Gearing

hmm, maybe i wasnt looking hard enough :) my current 52 is indeed on an old double chainset and i ride on 27". find this a very comfortable ratio to ride on.

the hills here are a bit mental, but after riding for 3 years on this ratio here ive got very used to it, when im not riding this bike i ride a 50s raleigh with rod brakes which is stupidly heavy which has helped me to get stronger. after riding that for a week anything else feels like riding a razor.

i want somthing that will fit a sugino xd or somthing similar, im not sure that a standard chainring from a double set will fit.

hello...i'm riding 48-16 and considering 46-16 for my new build to make stoppin and startin easier on my old legs and cos it'll look a bit tighter...do you guys think i'll notice a big drop in top speed etc? thanks

teeth on the back are bigger and cheaper than teeth on the front. so to speak.

i'd be very surprised if a. you noticed it and b. it looked any 'tighter'.

48-17 or 48-18. gets spinny after that

48:16 = 78.9gi
48:17 = 74.3gi
48:18 = 70.1gi

I have gone from 48-16 to 48-17 to 48-18 and now to 48-19. The switch from 48-18 to 19 was not by choice, but due to not having any other sprockets available. I have to say, it is doing absolute wonders for my cardio-vascular fitness, and there are no longer any hills in London that are that challenging. Coming down hills is a little hairy though. Having said that, I would not want to ride more than say 20 miles at a time on such a low gearing. 48-18 is ideal all rounder

50/14 looks tight

50:14 = 93.9GI

As OP wanted something to make starts/stops easier, I don't think that'll quite cut it. But you are right, would definitely look tighter than current choice! Great for that Fixedgeargallery picture.

48:19 is a gear of champions - mike I still have your 16t :-(

As for the OP - get off 48:16 if you are skidding; it is one skid spot!

I have gone from 48-16 to 48-17 to 48-18 and now to 48-19. The switch from 48-18 to 19 was not by choice, but due to not having any other sprockets available. I have to say, it is doing absolute wonders for my cardio-vascular fitness, and there are no longer any hills in London that are that challenging. Coming down hills is a little hairy though. Having said that, I would not want to ride more than say 20 miles at a time on such a low gearing. 48-18 is ideal all rounder

I'm planning on 48/19 (with a 15t for track) as I have 50/19 now and usually swap to 50/20 for long rides.

did both Rye and the dunwich dynamo on 50/20, 67.5GI...

yes, you do have to spin down hills, but it's awesome on the flats and climbs.

the only drawback is sore quads..but that's so much more preferable to fucked knees or calfs..so I often use the brake to give my legs a rest on long descents.

the best thing in the world would be a three speed fixed drivetrain.

the best thing in the world would be a three speed fixed drivetrain.

I take it you do know that is very easily possible?

yes.

not sure I'd want to bother though, at the end of the day.

you wouldn't bother with the best thing in the world?

but it's the best thing in the world!

oh, and i found 48:19 horrible, personally. neither one thing nor t'tother..at least on the rolling countryside round here, anyway. i guess it's pretty smooth in the city

maybe I was being over-enthusiastic.

on reflection, it would be nice to have a changeable fixed DT, but without adding moving parts and fiddly bits, it's not gonna happen. the answer, as always must be HTFU

ello all.........

im lookin for a little advice on what gearing to ride. i know that is mainly down to personnel choice and how you want to ride the bike, but im a little unsure of the exact reaction you get from different gearings.

basically, ive been riding 49/15 as this is how my bike came, but always with a view to change once i had the money. this is obviously quite a high track gearing and although i love the speed i can get, its not the most practical for riding around london.

i dont want to lose too much speed, as this is the style of riding i find most suits me, but at the same time id like to maximise on the bikes "playability".

is this too much to ask from the same bike !?!?

which has more bearing on how the bike rides - the chain ring or the cog !?!?

im changin my cranks to the sugino 75's and at the moment, im thinkin of riding 48/17 !?!? will this give me what im looking for !?!?

any advice would be much appreciated.........

thanks

Have a play around with this to look at various gearing options;

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

I run 46/17, used to run 48/17.. I don't think I was faster with 48/17.

I would recommend that you aim for around 70 GI for city riding.

If you have lower GI then you won't necessarily lose speed, you'll just have to spin more to get it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlkMc0ZaJmY

RPM, that makes this thread so much better

Having a high gear is all well and good for top end speed. But for cycling in London, it is low-end acceleration you really need. Being able to accelerate from say 12 mph to 20 mph in a couple of seconds is important for when buses, taxis, lorries....... try and cut you off, turn into you or any of the other randomness that happens on London roads.

You should maybe try and go for an 18 on the back to give you about 70GI. Spinning will also improve your cardio vascular fitness

RPM, that makes this thread so much better
tutti fuckin frutti...

.

Try browsing through these. May help?

http://www.londonfgss.com/thread3010.html

http://www.londonfgss.com/thread994.html