Gear inch/ratio question

But you ride a fixed gear which is a specialist bike.

A bit like being a gamer and not knowing why his computer is too slow for a game

I see your point, I'm just after a moment of clarity, an epiphany as to why
46 X 15 is so much tougher than 42 X 16 ?

You ride two different gears and you wonder why one is harder to ride up a hill?

Seriously. Why does a car have different gears? Think about it now...

You ride two different gears and you wonder why one is harder to ride up a hill?

Seriously. Why does a car have different gears? Think about it now...

I don't drive... I'm not saying I'm up to speed on fixed gear riding.
Just why does such a small incremental increase, cause such a huge difference ?

Thanks for replying.
So if I change the 15t to an 18t - I might find it easier to ride ?

it will be the same as your freewheel bicycle, so yes it will be easier to ride.

it will be the same as your freewheel bicycle, so yes it will be easier to ride.

Thanks, I appreciate that.

Think of each tooth of a chainring/sprocket as a percentage of 10million pounds. 10mil is a shit load of money and yet one percent of 10mil is still a hell of a lot of money.

Think of each tooth of a chainring/sprocket as a percentage of 10million pounds. 10mil is a shit load of money and yet one percent of 10mil is still a hell of a lot of money.

Nice analogy cheers !

http://software.bareknucklebrigade.com/rabbit.applet.html

Awkwardo=tynan troll

really? i'm gonna assume not and waste maybe my time

I don't know what that means or why you felt the need to write it.
I'm asking a simple question, to those who might have more experience.

Gave the two relevant sizes that I'm riding and wanted to ask...
Is riding a fixie tougher than a free wheel ?

he was suggesting that you are a forum member called tynan, creating a different account just to play tricks. i suppose he thought that because of the simple question/ignorance and the time of day

Thanks for replying.
So if I change the 15t to an 18t - I might find it easier to ride ?

not might, will.

I suppose because riding fixed is a completely different experience in every other way.
Why not uphill as well. The bike is great, yet going up the same hill with the freewheeler
is easy, the fixie seems to stiffen up when climbing.

his point was just that while you are pedalling* there is no difference. (and going uphill you will be pedalling unless it is a short shallow hill.) *provided you are putting in forward energy and not resisting the pedals to slow down

I see your point, I'm just after a moment of clarity, an epiphany as to why
46 X 15 is so much tougher than 42 X 16 ?

46/15=3.067, 42/16=2.625

I don't drive... I'm not saying I'm up to speed on fixed gear riding.
Just why does such a small incremental increase, cause such a huge difference ?

not incremental. see above. very significant as a proportion

so you don't drive, have you ever had a bike with gears? a mountain bike or road bike? if you wanted to go up a hill, you would normally change gears. that's the same effect as switching bikes in your case.

with the same gear ratio, fixed works better up hills.

^ fixie rule 7d.

with the same gear ratio, fixed works better up hills.

This ^

Awkwado, you are getting grief because you are asking basic questions without taking the time to look round this site. There is most likely an answer to any question you have because people have been riding 'fixies' for a long time.
Now, imagine if every new person whom had a question demanded our attention all the time. No fun.
UTFS means there is already an answer. See?

Gear ratio: number of teeth on chainring, divided by number of teeth on rear sprocket, multiplied by wheel diameter (in inches) gives you a gear ratio. This is the theoretical diameter of the wheel with that gearing. To make it easier to understand multiply that ratio by 3.14 (or to be strictly accurate pi) and that will give you the distance you will travel for each revolution of the chainwheel.

There are a number of sites that might help you undestand gearing. Try Highpath Engineering: http://www.highpath.co.uk/
In the left-hand side menu click on c'Cycle information' then 'Choosing your gears'

Or try Sheldon Brown: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/

Have you ever ridden a geared bike?

Changing to a lower gear makes it easier to pedal uphill. You single speed is quite simply a lower gear than your fixed gear.
Either match the teeth on chainring and sprocket/freewheel on both bikes or just divide the number of teeth on the chainring by the number of teeth of sprocket/freewheel and make sure you get a number which is the same as the one you like.

really? i'm gonna assume not and waste maybe my time... i suppose he thought that because of the simple question/ignorance and the time of day...

With slightly less ignorance, a little more enlightenment - thank you.

Gear ratio: number of teeth on chainring, divided by number of teeth on rear sprocket, multiplied by wheel diameter (in inches) gives you a gear ratio. This is the theoretical diameter of the wheel with that gearing. To make it easier to understand multiply that ratio by 3.14 (or to be strictly accurate pi) and that will give you the distance you will travel for each revolution of the chainwheel.

There are a number of sites that might help you undestand gearing. Try Highpath Engineering: http://www.highpath.co.uk/
In the left-hand side menu click on c'Cycle information' then 'Choosing your gears'

Or try Sheldon Brown: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/

Thanks for the links and info... I think I'm beginning to get it all now.
...and to everyone else who gently prodded me in the right direction - cheers !

All those helpful comments and this is what you come back with ^.

All those helpful comments and this is what you come back with ^.

What do you want... blood ?

I said thanks and I mean it.. I appreciate everyones comments...
especially as I now know it was a dumb question to start with.

I do not want your blood, no.

This ^

Awkwado, you are getting grief because you are asking basic questions without taking the time to look round this site. There is most likely an answer to any question you have because people have been riding 'fixies' for a long time.
Now, imagine if every new person whom had a question demanded our attention all the time. No fun.
UTFS means there is already an answer. See?

To you personally... My humblest thanks for telling me, that I should have known better, should have looked harder and deeper before jumping. It's like being down the pub. You walk up to a bunch of guys in biking gear and ask a dumb or just a newbie style question. They tear into you... but from some you get a bit of inner sanctum wisdom. For the heads up, after the proverbial horse had bolted - thank you.

Still this.

Still this.

Awkwardo, don't take it personally. The people commenting don't know you, they're just trying to help. Of course, that often comes across wrongly on an impersonal forum. You also need to consider that threads like this, in which people ask for basic information, are often derailed far more--this has been very civilised. Just stick around for a while and you'll be all right. :)

Awkwardo, don't take it personally. The people commenting don't know you, they're just trying to help. Of course, that often comes across wrongly on an impersonal forum. You also need to consider that threads like this, in which people ask for basic information, are often derailed far more--this has been very civilised. Just stick around for a while and you'll be all right. :)

I appreciate that.

I thought it was more do do with being the author of threads like this that inspires animosity...