I'm gonna get an IRO Mark V. Any suggestions on gear combination for riding NYC?

I like 48x16 fixed. 50x16 ss

go 48x17 for fewer skid patches. 48x16 is alright, maybe a bit tough to start with though, especially if you're looking to go brakeless, which i definitely don't recommend if you're just starting riding fixed.

I agree with Evan. I would start with 48x17. I have been riding but not all that much and I will probably drop to 48x17 from my current 48x16.

go for 49x18. Go ahead and try these other combinations but in my oppinion if you are coming from a geared bicycle you will not appreciate these ratios. Some people like to spin and have leg speed which in my oppinion is quicker, and easier on your knees than mashing big gears. Trust me, you will always feel like you are chasing the gear. With enough practice you will be comfortably spinning down 9th Ave at 30 mph (140rpm) Lastly, if you have any desire to race track just throw a 15 on the flip and you are good to go.

Not inferring at all that the other posters do not know what they are talking about. Find out what works for you, but just don't be like one those kids walking a 2000 dollar fix up the Williamsburg Bridge.

Edit: 48x17 here in Toronto. Take a look at Sheldon Brown's gear calculator as well for some good info.

goggles - most people (2/3) on this thread recommended 48x17 which is only a tad bit heavier than 49x18, hardly a big gear.

How about crank length? what exactly does this determine and how does it fit into Sheldon's gear formula? Man, so many factors to consider before dishing out $600!

49x18, myself.

I blew my knee up 2 years ago when I started on 48x16 brakeless.

Bumped it up to 48x19 and have finally have got it back to where I am happy with 48x17.

thats just me.

46 x 16 or 17.

S/F,
CEYA!

What's wrong with walking a 2000 dollr fix up the billysburg bridge? Cinelli!

why the higher gear on the ss?

You can rely on brakes for stopping vs. the difficulty of using your legs to stop a bigger gear.

the time/date on eyefloaters last post looks so rad.
48x17

Another 48/17 in New York City. 165 mm crank length. It is a slower cadence most of the time than my road bike, but it works. Saddle position and fit is important too. If you're not perfectly set up, your knees will feel the pain.

I've gone from 47x16-->47x17 back to 47x16. Start around 72 inches and move up.

Get a prime number chainring.

Gosh, why can't you people just use a gear caclulator, such as...
https://sheldonbrown.com/gears/

Simply reporting #x# is worthless.

I started riding fixed at 48 x 16. After a couple of months I dropped to 48 X 17, which I loved and rode for more than a year. Most recently, for kicks, I just got a Sugino Zen Messenger 45 tooth ring for the front and have ridden it with 15, 16, and 17. For the past week or so I've been on 45 x 17 and I really dig it. It's easier to slow down and skid (skipping doesn't feel any "easier" though).

This is the lowest gear I've ever gone with (which really isn't that low, it's still low 70s, about 71 or so I think). I remember Greg Goode writing that he rocks gearing in the high 60s, which is what he recommends.

Obviously a personal preference. IMO that cogs aren't that expensive. Get a few, see what works, and sell or trade the ones that didn't suit you and take a slight financial hit for the learning experience. I would say to play around with chainrings too, but they are quite a bit more pricey.

Ru planning on hitting the track at all?

52 x 18 just cause I bought a set of cranks with a 52 tooth ring. I'm loving it though. Much better than the 48 x 16 I was running before. If I didn't have the 52 tooth ring I would have gone 47 x 16.

it's really about personal preference, if you have a geared bike now try riding around in a few of the more common gear ratios and see what you like, just keep in mind on a fix your gear ratio is also going to effect how easily it is too slow down and maneuver.

um, what are those tables supposed to indicate? what is a "skid patch" and how are the numbers on the first table figured?

Crank length is a matter of personal taste but on a fixie it's best to have them shorter to avoid pedal strikes. Pedal strike on a roadie isn't good but on a fixie it's a bad thing.

Shorter cranks are easier to spin at higher rpms. Higher rpms on an easier gear means happy knees.