I have a 17t and 18t on my hub and will switch it around occasionally, If I'm being honest I don't really notice a huge jump between the two, but 16 to 18 might have a big impact

I have a similar question as the OP.

Just got my first analog SS (State Bicycle Black Label), after coming from road, mtb, and a SS E-bike (Ride1UP Roadster v2 - brilliant bike, with the motor assist helping with the 64x20 gear up climbs).

Only have had the SS State BL for less than a month, with a 48x17 freewheel set-up, and really like it. Just about the sweet spot for me, for standing up climbing and fast enough flats/descents. So far, have done 20, 40 and 60 mile (with 3000+ ft elevation gain) rides. Finding that my average speed is down though, with the SS gearing just not enough to keep up with the roadies.

Question: has anyone done 80+ mile rides with let’s say 8000+ ft elevation gains, with their SS? I’m thinking for that kind of ride, IF I were able to make it, might require a 48x19 or 48x20?

Though costly, my solution for the issue will be the White Industries Dos ENO dual freewheel with 3/32” chain. In my case, I ordered a 17t/19t, and hope to have it and try it out this month.

I may be more relaxed than the 'typical' fixie rider, so I run a 38 / 18. I do have a 17% grade I have to climb & descend in order to leave my neighborhood to the west, so I've adapted to be able to spin reallllly fast during the descent. If I ran a 46 / 16 the descending would be less of an issue, but I'd be a lot less happy most of the rest of the time.

Two thoughts here. 1) For a given level of effort (effort being all your resources, not just what a power meter shows), gears are faster except in conditions and speeds "right" for your chosen gear. That's why all racers use them. If you are staying with the geared folk it is because you are riding a lot harder than they are and you will pay a bigger toll.

2) Long and hilly rides have been done on fix gears and single speeds forever. This country has been crossed using both many times. The English have doe all sorts of marathon rides fix gear. But the age old key to it is to ride gears that work, for you. And be hard as nails. That might well require being young. Or do as I have done. Set up bikes with the means of changing gear ratios for major climbs. (Descents too if you are running fix gear.) The stops to change gears are a tradition going back 120 years. Fun, both uphill and down, goes way up when you are geared better. (42-12 down can be a blast.)

I've done the week long Cycle Oregon 5 times on fix gears. (This photo was taken on my second CO. Day 4 and maybe 5000' of climbing.) But I was not young when I started and even less so last September when I rode my last one. I brought all the cogs commercially available and used about half. 12 to 24 teeth (though I'd ridden the first two COs before I learned where to get the 24). In that photo, I have 17 and 23 tooth cogs on the hub and you can just see the 12 on the far side of the tool bag. Chain whip strapped to the top tube. Pedros "Trixie" hub nut wrench and lockring spanner under the tool bag. (Good tool, excellent spanner; better than the Parks for fix gears.) You can also see that this hill took me by surprise. I was too far into it to stop and start again (very steep) before I realized this "is the big one!" so I just muscled up it in the flat ground gear, 42-17. I paid. 61 years old then.

And to your question: Day three of my first fix gear CO was up to and around Crater Lake. Billed as 80 miles and 8800'. I took a wrong turn and descended 5 miles and over 1000' that I had to turn around and climb back up. So, 100 miles and about 10,000'. Using 42 x 17, 23 and 12. Same gears as the photo 2 years later.




That red bag? A reflection of how hard riding fixed is relative to the usual geared. My feet took a beating pulling so hard and for so long on the toestraps and shoe straps. (Mostly the shoe straps.) Bag contains TEVA sandals so my feet could get complete relief at the rest stops. I still had to visit the doctor every year I rode fixed until I rediscovered that ancient shoe trick - laces!

Do you have the option to unclip from your pedals on the descent?
That's something I adopted 5~ yrs ago.
Works for this old man trying to get max mileage from a 10+ yr old partial knee replacement.
Just make sure your descent is safe, I have 2 brakes.

I don't remove my feet from the pedals / clips / straps, as getting back in isn't the easiest task in fixie mode. Plus the whole "moving eggbeater" thing too. But if doing so on your part keeps your upgraded knee happy, I will not judge. Everything's a tradeoff.

I do have F&R brakes - Mafac Racers, in fact, which proudly wail their unique song as I apply them on the descent.

I use the clipless pedals, I preferred Frogs but that option went away.
I was much faster and cleaner on entry and exit with the Frogs, the Shimano not so much.

You can still get them NOS on eBay...

but they have become quite dear.

Yeah, it's the quite dear that drove me to 4 pairs of the Shimano product that I don't find so endearing.
Byron

[QUOTE=bironi;22832665]Yeah, it's the quite dear that drove me to 4 pairs of the Shimano product that I don't find so endearing.
Byron[/QUOTE

Gotcha Byron

I bought 3 pair of Speedpay Lolly pop pedals and cleats a few years back when I heard Wahoo bought the company - aero, zero, and track(which are unnecessarily hard to clip out of).

Bryon

[QUOTE=Bianchi pc;22832734]Let's try not to get confused as to who's who.
I'm really bad with names, but you can call me anything that rhymes.
By

[QUOTE=bironi;22832765]Cool.

Ha ha, growing up it was like almost every teacher I ever had suffered from Dyslexia - whenever roll call was first read at the beginning of the year they would call out your name.

Thanks for your experiences and thoughts. That all makes a lot of sense. Cycle Oregon seems like a big challenge, and quite an accomplishment.

It does seem like I’m working a lot harder with just one gear, but I guess that’s one of the reasons I’m doing it. Been continuing to get in better shape, and building strength climbing. The gran fondos have really required a lot of preparation, not just with equipment and tools/tubes for the road, but loading up on nutrition and hydration. A fun challenge