MrCjolsen

The other day, I was riding home and the wind had shifted and grown stronger. I've got a 17t cog on one side, and an 18t on the other. I debated as to whether or not to stop and flip my wheel from the 17 to the 18.

I never did. But I wondered, at what point do people stop and turn their wheel around? For example, my optimum cadence is about 95. I know this from a lot of time on a road bike with a cadence computer. 44/17 means I go about 19.5 mph at that rpm. 80 rpms sends me down the road at 16.4 mph.

So how low should my rpms and speed get before I stop and turn my wheel around?

maddyfish

I have. I have a 20 tooth freewheel on one side for towing, and my big hill commute. I took the bike out to the hardware store the other day ( all flat and straight), and I flipped to the 16 fixed. I barely have enough adjustement range for both.

monsterkidz

I setup my rear wheel the opposite as you. I ride on the easier gear all the time. (16t cog) I keep a 15t cog on the other side for days I want to get out on the track or the park (when it's closed to traffic) for some laps. If I know in advanced that I will be doing a real hilly road road, I have a 17t and an 18t cog that I can swap out at my house before heading out.

I don't keep track of my cadence on my track bike, but on my road bike I average somewhere in the 90s.

mihlbach

Flipping your wheel on the road is impure. Your practically a roadie. Shame.

Az B

I've got a 16 - 18. There's a particularly mountainous ride I do a few times a year (5000ft in ~40 miles) It starts with a 7 mile climb, followed by a 5 mile downhill, followed by a pretty steep 4.5 mile climb. After that steep climb it's downhill for a while then mostly rolling with one more short climb. So I start in the 18 and move to the 16 after the second steep climb. The low gear makes the long climbs a little easier, and the higher gear is much better on the downhills and rollers.

Someday someone is going to invent a way to change gears while riding. Sort of a gear changulator or something.

Az

mihlbach

Its called a derailleur....they are really handy when you have lots of hills.

Az B

Wow! How long have these things been around? I need to get out more.

Az

ruppster

Try one of these

At least there are no cables.

roadfix

I flipped it once on a double century ride to fight the headwinds on the last 50 mile leg.

captsven

I occasionally flip for wind.

I mostly flip if I get into a group of roadies and need to gear up.

I use a 16t mostly and the flip is a 15t.

Az B

That is sexier than Angelina Jolie in a leather corset.

Az

Peedtm

NO! I get where you're coming from, but NO!

LurkasauresRex

I decided that my rear wheel looked like a Garden Weasel with more than one cog on it

lyledriver

I run 42 - 15/16.. and I'll use the 16T towing my BOB, then flip it to 15 to go home if I've got not load. (15T for non towing situations as well)

clipped

Did it twice........about five years ago.

akaio

I have a bike I use nearly specifically for polo with a 39x22 fixed, which is very low to ride on the streets. So I have a 19t freewheel to get me to the courts, and then I flip it.

bonechilling

An 1890s roadie, maybe.

ghsmith54

I've never done it. I ride a 44x16 and for a long time had a singlespeed 18 on the opposite side thinking if I was way out somewhere and got tired I could flip it. It was on there for 2 years and I never used it so I finally took it off.

Build your own

I flip fingers on the road.Does that count too?

caloso

I'm normally 42x16, but I have a 17t freewheel on the other side that I have used on very rare occasions. Like on a long down hill.