Fixed options in a hilly area?
 

I have a Surly cross check which has currently got gears. I am starting to miss my fixed gear that i sold to buy my Surly.

The main problem for me is that is is quite hilly where i live (Yorkshire, UK) so my question is:

What options do i have to make a fixed gear usable in a hilly area?

Have seen the Sturmey S2C hubs but they are SS not fixed, but give me the option of running at least 2 speed.

Also seen the Surly Dingle Cog - does this need a double front chain set or does it run off the single front?

Any thoughts?

Mat

I'm not sure if the Crosscheck's dropouts are long enough to use the Dingle cog without a second chainring. I've known people who've run the dingle with 2 chainrings in the front, it seems to work alright, and gives you about a 10 GI swing.

Otherwise, have you considered the S3X hub? Fixed gear, Three speed IGH. Skidding not recommended.


I'd just set it up with 55 GI or so and go.

Already beat to the S3X. There is also a way to convert a Sturmy Archer 3 speed into a 2 speed Fixed gear.

Why don't you ride around with your Crosscheck in a certain gear, like 66 GI or something, and see if you can find a ratio that works for you. If you can, then go with a FG with that drivetrain.

If you cant, but you can keep it within a couple of gears, maybe the S3X is the best alternative for you. Good luck

Use a low gear and spin more? I guess it depends how low a gear you require though.

HTFU. I rode 52x16 and 48x16 on a hilly place. Just keep on riding, and hop off and push your bike if you think you cant do it. Eventually you'll be able to.

I'm guessing our definitions of "hill" are not the same.

I live in a hilly area too and I've settled on a gear ratio that I can live with long ago. Most hills are rideable except for a couple of steep ones. I live on the top of one of them and whenever I'm on my FG I walk up this hill.

Yeah i thought about this. It is hilly where i live but i quite often take my bike across to Belfast, where i work, and its varied around here.

Don't really live the fixed gears option, but have emailed Surly to ask if the Dingle will fit on the Cross Check, will be interested to see what they think.

Mat

This.

It worked for me. Just find the gear that is just hard enough to climb in but just nice enough to cruise on the flats too.

I live in San Francisco, at the top of the sunset district which means when I'm on my way back home, i'm almost dyin. I run about 70 Gear Inches. Im guessing somewhere between 55 and 70 would work for you.

How hilly is hilly? I run 70 GI in the rockies, which I consider hilly.

On Google Earth Yorkshire doesn't look very hilly compared to Seattle... A lot of people around here do fine on 70 gear inches. I second the recommendation of playing around with your geared bike, see if you can pick a gear that you can to an entire ride on.

Also realize that it is standard practice to climb differently on a single speed / fixed gear than you would on a geared bike.

I rarely if ever stand up on long climbs on my geared bike. I spend very little time sitting down while climbing on my single speed.
If you geared your fixed gear low enough to climb everything in the saddle, it wouldn't be much fun on the flats.

Compromises must be made.

This. +1