42*16 vs 42*14

rdavighi

I'm toying with changing my diy single-speed from 42-16 to 42-14 - I think i'd like to improve my strength.
How much of a difference will I notice?

My commute has a couple of short (500m) hills 1:8 ish which I need to get out of the saddle for. Will these become impossible?

Should I wait until I can tackle hills from the saddle until I change gearing?

Will it do me any good?

Thanks

plusgourmande

Just grind those pedals, you will get stronger over time!

bonk man

Spin to win ..rdavighi.. I race on 42x14 and this is enough to do a 26 minute ish 10 time trial without too much spin agony.
For general use I would stick with the 16 personally but we are all different and you might be a slower pedaller than me [ I win low gear races[:D] ] .. It is generally better to spin about 90 rpm or there abouts for efficiencies sake if not saving the knees from low rev crunching up hills, whatever .... give it a go and if it feels ok go with it.

Club rides are for sheep

rdavighi

So, would low rev high intenisity efforts to get up these hills be no good for my knees??

rustychisel

I'd tend to agree with bonk man, 42x16 seems right for me, the limiting factor being my fear of being caught on a 25km leg into a 15 knot headwind. That's when taller gearing really takes its toll.

Only you can tell how your knees will cope, but moderate lumps should be do-able. Wind, that's a different matter.

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I'm only escaping to here because the office is having a conniption

peejay78

yesterday i found my limitations with 42:16.

i went up highgate west as per usual, not much bother.

i then turned round, went back down and decided to tackle Swains Lane. i'd forgotten about the really really steep bit, and my gearing was near enough impossible. i resorted to mashing, grinding and forcing the pedal stork round in order to get to the top. it hurts a bit this morning. i shan't be doing it again in a hurry.

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winter: http://tinyurl.com/2xkbbs
summer: http://tinyurl.com/2hsagv

Greenbank

Why don't you do it one step at a time and give 42-15 a whirl for a while?

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If I had a baby elephant signature, I'd use that.

bretty77

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by peejay78</i>

yesterday i found my limitations with 42:16.

i went up highgate west as per usual, not much bother.

i then turned round, went back down and decided to tackle Swains Lane. i'd forgotten about the really really steep bit, and my gearing was near enough impossible. i resorted to mashing, grinding and forcing the pedal stork round in order to get to the top. it hurts a bit this morning. i shan't be doing it again in a hurry.

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winter: http://tinyurl.com/2xkbbs
summer: http://tinyurl.com/2hsagv
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Halfway, just as it narrows? Yup, I came properly undone the first time, but it's much better now.

Going to a 14t increases your gear inches by nearly 10" so that's quite a lot. Going to a 15t will only add about 5" so I'd agree to try the inbetween step and see how you get on.

Summer route

bonk man

I used to ride 42x21 everywhere when I got into fixed so thats where I learned to twiddle and could average 20mph on the 40 mile ride to Dudley I used to do at the weekend, never got bad knees and the body adjusted to the spinning quickly. Thats why 42x14 is a highish gear for me , by the end of the season I might try a 44x14 but I dont think I will go any faster.
One of the [really fast] blokes in the club rides fixed and I have beaten him in a low gear event and a short hill climb , he is a slow pedaller but is using lower gears this year and has improved his times and looks more comfortable and less pained when he flys past me [:)]

Club rides are for sheep

peejay78

that's the bit.

just re-read my post - i like the idea of a "pedal stork".

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winter: http://tinyurl.com/2xkbbs
summer: http://tinyurl.com/2hsagv

smiorgan

I do 42x16 on the fixie, but did 42x15 on the geared bike uphill and not really a problem - but the geared bike has a stiffer lighter frame.

The 06 Langster was geared at 48x16 which (I think) isn't so far off 42x14, and I got up a few hills on a test ride, but I wouldn't want to do that every day. Plus the Langster was lovely and light, my current fix isn't.

Greenbank

48x16 is exactly the same as 42x14

48/16 = 3 = 42/14

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If I had a baby elephant signature, I'd use that.