Large Front Chainring, Small Back?
 

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/image...-side-shot.jpg

So, I think that this setup has a very pleasing aesthetic. What sizes do you think the chain rings are? I'd like to give it a shot on a bike I'm putting together? any issues with this type of chain set-up?

B

Either 48x16 or 52X16

You're picking your ratio based on how it looks? Wow.

As for the picture, it looks like 48/15 or something similar.

Issues? Harder to accelerate, harder to slow down, harder to climb. Harder on the knees both ways.

id say 48 15 or so.... let us know how it works for you, i would love some input on how it works on the street. Thats a good all around gear no?

I have like four bikes, two are the one I ride all the time (depending on good or bad weather), the others are ones I ride for various reasons (coaster brake so I can coast when I ride with people that don't ride fast) and this one (who knows what it's purpose is), I like the looks of the big front. The small back will likely be adjusted up as needed for a comfortable ride. Obviously, I'm not going to ride something that sucks, I just want to gather info first. So judge me lightly.

It will suck. The whole point with that kind of ratio is to get a high gear for sustained high speeds. If you're setting up to go forever on a long, uninterrupted stretch of road (or track), go for it. If you actually want something where you can apply a somewhat more refined riding style (starting and stopping come to mind), this is an awful setup. Compensating with a big cog can only buy you so much leeway, as you're constrained by the availability of large cogs. Also keep in mind that only certain bikes have room for a monster chainring with a fixed hub chainline.

That's a 52 in the front.If the cog is sized appropriately(18 or19),it won't suck.

Try riding a 50 mile ride with a 52/17 ratio. Its a lot of work!

53-15 baby, that's how I roll!!

Drwecki, it all depends upon your strength and your terrain. If you've got nothing but flat land, you can run a big gear ratio. Any hills and you'll be hurting. If you don't run brakes, high gearing is harder to stop.

I once did an alleycat race with a guy who had set up his bike with a 52-15! Took him a while to get up to speed but he could fly past the rest of us. But then he had to put a lot of effort into slowing down and stopping so I was then able to fly past him(I use brakes). A couple of hills put him in an awful hurt and we didn't see him again till the end.

I think most of us ride somewheres around 75 gear inches. As someone said, 52-18 or 52-19 should be okay(76 and 72 gear inches)

I ride a 42-15 which is 74 gi. Also a 48-17 which is 74.5 gi. I get up some decent hills, even long ones(local 3 mile climb of avg. 5.6%)

50 miles, 50 miles, 50 miles...not for me. That's a where the 3spd bike that I haven't built yet will do it's job (see I don't ride 50 miles ever so no need for my 3spd yet). I rode 30 once up hills and stuff with my messenger pack on with a bunch of friends I call the "goons in tights" you know what I mean. I respect tights, but the name is funny. (you know 5,000 road bikes and my 300 dollar fixie) . This won't be for fifty miles! more like 5 miles. drink. .5 miles drink. then 4 miles home (drunk biking is not very in the right direction).

48/15 is too small of a ratio for racing on the world's circuit...

you want something in the 42/18 range then, and probably a SS with brakes. Jusssst sayin there Drinkie McDoo

My current commuter is 52/16. It is neat looking but I think I am going to gear it lower in the future. I think I'd rather spin faster. That high gearing is hard on my knees and sucks in to the wind!

A chainring/cog combination for pleasing aesthetic? I've heard it all now. Isn't the front chainring gonna be larger 99.9999% of the time anyway? lol

I guess if you were dead set on this crazy reasoning, you just need to figure out an IDEAL gear ratio for you to ride, regardless of its appearance, then use a gearing calculator and find out what size cog goes with a "large" front chain ring to give you a similar notion.

Still funny.

seriously though, am i though only one who read the thread title and doesn't think this has to be a joke thread?

That Pink.Terror chick ran something like 52-15 brakeless if I remember, then went around calling people poseurs. I miss having comedy like that around here

I guess you pick your significant others by their practicality too, there is a place in this world for beautiful things and it's not all in an art museum. Not everything has to be based on numbers, and yes the front chainring is large, but it's not as large as I need it to be. BIgger ARGH ARGH ARGH (Tool Time grunt). I really was just throwing it out there, I mean I saw it on the real racing bikes and they just looked kind of neat. Yes I agree for a daily driver, it's not probably the best idea, but for a once in a while bike or a road sprinter, may be a very fun bike. Things I do don't always make sense, and I haven't done this yet, I was just curious. But look at this guy's bike and tell me it isn't pretty. Yeah, getting the supermodel in the bar is fun for a while but you wouldn't ride her everyday!

The idea mostly hit because I have this SR crank double that the cainring that is connected permanently is large and I was thinking a smaller back cog would be cool looking. and allow me to use this decent but antiquated crank.

the racer dude in the op needs to tight his chain

Maybe you should take up track. You'll see plenty of bikes like that every night, being ridden to hell. The bike is pretty, but all I see is a fairly common chainring/cog combination that has purpose for what he is doing. It is not ugly or beautiful to me. It's just a damn chainring and cog attached to what appear to be SRM cranks.

In regards to the "wouldn't ride her everyday" comment, it's a race bike. It's supposed to be beaten to ****.

I have a 9 year old and he has a lot of great ideas. Sometimes, I just laugh and say, "OK. Try it and let's see how it works out."

Your knees will be the final judge as to how pleasing this setup will be for street use. And after that, your surgeon.

BTW, isn't that one of those torque measuring chainwheels?

See, I prefer big cog in back, small chainring in front -- mainly on the bike I use to ride up the sides of buildings.

I love how some people think their soooo much better than everyone else. Before your 9 year old does something does he ask for your advice? Do you give a snarky ass remark. If so your 9 year old is destined for therapy (and not as the therapist). As for my knees, are you a doctor? If not what are you talking about? Do the track racers have to have knee surgery like every day? If I didn't use a brake maybe, but I've already said I do. so. What. Jesus I tried to end this threat with a thanks for the advice. But you feel the need to put me down? Like why? Is it fun to make people mad? You my friend suck. As for the spider man comment made me laugh. Sorry for thinking outside the box. Some people do ride this set up (see them happily say it's good), it's not like I want to take Crack. Are you taking Crack now? Is this ladies home journal? Do I care about your folky words of wisdom? NO NO NO. It's not like I told anyone they were wrong. Just said I may still try it. Also Does your 9 year old wear skinny jeans and rock a cycling cap? Looks like and ID ten T error (can you figure that out). why the picture re-post? You didn't even refer to it? Hmmm. Crack is tasty!

Bottom line is that you choose a gear ratio based on what is appropriate for the riding you do in addition to what you can handle. Start there first. Find an "aesthetically" pleasing combination that is close to that ratio that is FUNCTIONALLY ideal for you. Not the other way around.

End of discussion.