'll be spinning in no time.

That sounds a bit too much like cardio for my liking

but, noted, I'll see if I can get used to spinning about the place, thanks for the advice

It'll be easier if you build your cadence gradually - go as fast as you can without bouncing and speed up slowly over time. The other good thing is that if you've got a quick, smooth cadence, you'll expend less energy overall than you would by mashing, so you'll end up doing less cardio in the end.

Unless you take up polo, that is, getting your teeth knocked out is definitely a proper cardiac workout.

If 48:15 feels too spiny you're either much faster than anyone I've ever seen or seriously need to work on your form and it's likely the latter.

Oh hai!

A nice 100 rpm cruise is 27mph on 48/14, how long can you keep that up for?

Just under 22 minutes.

Just under 22 minutes.

Just checked your strava too. That's big.

Just under 22 minutes.

Have you gone under 22:00 on 48/15? I thought you were a member of the 53T club.

Last time I got anywhere near 22 minutes I was on 53/14, for a 92rpm average. Of the fixed testers I know, the range for target average cadence runs from about 80 to just over 100. On a typical TT course, I reckon your cadence on the dead flat wind free bits will be about 10% above your average.

Yeah, that was 53x14. Not sure if i would have been any slower on 51x14 though, so I'm experimenting this season.

Used to run 46/16, now run 50/19 - absolute dream. Easy on the knees, quicker acceleration and 19 skid patches to boot. Although sometimes a tad bit too spiny but overall a solid ratio that does it all. Might even consider 49/19 during the summer!

Yeah, that was 53x14. Not sure if i would have been any slower on 51x14 though, so I'm experimenting this season.

Last season Nic Stagg knocked out a bunch of long 21s on the H10/2 on 53/15, and he's my age, with youth on your side you should easily be able to match that. Still, the right gear/cadence is the one which gets you to the timekeeper in the shortest time, whether that's 60rpm or 120.

Have a play and see what your cadence roughly is if you've got a little strava data to look at.
http://www.bikecalc.com/speed_at_cadence

Repped, not seen this before. I'm stuck with 48x19 atm and would appear my average is probably between 90-95 rpm for probably 40mins, better than I was expecting.

Currently rolling 42x16 (69.2 GI), planning on changing to 48x17 (74.2 GI) for street and 48x15 (84.2 GI) for track.

Are my knees going to explode?

That chart rocks! 51/17 at 85rpm averaging 20mph for 1hr30min
Must try harder

Currently rolling 42x16 (69.2 GI), planning on changing to 48x17 (74.2 GI) for street and 48x15 (84.2 GI) for track.

Are my knees going to explode?

No you will be fine, 48x17 isn't all that heavy. 48x15 on the track is a pretty standard starting ratio, wouldn't worry about that too much.

the more staggered the transition the better.

Currently rolling 42x16 (69.2 GI), planning on changing to 48x17 (74.2 GI) for street and 48x15 (84.2 GI) for track.

Are my knees going to explode?

No you will be fine, 48x17 isn't all that heavy. 48x15 on the track is a pretty standard starting ratio, wouldn't worry about that too much.

50:16 is what I like most on my road bike.

http://www.strava.com/activities/133109028

I've managed to get used to spinning a bit more, I can manage around 95 for a few minutes with my bag on. Can't see myself getting up to 120rpm though..

n/a

That's respectable, really. My cruising cadence is also 95, don't really care much for spinning faster than that in traffic. It'll never win a Rollapaluza sprint but you don't win wheelbarrows of gold for that, so eh.