Gearing on my Fixie
03-19-09, 09:18 AM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 831
Bikes: Colnago C50
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 25 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 7 Times
in
6 Posts
Gearing on my Fixie
I am converting a nice early 70s Condor Baracchi (Reynolds 531DB) into a fixie and wondering what gearing I should rig it with. Back in the day (mid 70s) my fixie (we called them fixed-gear back then) was geared at 74 inches.
I am 30 lbs heavier, 35 years older and about 5 mph slower. I will use the bike for 15 mile (or shorter) rides over rolling terrain. The bike will probably be about 20-21 lbs
Is 74 inches still a reasonable and common gearing for a fixie? Or should I go lower.
My inclination is to go lower since I am in worse shape, but at the same time, I can no longer spin at a super high cadence on downhills like I did when I was 19 yrs old.
Recommendations?
Thanks, Dan
I am 30 lbs heavier, 35 years older and about 5 mph slower. I will use the bike for 15 mile (or shorter) rides over rolling terrain. The bike will probably be about 20-21 lbs
Is 74 inches still a reasonable and common gearing for a fixie? Or should I go lower.
My inclination is to go lower since I am in worse shape, but at the same time, I can no longer spin at a super high cadence on downhills like I did when I was 19 yrs old.
Recommendations?
Thanks, Dan
03-19-09, 10:14 AM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: St Peters, Missouri
Posts: 30,225
Bikes: Catrike 559 I own some others but they don't get ridden very much.
Mentioned: 16 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1572 Post(s)
Liked 643 Times
in
364 Posts
Sounds like a lot to me. Mine's 62 gear inches (39 X 17) but I'm a wimp.
03-19-09, 10:17 AM
#3
Erect member since 1953
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Antioch, CA (SF Bay Area)
Posts: 7,000
Bikes: Trek 520 Grando, Roubaix Expert, Motobecane Ti Century Elite turned commuter, Some old French thing gone fixie
Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 121 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 38 Times
in
21 Posts
Lower.
Maybe 65.
at 85 cadence you'll be doing 16 mph
with your 74 inches you're at 18.7 with the same cadence. If you are just rolling along your cadence becomes super slow, and you'll have hill issues.
Or, perhaps you are much more studly than I and 74 is good for you.
Maybe 65.
at 85 cadence you'll be doing 16 mph
with your 74 inches you're at 18.7 with the same cadence. If you are just rolling along your cadence becomes super slow, and you'll have hill issues.
Or, perhaps you are much more studly than I and 74 is good for you.
03-19-09, 10:18 AM
#4
Erect member since 1953
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Antioch, CA (SF Bay Area)
Posts: 7,000
Bikes: Trek 520 Grando, Roubaix Expert, Motobecane Ti Century Elite turned commuter, Some old French thing gone fixie
Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 121 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 38 Times
in
21 Posts
03-19-09, 10:27 AM
#5
hello
It's best if you started out around 70 and try different gear ratios.
03-19-09, 10:28 AM
#6
www.ocrebels.com
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Los Angeles area
Posts: 6,186
Bikes: Several bikes, Road, Mountain, Commute, etc.
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 83 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times
in
2 Posts
I use a 42 x 15 which works out to 75.6 (I'm 59 years old, 165 lb. for what that's worth). This allows a fairly comfortable 20 mph on flat ground, 27 mph on descents (yeah, spinning like a hampster in rotating cage), but is "stand up and work" on steep and/or long climbs.
Rick / OCRR
PS: We still call them "fixed gear" and don't use that other word . . .
Rick / OCRR
PS: We still call them "fixed gear" and don't use that other word . . .
03-19-09, 10:48 AM
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Boulder County, CO
Posts: 4,396
Bikes: '80 Masi Gran Criterium, '12 Trek Madone, early '60s Frejus track
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 514 Post(s)
Liked 448 Times
in
337 Posts
After experimenting a little, I'm pretty happy with my 74" setup (44/16). Gives me enough inches for the downhills and I can maintain 90 rpm for the 5 mile long uphill, upwind slog back home.
03-19-09, 11:54 AM
#8
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 831
Bikes: Colnago C50
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 25 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 7 Times
in
6 Posts
Thanks for the replies.
Since the crankset on the bike has a 42/52, I will probably keep the 42 and start out by putting on a 16 for a 69" gear and try it out (and avoid the steep downhills).
Dan
Since the crankset on the bike has a 42/52, I will probably keep the 42 and start out by putting on a 16 for a 69" gear and try it out (and avoid the steep downhills).
Dan
03-19-09, 12:29 PM
#9
His Brain is Gone!
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Paoli, Wisconsin
Posts: 9,979
Bikes: RANS Stratus, Bridgestone CB-1, Trek 7600, Sun EZ-Rider AX, Fuji Absolute 1.0, Cayne Rambler 3
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
How well do you go up the hills you tend to ride on your freewheel when you are in 42:16? That should give you some idea.
__________________
"Too often I would hear men boast of the miles covered that day, rarely of what they had seen." Louis L'Amour
There are two types of road bikers: bikers who are faster than me, and me. Bruce Cameron - Denver Post
"Too often I would hear men boast of the miles covered that day, rarely of what they had seen." Louis L'Amour
There are two types of road bikers: bikers who are faster than me, and me. Bruce Cameron - Denver Post
03-19-09, 12:36 PM
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Medina, OH
Posts: 5,804
Bikes: confidential infromation that I don't even share with my wife
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 35 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Mine's 52 x 19 @ 73.9 inches. On group rides my biggest problem is staying with the group on the downhills.
03-19-09, 02:21 PM
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 172
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
It depends on lots of factors (hills, wind, general conditioning, etc).
You don't say whether or not you currently have a geared bike. If you do, you can certainly tell what gear you need to go up hill. That'd be the determining factor for me. I wouldn't want to be stuck with the choice or damaging my knees, going back down or walking.
As far as going down, as long as you have at least a front brake and aren't trying to keep up with a group, you can control your cadence with no problem. I certainly wouldn't recommend that you ride on the road without at least a front brake.
I ride 69". The flatest 15 mile ride I can do around here is rolling with about 700' of climbing and I have no problem.
You don't say whether or not you currently have a geared bike. If you do, you can certainly tell what gear you need to go up hill. That'd be the determining factor for me. I wouldn't want to be stuck with the choice or damaging my knees, going back down or walking.
As far as going down, as long as you have at least a front brake and aren't trying to keep up with a group, you can control your cadence with no problem. I certainly wouldn't recommend that you ride on the road without at least a front brake.
I ride 69". The flatest 15 mile ride I can do around here is rolling with about 700' of climbing and I have no problem.
03-19-09, 03:08 PM
#12
Grumpy Old Bugga
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Adelaide, AUSTRALIA
Posts: 4,229
Bikes: Hillbrick, Malvern Star Oppy S2, Europa (R.I.P.)
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 370 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times
in
6 Posts
If track cogs are as cheap there as here, buy the one you think you'll need and one that's a bit lower. Start with the low one to get used to it again, then fit the bigger one when you need it.
Mind you, that's the advice for those new to fixed gear, you're not, you're returning but it's a strategy that might still work.
Richard
Mind you, that's the advice for those new to fixed gear, you're not, you're returning but it's a strategy that might still work.
Richard
