What's your preferred gear ratio?
11-06-16, 05:12 AM
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What's your preferred gear ratio?
Based on your usual rides, what gear ratio do you guys use? Kindly describe your routes as well 
Using 48/14 during weekends for exercise and 48/16 when going round the city. Mostly rolling hills.
Using 48/14 during weekends for exercise and 48/16 when going round the city. Mostly rolling hills.
Last edited by daryldeal; 11-06-16 at 03:41 PM.
11-06-16, 08:54 AM
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Fixie Infamous
47/17
Prime.
Prime.
11-06-16, 09:04 AM
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65-68". Rolling hills with a couple of steep, but relatively short climbs. I'd rather spin than curse.
11-06-16, 10:04 AM
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49:15 and almost all flat terrain. Had to recently drop to 48:15 and I can tell the difference and I hate it. Currently looking for a replacement 49t ring again.
11-06-16, 10:23 AM
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Your cog is slipping.
79/12
11-06-16, 11:10 AM
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11-06-16, 11:25 AM
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~70". Winter/rain/city bike is 44-17. The good bike I can put any cog on. 42 or 43 front and usually a 17 rear, 16 if I am in good form, 15 if in really good form. (On that bike i have the option to change cogs mid-ride so on big hill rides I don't have to live with my flat ground choice on the grades.)
Ben
Ben
11-06-16, 11:53 AM
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47/16 with pics to prove it.
11-06-16, 01:51 PM
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I don't know they all have tanks so I don't mind much.
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11-06-16, 02:23 PM
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11-06-16, 02:57 PM
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11-06-16, 06:13 PM
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I have my C&V set up as single-speed. It is 40/14 and I am absolutely loving this gear combo. Hopefully, riding an S.S. will compel me to get back into a stretching routine, cause I'm going to need to be pretty limber to take on the more extreme hills nearby. This is my first experience with a single speed.
Rolling hills, app. 800 ft. max elevation to sea level
Rolling hills, app. 800 ft. max elevation to sea level
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Last edited by 1989Pre; 11-08-16 at 06:12 PM.
11-06-16, 07:27 PM
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Currently run a 46/18. I like the higher crank RPM's plus it makes it easier to get up the hills where I live. Downhills, well, not so much! LOL.
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Last edited by drlogik; 11-07-16 at 06:38 AM.
11-06-16, 07:27 PM
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My goal is always to get past the ridge with my doctor's office and the hospital on it okay, so it's all about the 'engine', not the gearing.
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11-06-16, 07:43 PM
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I have one fixed bike set up with 48x18 for puttering around, riding slowly alongside my kids, and anywhere I'll do a lot of stopping and starting. This is really fun and easy to live with.
My other one has 49x16 gears, and I go to it when I want a longer or faster ride or just a higher intensity workout. I used to have 53x16 on it, and that turned out to be just a bit too high usually, although it was fast and fun on totally flat terrain. I like this bike a lot, and I think as fixed gears go, it's about ideal. It's surprisingly versatile.
I am not very powerful. I'm a runner, so I can go for a long time at moderate exertion. But I don't have big, muscular legs. The terrain around here ranges from very flat to somewhat hilly. We don't have lots of short, rolling hills. They tend to be longer and not really steep. When I want to go up the canyons where things get quite steep, I take my geared bike.
My other one has 49x16 gears, and I go to it when I want a longer or faster ride or just a higher intensity workout. I used to have 53x16 on it, and that turned out to be just a bit too high usually, although it was fast and fun on totally flat terrain. I like this bike a lot, and I think as fixed gears go, it's about ideal. It's surprisingly versatile.
I am not very powerful. I'm a runner, so I can go for a long time at moderate exertion. But I don't have big, muscular legs. The terrain around here ranges from very flat to somewhat hilly. We don't have lots of short, rolling hills. They tend to be longer and not really steep. When I want to go up the canyons where things get quite steep, I take my geared bike.
11-06-16, 09:12 PM
#21
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I am not big legs but I use 86 GI (52x16) with short crank arm 165mm, its spin pretty fast, only downside is acceleration from zero. I loved it when I can hit higher speed.
I can do 76km in 140 mins so I think this suit me and terrain. My cadence will not be as high as 70-75 GI user but I can still develop higher cadence!
Terrain: mostly flat and flat and flat and flat and flat 90%, sometimes hill but not really issues, loved to breezing through town.
I can do 76km in 140 mins so I think this suit me and terrain. My cadence will not be as high as 70-75 GI user but I can still develop higher cadence!
Terrain: mostly flat and flat and flat and flat and flat 90%, sometimes hill but not really issues, loved to breezing through town.
11-07-16, 01:11 AM
#22
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kind of a silly question without any point of reference. gear ratio is like shoe size and style, everyone's gunna be different based on a number of factors.
11-07-16, 01:23 AM
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SS gearing is 42-16, FG road gearing is 48-17, track gearing is variable, shoe size is 44, preferred taco is al pastor.
11-07-16, 01:32 AM
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i'll bite, kinda bored anyway... currently 46/15 (about 82gi) good for my commute, a few hills but nothing crazy. used to run 71gi for years before that and swore by it but moved up because of the flatter commute and time is money
Last edited by hardboiled718; 11-07-16 at 08:50 AM.
