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what's your fixed gear inches for use on road?

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Singlespeed & Fixed Gear "I still feel that variable gears are only for people over forty-five. Isn't it better to triumph by the strength of your muscles than by the artifice of a derailer? We are getting soft...As for me, give me a fixed gear!"-- Henri Desgrange (31 January 1865 - 16 August 1940)
View Poll Results: what is the gear-inches measurement of your fixed-gear road-use bike?
below 59
2
1.03%
59-64
1
0.51%
64-68
12
6.15%
68-71
42
21.54%
71-74
50
25.64%
74-77
42
21.54%
77-81
23
11.79%
81-85
16
8.21%
85-90
3
1.54%
above 90
4
2.05%
Voters: 195. You may not vote on this poll

what's your fixed gear inches for use on road?

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Old 02-23-06 | 08:56 AM
  #1  
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This poll is specifically for fixed-gear bikes that are mainly ridden on roads. Freewheeling, and off-road use, throw in other major variables that I don't want this poll to have to deal with. (Of course, there are other variables, such as the terrain in which someone rides, and the cadence that they like to spin. A bigger gear doesn't necessarily mean that someone is a stronger cyclist. But, on average, it does.)

Gear inches takes your wheel size and gear ratio (e.g., 42/15) into account. Basically, gear inches measures your gear as if it were equivalent to the size of a high-wheeled bicycle. It's your gear ratio multiplied by the diameter of your rear wheel.
To calculate yourself:
(rear wheel's diameter at outside of tire) * (# chainring teeth) / (# teeth on cog)
So for my bike, with 27x1 1/4 tires (27.075" outside diameter), and a 40/15 chainring/cog combination, the gear inches is 72.2.
You can also use Sheldon's calculator to figure out your bike's gear inches.
Make sure to set the standard to "gear inches" not "gain ratio" which takes cranklength into account.

Note that the categories of the poll are endpoints. So, 71.1 would go in the "71-74" category, not in the 68-71 category. If you have an exact number (unlikely) go to the larger category.

If you have multiple fixed-gear bikes, or a flip-flop double-fixed hub, vote for the bike or gear that you use most frequently.
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Old 02-23-06 | 08:59 AM
  #2  
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80.3 soon to be around 75.
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Old 02-23-06 | 09:00 AM
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71.8 but its hilly here and im still recovering from a leg fracture.
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Old 02-23-06 | 09:14 AM
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75.6. all-purpose.
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Old 02-23-06 | 09:17 AM
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84.1 apparently
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Old 02-23-06 | 10:01 AM
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My 47x17 is 72.9 according to SB.
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Old 02-23-06 | 10:06 AM
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Bikes: Surly Long Haul Trucker set up for commuting and loaded touring, old Sekine road frame converted to fixed-gear, various beaters and weird bikes, waiting on the frame for my Surly Big Dummy build

I'm currently stuck with either 82.9 or 66.9 with the cog and rings I have on hand. I have parts in the mail hopefully arriving today or tomorrow that will let me run at about 74 or 75 depending on tire size.

(warning: shameless plug ahead)

check out the gearing calculator I'm putting together that is tailored specifically for SS/FG applications. It helps you find gear combinations in a bunch of different ways and also calculates how many skid patches each gear ratio has.

https://grit.homelinux.net/gi/

If you have ideas for improvements, leave a note in this thread:
https://www.bikeforums.net/singlespeed-fixed-gear/175995-check-out-gear-inch-calculator.html

Last edited by MacG; 02-23-06 at 10:12 AM.
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Old 02-23-06 | 10:09 AM
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i recently went from 78.8 (48x16) to 74.2 (48x17) and i love it! much better for riding around the city in traffic. i feel quite zippy
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Old 02-23-06 | 10:13 AM
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49x17 and it gives me 75.7 gear inches. i think it's the perfect ratio for around town.
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Old 02-23-06 | 10:34 AM
  #10  
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From: san francisco

Bikes: 74 paramount track, 80s maruishi track, 70s chesini track.

