To the SS commuters
 

What gearing do you run?

The terrain is mostly flat for this bike and I will only really use it in the winter, I will be able to swap cogs easily. And when I am not using it it will be used in the summer by my mother (I'm the best son). She never shifts and the der on this bike is pretty much crapped out.

42/16 seem ok?

I would say that a 42/16 would be fine. I rode a 44/17 on my soho s, but it was lighter.

44/17 for me, and I've got a couple long, mid-grade (4 - 7%) climbs along with a short steep one.

For just relaxed commuting I think something in the order of about 66 gear inches works well (50/14 works well in my case).

I'm stuck with 60 gear inches cause that's what it came with and I got used to it. some hilly parts on my commute but totally doable.

I use 42x18 (63gi) in the summer and 42x21 (54gi) in the winter, which is about as tall as I would want for 3-6% grades.

70 inches if its flat. Not sure how much you carry with though.

46/16 on my Jamis Sputnik here in Boston. I tried 46/18 for a couple of weeks and loved it for hills and starting from dead stops. But I really didn't like spinning out on the flats and on any sort of decline.

How so (getting stuck with 60 gi, that is)?

42X16 for my FG. I was running 42X15 as well.

I'm running a 46-17. Terrain relatively flat but with some hills. Yeah, I have to stand on the pedals a bit going up and still spin out going down, but I find that it's a good compromise. I've been told that when I turn 60 later this year, I will need to install my 38T chain ring.

-Gary

46/18 on my fixed gear bike. And 44/18 on my singlespeed bike. I gear down in winter time, it all depends on how much snow we get.

My combination is 48x16 fg. Not sure how to compute gear-inches. It's an old Fuji conversion w/a Sugino 103mm bb, Messenger cranks, Rocket Ring and a Vuelta wheelset. My favorite bike by far. Seatpost rack/trunkbag combo hauls empty containers and clothes on the homeward leg.

I use 46x18 on my fg which is 67.4 gear inches. Mostly flat terrain, but often stiff head wind in the afternoon. Sometimes I go 46x17 in the winter because it is often relatively calm after dark.

42x17 (35c tires)

hills here, but it's a good flat-land cruising ratio too IMO, spin them legs!

This was for my mother and not so much me, we actually decided on leaving the original front chainring on which is a 36t and putting a 18t out back. I thought a 42x16 would have been fine only because she is a marathon runner. So with it a 36x18 that should do me just fine in the winter. The old der finally just froze (so much salt on it) so it was stuck in 36x16 and she said it was a bit tough on the hills, I left enough chain that I can do a 36x20 if she wants

I think the bike easily dropped 1.5lbs with removing the cassette, cables, der, and shift.

She took it for a ride like right away, I passed on the way back and she like it a lot , felt lighter then before and pretty easy on the hills.

Hooray for helping Mom!

46/16 on my Sputnik here in Louisville. I have to get out of the saddle at least twice for a normal commute, but after you've done it a few times it's no biggie. And I'm 66.

tire size is 28 for me so that may matter too with folks using 38 or maybe 23

40x17 with 32 mm tires, but I'm in hilly SF.

Try Sheldon's Gear Calculator. Not only can you figure gear inches, but also ratios and it'll even tell you speed based upon your cadence.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...7/fb39d128.jpg
A little bike pron

Hopefully the OP and mom are similar in proportions. Wouldn't want to see her blow out a knee on a poor fitting bike.

It's fit for her not for me, lol.

49/18 in flat sacramento.

Thanks, very much! 79.1 G.I. Now I need a handlebar mounted computer. :p