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Singlespeed & Fixed Gear "I still feel that variable gears are only for people over forty-five. Isn't it better to triumph by the strength of your muscles than by the artifice of a derailer? We are getting soft...As for me, give me a fixed gear!"-- Henri Desgrange (31 January 1865 - 16 August 1940)

swapping gears from front to back

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Old 09-28-21, 12:26 PM
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0negear
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Swapping gears from front to back

I joined this forum to ask this question. Your running a 16 tooth gear in the back and a 36 at the crank. Say, hypothetically, you could swap the gears, putting the 16 tooth at the crank and the 36 tooth gear on the rear hub.

Would this effect the way it performs at all, and if so, how?
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Old 09-28-21, 12:32 PM
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swapping gears from front to back

Running a single speed set up. 16 tooth gear in the back and a 36 at the crank. Say, hypothetically, you could swap the gears, putting the 16 tooth at the crank and the 36 tooth gear on the rear hub.

Would this effect the way it performs at all, and if so, how?
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Old 09-28-21, 12:43 PM
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You can't be serious.........try it, and find some steep hills if you succeed.
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Old 09-28-21, 12:48 PM
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Originally Posted by 0negear
Running a single speed set up. 16 tooth gear in the back and a 36 at the crank. Say, hypothetically, you could swap the gears, putting the 16 tooth at the crank and the 36 tooth gear on the rear hub.

Would this effect the way it performs at all, and if so, how?
Purely following this practically impossible hypothetical scenario, this will change the gear ratio from 36:16 (= 2.25) to 16:36 (= 0.444), potentially allowing you to spin up some fairly steep ascents. Gear ratio is how many revolutions your rear wheel makes per revolution of the crank shaft. Back in the real world, you should consider potentially replacing either (a) the existing chain ring with another chain ring with a different number of teeth (e.g., 32T) and/or (b) the existing rear cog with another rear cog with a different number of teeth (e.g., 18T) to adjust the gear ratio rather than trying to swap the two existing components.
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Old 09-28-21, 01:04 PM
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0negear
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Originally Posted by SalsaShark
You can't be serious.........try it, and find some steep hills if you succeed.
It’s not something i’m intending on doing, just trying to figure something out, an answer in another forum gave me what I needed, thank you
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Old 09-28-21, 01:08 PM
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Originally Posted by SoSmellyAir
Purely following this practically impossible hypothetical scenario, this will change the gear ratio from 36:16 (= 2.25) to 16:36 (= 0.444), potentially allowing you to spin up some fairly steep ascents. Gear ratio is how many revolutions your rear wheel makes per revolution of the crank shaft. Back in the real world, you should consider potentially replacing either (a) the existing chain ring with another chain ring with a different number of teeth (e.g., 32T) and/or (b) the existing rear cog with another rear cog with a different number of teeth (e.g., 18T) to adjust the gear ratio rather than trying to swap the two existing components.
I meant it when I said hypothetically. Just needed a question answered, your reply as well as using the calculator suggested gave me the answer I was looking for
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Old 09-28-21, 01:32 PM
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Old 09-28-21, 02:01 PM
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The answer without worrying about the specific numbers, is that your legs would need to move much much much faster to reach the same speed as with the original setup. It might even be difficult to maintain balance travelling at such a slow speed.
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Old 09-28-21, 08:37 PM
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Originally Posted by SalsaShark
You can't be serious.........try it, and find some steep hills if you succeed.
"I am serious and don't call me Surely" - Airplane
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Old 09-28-21, 08:37 PM
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I don’t believe the SS cog and a direct mount chainring use the same interface so a swap is not possible.

But it is possible if your crank uses a direct mount chainring and you could find a direct mount 16t chainring, which is doubtful, or have one machined. I think you can find a 26t.

If your crank is a 4 bolt, then you can go down to 30t.

Something has prompted you to ask, I’m guessing the 36/16 gearing is too tall. Depending on the setup, the easiest change would be swapping out the rear cog to an 18t to 24t.

John
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Old 09-29-21, 04:40 AM
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Old 10-05-21, 03:53 PM
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That ratio would be insane
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