whats the best ratio for building a fixie?

bargainbikez
bargainbikez Posts: 3
edited December 2009 in The workshop
hi
i'm in the process of clearing my garage out and i've decided to chuck a fixie together for a laugh out of the spare bits i've got, i've got a single speed specialized crank with a 42 tooth ring on it, what would be an advisable back sprocket to run with it? looking to do general riding and training.

cheers all!
specialized sirrus ltd edtion hybrid
gt zaskar le 1993
specialized rockhopper comp 1992
specialized rockhopper fs 1999
specialized hot rock (sons)
mercedes benz fixie

Comments

  • ex-pat scot
    ex-pat scot Posts: 939
    42 x 16 for me.

    Gets up most hills - assuming you are running 700 x 23 wheels
    Commute: Langster -Singlecross - Brompton S2-LX

    Road: 95 Trek 5500 -Look 695 Aerolight eTap - Boardman TTe eTap

    Offroad: Pace RC200 - Dawes Kickback 2 tandem - Tricross - Boardman CXR9.8 - Ridley x-fire
  • bargainbikez
    bargainbikez Posts: 3
    hoping to run 700cc on it, i think the stays will take it. the things going to be bit of a frankenstein when its done, unusal mercedes frame with raised chainstays, never seen one before,saved it from the scrap! i've got a pair of carbon forks to go on as well, it was quite a decent bike as group set was all lx.
    cheers for info
    specialized sirrus ltd edtion hybrid
    gt zaskar le 1993
    specialized rockhopper comp 1992
    specialized rockhopper fs 1999
    specialized hot rock (sons)
    mercedes benz fixie
  • Stellite
    Stellite Posts: 544
    Im running 42 16 on this charge plug ive converted to a road bike for the winter

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/36755331@N07/4094366959/
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    42:16 is a good starting point. Really steep hills will get a bit scary though.
    Neeermad
    Carbon 456
    456 lefty
    Pompino
    White Inbred
  • will3
    will3 Posts: 2,173
    bargainbikez wrote:
    hoping to run 700cc on it, i think the stays will take it. the things going to be bit of a frankenstein when its done, unusal mercedes frame with raised chainstays, never seen one before,saved it from the scrap! i've got a pair of carbon forks to go on as well, it was quite a decent bike as group set was all lx.
    cheers for info

    is this a motorbike?
  • ince
    ince Posts: 289
    I have 46 - 16 on my fixed. Most of commute is flat and I have no probs with the one hill on my route into work. On the way home I could do with a slightly taller gear as I spin out.

    Best bet is to work out which gear you sit in the most on a bike with gears and find out what the ratio is. Then apply this to your fixed.
  • lae
    lae Posts: 555
    My cheapo singlespeed is 52/18 which is a bit too high for hilly areas. The one I'm building atm is 44/16 which should be better.

    Whereabouts in north essex are you? I come from Tiptree.
  • _Brun_
    _Brun_ Posts: 1,740
    ride_whenever wrote:
    42:16 is a good starting point. Really steep hills will get a bit scary though.
    Since the OP is in Essex, a 69" gear is a bit conservative.
  • mnbikerkj
    mnbikerkj Posts: 3
    I run 42 x 17 on all of my fixie/singlespeed rides for commuting purposes. The gear is low enough that no hill is a problem, but still allows me to get some decent speed when necessary. I do spin out, but that just reminds me to slow down a little and enjoy the ride.

    When racing/training, I run a 45 x 17. I have done some interesting 100+ mile gravel rides with upwards of 8000 ft of climbing and manage pretty well. Some of the really steep hills slow me down considerably, but that's what I get for being dumb enough to do those rides on a fixed gear.

    Kevin Jargo
    Product Manager
    VETTA/Acumen Inc.
  • lae
    lae Posts: 555
    _Brun_ wrote:
    ride_whenever wrote:
    42:16 is a good starting point. Really steep hills will get a bit scary though.
    Since the OP is in Essex, a 69" gear is a bit conservative.

    Not at all! North essex is pretty hilly - there's one place near me that when driving my Moggy Minor I had to go up in first gear!

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