sonsw87

My bike is on 46:16 right now and I would like to get the ratio lil lower since I live in a bit of hilly area (Vancouver). Would I feel any difference if I just went one cog down? it would be great if anyone could suggest a good gear ratio for a hilly area.

AristoNYC

You'll want to go UP not down on the cogs if you want an easier ride.

I don't live in a hilly area but I feel I difference when going from a 16 cog to a 15 cog (48T chain ring).

See if your LBS has some cheap spare cogs you can buy to try until you feel what works for you.
Retrogression sells a $1 cog in 17T if you wanted to buy it to try.
one dollar cogs | Retrogression

GMJ

If you go down with one tooth on the your rear cog, you will have a harder time getting up hills and yes, you will notice.

I can notice one tooth differences in the front. I say you buy a cog that is one tooth higher (17t) and then, if that was too drastic of a change, change your front chainring to a one tooth smaller (45t) ring and use with your 16t.

I don't like in a very hilly area and I usually mash around on fixed, but 47/17 is very popular as a do-all gear.

sonsw87

Thank you for ur correction. I mean "up" haha

Scrodzilla

There should totally be more threads about gear ratios. When we get sick of that, we can talk about Kilo TTs.

AristoNYC

What if we discuss the gear ratios of kilo tts and if we should use brakes or not and why.

GhostSS

We should talk about why other cyclists won't wave back.

brabham79

if i see chrome handlbars and no bar tape and no brakes i know im dealin w/ a bad mofo and drop my head in 'spect. keepn it real folks

Scrodzilla

Huge Zits

Kilo TT? Yeah, Kilo TTs are cool. I like Kilo TTs. Kilo TT.



Try an 18t cog?

hairnet

#kiloTT

009jim

Gear ratio is directly related to effort or "how hard it is". Probably a statement of the obvious but perhaps not to the OP. So divide the no of teeth on the chain-ring by the number of teeth on the rear and you have the ratio, e.g. 50/25 = 2. So now if you change from 50/25 to 50/20, you have changed your ratio from 2 to 2.5. Next divide the 2 by 2.5 = 0.8. This result means it will only be 0.8 of the effort after the change. In other words it will be 20% easier. In other words if you had to push with a force of 80 lbs before you will push with only 64 lbs after the change. Hope this helps. Hope I didn't stuff up the math :-)

bmontgomery87

i need to jump on this

prooftheory

In case anyone does a search and gets this stupid thread because they typed in "Geaer Ratio":

THIS IS THE PROPER THREAD TO LOOK AT:
Uncle Sixty's Gearing Primer for Newbs

and good on you for at least doing a search.

LesterOfPuppets

I gotta have 43x16 to get my old ass up the 10%+ action around here. Makes going down slow and spinny but...

bmontgomery87

44:18 checking in here.

Lots of downhill spinning, but the gear is really comfortable for long rides.

Scrodzilla

I don't use gear ratios.

prooftheory

brabham79

https://i.imgur.com/URBimp2.gif
i use this ratio. good for down hill