I've noticed that most stock builds come with chainrings in the 46-49t range. Is there a conspiracy afoot?

48t is common on the track.

48/16 for warmups
48/15 for beginner racing
48/14 for racing
48/13 for elite racing

I use my 48t more than any other ring.

I'm running a 46/18 for 67.21/2.56 currently. I'll step down to a 46/16 to break 78.90 in a month or so, depending on traffic. I'm pretty content with the 46 I have currently and don't foresee changing it on my Handsome. However, the bike I've got on my radar in June has a 42/16 setup, so that may very well be swapped to a 48/15, all things considering.

I just realized OP told someone to HTFU for using brakes when he can't even skid 48/16.
Know your place.

The answer to the question is 'sorta.' The lower the gearing, the easier it will be to lock up the wheel. Also, you will want to consider the number of skid spots. If you're trying to skid a lot and you want a lower gearing, you'll probably want to get 48/19.

got a 17t cog, now i can somewhat skid at will. thanks for the help.

I need to figure out a way to market this to the jackass crowd. Carefully aligning it over the back tire should make skidding a breeze for even the least capable (i.e. the typical SSFG poster.)

And in closing, pull your pants up and a get a job, losers.

Htfu.

This thread......

http://www.thetwentyfirstfloor.com/m...e_facepalm.jpg

Sure, but track riders don't make a habit of skidding. For people who do like to skid, a prime number tooth count is best, and 47T is only trivially lower than 48T.

Just use a 17tooth cog and be done with it. They are much easier to find than a 47 tooth ring.

I've always thought my legs were pretty strong, but the ratios you guys use makes me feel weak. I'm running 42/17, which can be a little spinny at times, but has me working up hills. And we don't even have real hills in Louisiana. Anyway, for all you 46+/16- peeps, respect.

This thread did not disappoint.

But this explains why 48t is the standard chainring size. This also explains why a 15t cog comes stock on some bikes that will never see a track.

Here's some (144mm BCD):

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...d/IMG_0087.jpg

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...oing-FS-thread

I don't think I'd ever refer to 47t chainrings as "hard to find".

i'm not convinced people actually know what skid patches are after reading this thread.

I certainly don't. I'm really only a closet fixed gear rider who secretly has a derailleur and triple on the front; but when I'm pretending I actually have experience riding a track-specific drive train via my Milwaukee cog - I don't skid. I use my front brake because burning up $100 in tires for kicks doesn't work for me or my budget; it's very dry here too and the roads are very chewed up, so an attempt to skid could become an all-stop moment rather quickly depending on the road conditions.