Originally Posted by
muckymucky
my kilo tt came with 48x16 so thats 81 inches, and then i moved onto 48x17 (76.2")~ so should i go back down to lower gears? (is it like a knee health issue? or should i try to totally change up my gears so i get ~low 70's?)
You went from a 3 to 1 ratio to a 2.8 to 1 ratio which means it should now be easier to pedal (your distance per rotation went from about 21'-2" per pedal revolution down to around 19'-10" per revolution).
The higher your ratio, the more difficult to get started at full stops, the harder to skid, which translates into more stress on your knees. I'm not sure what you're asking, if you like 48x17, then great, stick with it, if you want an easier ride, then you'll want to put on an 18 or 19 tooth rear cog.
I find low 70s to be very agreeable with frequent full stop to starts and very responsive to getting into skips and skids without over-exerting myself. But I max out at a lower top speed because of it.