40/15 fixed gear with a 16 tooth freewheel. Thats a gain-ratio of around 4.9-5.3 or barely 70 gear inches.

I know that 42-15 is a popular non-track combination, but on my road bike that's my "having a really good day, here comes a tailwind gear." I also like to spin a fairly high cadence.

Does anyone else (excluding SS mtb's) run gears that low?

Am I missing anything by using lower gears?

I ran 52x20 for a while, which is 68 and change. Pretty nice for around town, gets you off the line quick. A little slow for long runs, but I also don't have any hills to deal with. Recently bumped it up to 48x18, which is 70. Seems to be working fine for me.

70 gear inches is pretty standard for road use, especially if you have to deal with hills.

It might be a bit low if you're in a really flat area, but it's not ridiculous.
And using a lower gear can give you a bit more control over speed, as well as making it a bit easier to skip and skid, if you're into that.

I don't know, is it? Do you fill like you spin too fast? If yes then your gearing may be too low for you, if no then it is probably fine.

It is neither rediculously low nor ridiculously low.

nah, it's not too low or too high for most folks. but how is it for you?

by the way, i have 43x17, about 66 inches, i rhink. not bad at all.

nah, it's not too low or too high for most folks. but how is it for you?

by the way, i have 43x17, about 66 inches, i rhink. not bad at all.

small gears on the street are way more fun. I ride 47x17, but I just got a 14t cog for kissena. I tried it on the street--no fun.

No, sounds about right to me. I run 40:17 so im really low. I once read traditional fixed gears ran about 63 gear inches to develop spin. Windy? No problem. Big hill? No problem.

I run 42-14, the acceleration is a bit slow but once I'm up to a comfortable speed I'm almost spinning out.

But yea, it's really up to you, if it feels good then stick with it.

There were several polls about gearing in the past. Most people run something similar to you.

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...highlight=poll

45x18 here. Low on the street means more control, better acceleration, etc. I'm all for it.

yah if you can spin it smooth and it feels good then its cool right?!

i gots 69.3 @ 44*17 and i stay around 0-300 ft above sea level

but what does that mean

I got stuck with 46x19.

My 48t chainring taco'd and 46 was the biggest they had at my LBS.

No problems whatsoever... in fact, I rode my buddies 46x17 and I can barely tell the difference. Or is it just me?

I ride a 52x15 and it is a tough gear. hills are really tough especially towards the end of rides. But when you have a wide open road, you can really get some speed and that is what I enjoy.

48x16 here. How do you do the calculations?

Either an online calculator like the one at sheldonbrown.com, a chart like the one at bikecult.com/works, or some old fashioned math (#t [front] * 27 / #t [rear]).

70 gear inches is actually quite a common choice for street gearing. I'm currently running 71, and a recent poll showed a lot of people in that range.

I like it on the flats because I get a good spin going. I like it on the hills, because I can ride up them instead of walking, and can still keep up with the spin on downhills provided I've got the space to fly. All in all it's a great ratio for hilly areas, but chances are I'd still like it even if I lived in a flat area, because it sets up a good fast cadence for the flats, and it's flexible for the times when you need to stop a lot or ride slow.

Um, yeah, 52x15 is quite a tough gear. Probably good for the track.

52x18 on 27" wheels. A tall gear by my standards since I'm used to mt bikes. It's relatively easy to ride for the 2 miles to work every day through a slight river valley. I'm replacing it with a 46t mostly so that it's less brutal on my knees and I get quicker starts in traffic.

you get many years to try different gearings and improve leg strength. only one set of knees though.

I ride different gear inches depending on my mood.

I like the speed that 77 or 82 gear inches gives me, and I like the control, especially downhill, of 70 or 72 gear inches.
If I lived in a really hilly area, or rode in very heavy urban traffic, I could see 68 inches as very desireable.
Fixed gear bikes provide more control and precision than do coasters, and lower gear inches mean even more control and precision.

If a person has knee issues, it has more to do with body mechanics than gear inches.
Higher gear inches only reveal the basic problem; they don't cause it.

For gear inch calculations, go here:

https://sheldonbrown.com/gears/

Important: enter your correct wheel and tire size, and crank length; and consider choosing gear inches rather than gain ratio (for some reason, gear inches make more sense to me).

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honorable men can differ

doesn't 40-15 leave you with like one skid patch?

no, that would be 45-15 i think