50x16 (700cx23) somewhere floating below 82. sanfrancisco has its hills.
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Old 02-23-06 | 10:38 AM
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Bikes: yes please.

my bianchi is 48:16 for street, 48:14 for track, running 23c tires. my peugeot fixie conversion is 40:15 with 27"x1.25" tires.
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Old 02-23-06 | 11:24 AM
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38x15x26", 43x16x650c, 42x16x700c.

You'll see a trend there.
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Old 02-23-06 | 11:27 AM
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Bikes: 2006 Raleigh Rush Hour, Campy Habanero Team Ti, Soma Double Cross

48x15. Stock ratio on the Raleigh Rush Hour.
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Old 02-23-06 | 11:45 AM
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From: Portland OR

Bikes: WEEEEE!!!!

45x15 on 700c 24-7
**** hills, they are everywhere here.. you get used to it
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Old 02-23-06 | 11:46 AM
  #15  
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Bikes: Locally built track bike, Kona mtb, Giant Road Bike, Soon to be Surly LHT Tourer!

81.0 48x16 165mm
hilly around here so we gta bust ass to get around
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Old 02-23-06 | 11:48 AM
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odd dip in the 77-81 range, especially considering i thought 48x16 was one of the most popular combos here
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Old 02-23-06 | 12:33 PM
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i like to say this when gearing comes up.

lots of people qualify what they're riding by mentioning hills, as if they need to give a reason why their gearing is low (if indeed it is). it's similar to the FGG "i have a brake but don't use it"/"for the hills" phenomenon.

just ride what you ride. don't worry that somebody might think you're a pansy if you ride 69" with a brake. anybody who would think that is probably a dip****.
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Old 02-23-06 | 12:36 PM
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Bikes: 2004 Bianchi Pista, Cannondale Track, Soma Pake, Schwinn Breeze

Just went from 81 (46x15) to 76 (49x17) on my main bike.
The other is 79 (48x16)
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Old 02-23-06 | 12:36 PM
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oops, i voted one category too low. 77.42" here. sometimes i wish it was a tad higher, other times i dont. oh well.
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Old 02-23-06 | 12:38 PM
  #20  
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Originally Posted by queerpunk
i like to say this when gearing comes up.

lots of people qualify what they're riding by mentioning hills, as if they need to give a reason why their gearing is low (if indeed it is). it's similar to the FGG "i have a brake but don't use it"/"for the hills" phenomenon.

just ride what you ride. don't worry that somebody might think you're a pansy if you ride 69" with a brake. anybody who would think that is probably a dip****.
i always think the exact same thing. i choose my gearing because it feels right, not because of what some random dude across the country thinks.

i run 70.4 on one of my bikes and 69.3 on 2 of em. one of them is biopace. i like to spin. somebody please come and burn down my house.
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Old 02-23-06 | 12:51 PM
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I was ridding a 700c35mm tires with a 34x14(66.0) which was great for the C&O Canal, and I was able to do a normal route, but a little slow for Washington DC, and anything pruely flat. I went to a 38x15(68.8) and I like the speed of the gear, but it was not working on a normal route that included some up hills, so I am torn about what to ride, I can go with the 38x15 (I road to work today) and pick special routes that are flat, or the 34x14 and have more choices but a little slower. I am thinkning slower, cause if I want speed I have other bikes.
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Old 02-23-06 | 01:16 PM
  #22  
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Originally Posted by queerpunk
i like to say this when gearing comes up.

lots of people qualify what they're riding by mentioning hills, as if they need to give a reason why their gearing is low (if indeed it is). it's similar to the FGG "i have a brake but don't use it"/"for the hills" phenomenon.

just ride what you ride. don't worry that somebody might think you're a pansy if you ride 69" with a brake. anybody who would think that is probably a dip****.

And all this time I thought it was a direct corrolation to the size of my penis. *SIGH*.
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Old 02-23-06 | 01:18 PM
  #23  
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Originally Posted by onetwentyeight
And all this time I thought it was a direct corrolation to the size of my penis. *SIGH*.
well, it is. but that's a subject for a different post.
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Old 02-23-06 | 01:20 PM
  #24  
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Bikes: Leopard DC1, Ridley X-Fire, GT Zaskar 9r

43x16, 700x25, 165, 70.9in
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Old 02-23-06 | 01:27 PM
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depending on the tyres 68.3 68.9 69.9 71.3
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