Originally Posted by
CliftonGK1
My current SS roadie is set up with a 42/17, which is about 67 inches. I find that it works well for the kind of sustained mid-grade (5 - 9%) climbing that I find out here in western Washington.
With it being a singlespeed, I don't have to worry about the sustained downhills the way I did when I was riding fixed. Not much sucks worse than trying to control your spin on a 67" gear on a mile long 9% descent.
I used to run 81 gear inches on my fixed gear and on long steep descents I would often exceed 160 rpm and often spin at 180... I had a brake because slowing down the cranks and the bike at that speed with your legs is brutal.