Gearing for hilly town ...
Hi all,
I'm going to be messengering in Montreal, Quebec startinng in September, and I'm slightly worried about the terrain be unfriendly for fixed. The couriers, obviously, operate mostly downtown, where there are a couple pretty brutal hills to deal with now and then, and I'm not sure what to do about gearing.
I currently run 46x17, which is generally pretty comfortable, but on steeper hills (i.e. what I will be facing in Montreal), I think I'll spin out too much on the downhills and struggle on the uphills. What do you goesdo for steeper terrain? What do fix gear riders run in SF and other hilly towns?
I do have front and rear brakes on my bike, so I can make liberal use of those if need be. At this point, I'm thinking of just going to a freewheel, which would solve most of the problems. Most of the mess'ers in Montreal run freewheeling, usually geared bikes.
I'd like to stay fixed, but I'm not sure if it's going to work. Thoughts?
Check it.