single speed gearing
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single speed gearing
i'm thinking about getting started in folders by purchasing a dahon boardwalk1. einstein bikes international lists this model as having a 63" gear. is this right, and doesn't it seem to be a little high for a singlespeed? or am i not taking into account the 20" wheels? i thought a 2:1 gearing was the norm for singlespeeds. i'm a little confused and would appreciate your input, as i'm no bike expert. thanks.....tonyg
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Originally Posted by tonyg
i'm thinking about getting started in folders by purchasing a dahon boardwalk1. einstein bikes international lists this model as having a 63" gear. is this right, and doesn't it seem to be a little high for a singlespeed? or am i not taking into account the 20" wheels? i thought a 2:1 gearing was the norm for singlespeeds. i'm a little confused and would appreciate your input, as i'm no bike expert. thanks.....tonyg
I haven't owned a single speed in a while, but 63 gear inches seems like a reasonable compromise. You should be able to get up moderate hills without walking, and won't have to spin insanely on the flats just to keep up a decent speed.
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I run 63 gear inches on my single-speed bikes. I find that to be a good compromise for riding in and around NYC. I do lose a tiny bit of top-end speed, but I can get started easily from traffic lights, and climb all the hills in the nearby New Jersey suburbs, so the tradeoff is worth it.
I can still motor along with my friends at 18-20 mph, and that's good enough for me.
If you're riding fixed, then you'll probably need a higher gear so you don't spin out when descending. If you use a freewheel (as I do), you can just coast.
I have two bikes with 451 mm wheels, and I run 50 x 16 on one, and 54 x 17 on the other.
If you find 63 inches is too low, you can always gear up later.
I can still motor along with my friends at 18-20 mph, and that's good enough for me.
If you're riding fixed, then you'll probably need a higher gear so you don't spin out when descending. If you use a freewheel (as I do), you can just coast.
I have two bikes with 451 mm wheels, and I run 50 x 16 on one, and 54 x 17 on the other.
If you find 63 inches is too low, you can always gear up later.
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i'm thinking about getting started in folders by purchasing a dahon boardwalk1. einstein bikes international lists this model as having a 63" gear. is this right, and doesn't it seem to be a little high for a singlespeed? or am i not taking into account the 20" wheels? i thought a 2:1 gearing was the norm for singlespeeds. i'm a little confused and would appreciate your input, as i'm no bike expert. thanks.....tonyg
I have a 2003 Boardwalk S1. I changed the single speed option into a three speed, leaving the rest of the drivetrain (chainring and single cog) alone and with the stock parts. I live in a very hilly area with streets that tend to start at the bottom of hills with a stop sign to prevent me from doing any head starts of mad pumping. I do not have to honk up (get out of the saddle and pump) up the hill. I just make sure I have it in the right gear and start at a dead stop. So the basic layout is right on for almost anything.
I have a 2003 Boardwalk S1. I changed the single speed option into a three speed, leaving the rest of the drivetrain (chainring and single cog) alone and with the stock parts. I live in a very hilly area with streets that tend to start at the bottom of hills with a stop sign to prevent me from doing any head starts of mad pumping. I do not have to honk up (get out of the saddle and pump) up the hill. I just make sure I have it in the right gear and start at a dead stop. So the basic layout is right on for almost anything.
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For 20" wheels (406s), my preferred single speed setup is somewhere between 40x18 and 46x20, depends on how much uphill riding i expect to do. 44x19 is my standard.
Last edited by randya; 07-05-06 at 04:17 PM.
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easy to change
A 63 inch gear is easy enough to change just get a larger rear sprocket installed.It may cost 50 bucks total with installation. James
#7
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2:1 is the standard ratio for 26" wheeled MTBs off-road (52"). Most fixed wheel road riders end up around 66"-72". Singlespeeders can go a little lower because they don't have to pedal on the downhills.