Originally Posted by
keyven
For some reason, the shop here starts at 44T (-12%), and charges US$35 to change it to the regular (52T?). Singapore is relatively flat (we only have a few decent hills and no mountain to speak of).
I can't say I'm very fit, though I do very light running/cycling/swimming several times a week. I'm wondering if I should go with the regular gearing or stick with the lower one?
From some reviews online it seems the -12% is fine for city transport. Anyone has a good experience with it?
YES. I have a Brompton M6R with -12% gearing. I live in Southern Ontario, Canada. We have no hills really either; it's flat. The shop I bought it from was in British Columbia - very mountainous. They sold -12% gearing, so I assumed that it was because of the hilly terrain. He actually advised that the -12% gearing was good for all around riding.
He was absolutely right. I find the lower gearing very suitable for
high winds (very common here) and even though there may be no natural hills, there are man made ones, such as when
cycling overpasses or underpasses - those grades are often steeper than you think. And if you do travel, you might find yourself in a place with hills. I actually find I don't travel in the highest gear, even if the terrain is flat. The reduced gearing is very useful in stop and go situations.
If you plan to go as fast as possible all the time, then don't bother with the reduced gearing. However, I bought my Brompton for everything: commuting, traveling, etc. In other words, traveling at all speeds in different scenarios. So, in my experience, I feel I have the most versatility. You can always pedal a little harder to go faster, but you might need a lot more help going up hill.