andre dont you live in portland? whats your bike?

and yeah i just switch from 40 13 to 47 17 and it feels so much better. im gonna take the brake off when i get out of bed here

isnt that whole skid patch thing kinda off? ok say yourun a gear ration in which you have only one skid patch? now what happens when you get a flat tire and change your tire, throw it back on? im sure you there relation between where your skid patch was.... and it is now... is diferent? i can see were some people make a big deal about it because who would really rotate their tire? but in my case i get flats like every week so no big deal to me..................... thoughts,or flame?

sure you can rotate your tire but its a big pain in the ass
you can just take your chain off and skip a few teeth but i'm too lazy for that

you should prolly by better tires or something if you get a flat a week

ya thats kinda what i meant the whole skipping some teeth deal. i live in the area of drunkin ass holes so there is glass every where ! SCREM MR TUFFY AND HIS TIRE STRIPS! Its ok no more road tires for a while its all about mountain bike tire and studs soon !

I admire Sheldon Brown as one of the wisest and most decent men I've never met.
I only know him through his writing, and, without him, I never would have discovered fixed gear bikes.

That said, I think the following site with its gear inch, gain, development and skid patch applet will explain gear ratios to the average person with fewer burned brain cells than trying to read Sheldon Brown's excellent explanation of these factors.

https://software.bareknucklebrigade.c...it.applet.html

I have ridden every possible chain and cog combination from a high of 82 gear inches to a low of 54 gear inches.

I find 72 gear inches the highest gear ratio at which I can ride without a brake, and this tempts fate, because I can barely do it; but then, I neither skip nor skid.

Presently, because of a six-month medical treatment, I ride at 58 gear inches and love it.

My spin has improved amazingly.
I get around town as fast as ever, and I can brake easily, even on a steep hill, without skipping or skidding.

By the way, I get 58 gear inches with a 42t ring, a 19t cog, and 700X23 tires.

I easily cruise at 15mph at a little less than 90rpm.

Yes, a lot of people pass me going downhill, but I don't even try to go fast downhill these days, and surprisingly, I go faster than before.
I've totally lost the bounce, and only my stamina limits my downhill speed: it takes a lot of energy to keep up with the pedals, and less energy to slow down and descend under control.

I'd like to eventually go back up to 72 gear inches and try to ride without a brake, but I think I'll put on a brake, anyway.

One question, say two different gear ratio's have the same amount of gear inches, but different size chainrings/cogs, is there a noticable difference in the feel or handling on the bike?

No.

Thanks, and why do people keep putting up their gear ratios in "#teeth/#teeth" format? I'd have to keep pulling out my gear ratio/skid patches table every time, if I want to know the GI and Skid patches.

You'll be doing the math in your head without thinking about it eventually, trust me.

I know what you mean, though, all my bikes have fairly different wheel sizes, so chainring/cog really doesn't mean all that much.

I ride 71" with brakes but generally don't use it.

I ride much less gear than most. Around 63 inches on my usual bike and 70 on my rain bike. I really like high cadence and its super nice up hills. Blowing past these gear freaks! Also its nicer on the knees when I have one of those "oh ****" moments. Actually I just had one of those riding past the Franz factory on 12th.

For poster who gets flats all the time: Get a Rubino or Gatorskin and keep your pressure. Unless you're a fatty you'll be fine.

Hm.... 52x18 brakeless.




Yes, you are probably way slower.

i guess you're just way more of a man with all those gear inches. how do u fit so many gear inches in a pair of girl pants?

I'm actually over it in one day. It's too high of cadence at 44x18. Tonight I ordered a 17T EAI cog. Time to give that a try. I need a happy medium for the hills around here. Plus the 17T has a like a million skid patches.

48x14, a very efficient commute.

10 year resurrection, that has to be a record..

46/15 but i could ride higher comfortably. Really, it's all personal (safety) preference. Ive found myself slowly going to bigger ratios as i get more comfortable with my setup.

Here's a fresh calculator for the ten year bump.


BikeCalc.com - Bicycle Gear Inches Chart


71 g.i. here... 42x16

Ten year zombie resurrections are pretty common in the mechanics sub forum. There was a 15 year revival a couple days ago. About chain lube of course.

I switch between 46/15, 48/16, 48/15, and 48/13

61-12.

That's rather off-putting. Funny and gross at the same time.

Jeez you guys are posting pictures of me again...Ughhh!

47-16.. 79 g.i.

Thinking of switching it to a 17t cog.. or 18t if I have room without replacing my chain