Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - san diego gear ratio

im going to be moving to san diego from philadelphia. any suggestions for a gear ratio? i dont know much of the hills there.
right now im on a 48x16 (fixed), but im still new in the game
=)

Experience your current gearing in SD and change accordingly, if needed.

17 46

i'm not sure what the official san diego gear ratio is.

why not just ride your current ratio there? unless you wear a skirt you should be able to tough it out and become stronger from it.

i gotta agree. why spend money when you don't need to.. Then again you are running just one skid patch with 48x16 fixed :)

// I ran 48x16 fixed too...
// now run 47x16

yeah, one patch will become expensive.
haha, ill leave my skirt in philadelphia

I started with 42 16.
Went to 44, then to 48.
Then to a 15 rear.

48x15 and 4915 are my current runnings. A bit tall to be honest, a ***** to climb with often (you can hear me screaming sometimes). Better would be 46. I've seen everything from 33x18 (SS MTB on 29) to 51x14 (OMFG!). YMMV.

I think 46x16 is best.

I think 46x16 is best.for you. :)

Stay on the coast and there are very few hills. Go East where there is a lot of riding, you are going to be hitting a ton of hills. With that said, go to a 51 x 14

Very few hills on the coast????? You mean Nautilus in La Jolla, Soledad Mt Road in PB, and Hill Street in OB are not hills?????

OK.

There are some bigs hills leading up to the velodrome.

torrey pines

You guys are high, the hills that are note worthy are few and far between

yeah it dosent really matter cause i just walk them anyway.

there are dope bike shops spread around? which do you use?

Adams (http://www.aabikes.net/) Avenue Cycles

is there anything like a bike church or community bike center?

san (http://bang.calit2.net/freeskool/node/2) diego bike kitchen

You guys are high, the hills that are note worthy are few and far between

You're ****ting me right? Where do you ride? I lived in PB and rode around a lot in 70's and 80's and you're telling me the hills are far a few between? Ever rode Loring Street or know where it is? What about Laurel Steet or Torrey Pines road up to UCSD from Ardath? I bet Illion St. will make you get off and walk.

Dude,

Quit riding around Mission Bay and Fiesta Island and do some hills ;-)

http://www.bikely.com

You're ****ting me right? Where do you ride? I lived in PB and rode around a lot in 70's and 80's and you're telling me the hills are far a few between? Ever rode Loring Street or know where it is? What about Laurel Steet or Torrey Pines road up to UCSD from Ardath? I bet Illion St. will make you get off and walk.

Dude,

Quit riding around Mission Bay and Fiesta Island and do some hills ;-)
I live in Seattle dipsh!t, but i spent 25 years of my life riding in San Diego and it really isn't that bad

Well, people with fixed gears dont really leave north/south park, hillcrest, golden hill, kensington or university heights... and thats all pretty flat... So I wouldnt worry too much.

for you. :)

He asked. I offered. Need for 3rd party interjection: zero.

Adams (http://www.aabikes.net/) Avenue Cycles


Rocks.

Well, people with fixed gears dont really leave north/south park, hillcrest, golden hill, kensington or university heights... and thats all pretty flat... So I wouldnt worry too much.

I live in spring valley, work in down town.

Got a few hills between here and there.

I live in spring valley, work in down town.

Got a few hills between here and there.

ooh! good to know. im actually going to be living in hillcrest and working in spring valley... are there routes to get to and from?

I used to live in Golden Hill before I lived here and worked in Mission Gorge, that ride is a ***** on the way home

ooh! good to know. im actually going to be living in hillcrest and working in spring valley... are there routes to get to and from?

Yes. Pretty good ones. Email me, I can give you details of what I've found.

thanks =)

everything west of the 805 is a hill....just that..albeit some steep hills, but few things over 700' or 1 mile.....the other side...mountains....of course...i don't even know if i am allowed to post in here as i am on a roadie....

my favorite: 46X17 or 49X18. . . about 73 gear inches.

what about that hill in that car scene in top gun?

haha, ive only walked down that hill. i almost tripped.

would a 43x16 spin too fast? ive never ridden anything that small
maybe a 45x16? would it make me a wimp? which is better, megaman 2 or 3?

what about that hill in that car scene in top gun?

Is that banker's hill?

. about 73 gear inches.

You know how I think about gear inches there k#nho... ;)


Hey, another two cool shops: Big Ring Cyclery

And

Veloculture (though I've never been I've heard nothing but good about the place)...

Ask K3nho, he likes the place pretty much.

I used to live in Golden Hill and getting out of there (towards North Park) was a pain in the a**. Coming home, however, was fine because it was all downhill.


I live in North Park now and I'm riding 48x18 as I'm recovering from an injury.
Prior to that I was riding 48x17 and it felt pretty good. Good balance between top speed and ability to climb. I started out on lower gears, and increased slowly as my strength and stamina increased.
I tried 48x16 for a week or so and found it was just too much for the hills and my knees.
It made the knees ache a bit.
I think somewhere around 70 - 75 gear inches and you should be fine.
Ultimately, you'll just have to ride around after you get situated and see what feels right for you.

i switch between 45/15 & 45/17 on one ride and 46/16 on another...

70-80 is fine.

46x17
47x17
VELO CULTURE IS THE BEST lbs in San Diego....the rest dont compare for fixed/track/singlespeed bicycles.
'nough said

thanks, guys. i have a 48x16 right now. but, i also have a 45 chainring i can put on.

I ride a 48x18. San Diego is basically a series of mesas, so on any of the mesas it's really flat, but if you drop into any of the valleys, expect to climb back out. I find 48x18 is a bit too low for the flat part, but all the hills are do able without extreme difficulty. It helps to know alternate, less steep roads, like Bachman Place instead of Texas Street or Grape Street instead of Laurel.

I ride 42x16 single speed, which is kind of spinning of the flats but gets me up Juan St. and Bachman. My brohter rides 48x16 and uses Washington Street. I'm often riding from Linda Vista/Clairemont to uptown (hillcrest, university heights, north park, etc.) and I find the freewheel and an easier gear ratio to be pretty important for the climbing I do. I spin around the beaches and downtown, but that's OK.

IF you will ride uptown, or stay downtown/old town/beaches (up until La Jolla) you will be riding mostly flat. If you have Mission Gorge, Torrey Pines, or up and down mission valley hills than think of something that will help you climb.

Wear a helmet and have your front brake installed - I grew up in SD and folks aren't very bike conscious. Especially folks new arrived or visiting from the sunbelt. Can't tell you how many AZ plated cars have almost hit me - often young idiots in their SUVs with the music playing, A/C blaring, on their way to their Mission Beach weeklong rental to cause nothing but trouble to locals before they head back to their cubicles in Pheonix. Sorry for the bitterness.

I used to hate summer since PB was inundated with zonies. Although, they had some cute daughters to lessen the hate ;-)

I still despise zonies after all these years.

I grew up in SD and folks aren't very bike conscious. Especially folks new arrived or visiting from the sunbelt. Can't tell you how many AZ plated cars have almost hit me - often young idiots in their SUVs with the music playing, A/C blaring, on their way to their Mission Beach weeklong rental to cause nothing but trouble to locals before they head back to their cubicles in Pheonix. Sorry for the bitterness.Those god damned "Zonies"!!!!!!!