I'm Loving This Fixed SS Thing

Mark Elvin

Went out for a 20mile ride last night after tea on the fixie & I must say I'm loving it, it totally changes the way you ride, having to think alot more in traffic etc.

I was worried I'd get bored just being stuck in one gear, but no, it actually seams to focus your mind more on the riding rather than pissing about worrying about what gear is best, as case of "just get on with it" really.

gtvlusso

Welcome to "real" cycling!

next you will be upping your gear to 80" + to look more manly!

Mark Elvin

gtvlusso wrote:

Welcome to "real" cycling!

next you will be upping your gear to 80" + to look more manly!

80"!!!!! Flip, I'm only running 48-19 atm.

SimonAH

It is a hoot isn't it Mark, but 68.2"? Have you got a pair?

dhope

Mark Elvin wrote:

gtvlusso wrote:

Welcome to "real" cycling!

next you will be upping your gear to 80" + to look more manly!

80"!!!!! Flip, I'm only running 48-19 atm.

That's for bike polo though right, what about when you're on the road?

gtvlusso

Some of us have hills to climb.....

to be fair, I am running 44 x 15 at the moment. And I am gonna move that up to 44 x 16 very soon as the old knees struggle at the top of Cleve Hill.....and passing out in the office is not really a good thing...

Used to run 50 x 15 to my old job - I don't think I am anywhere near LiT gear territory though :-(

tailwindhome

* paging L_I_T to this thread

hatbeard

when I get some fettling time this weekend I'll be converting the pink pub poser to fixed.

I'll be starting on 42:16 but I also have a 13 track sprocket that i got on the cheap which I may have to give a go. :twisted:

UndercoverElephant

42:18 on the Genesis, that said, I have knobbly tyres to drag round with me.

Butterd2

I really love the fixed thing, not sure I get the point of SS. I'm running 48x18 which gives me enough top end for commuting and I can just about struggle up hills.
It feels really strange now when I get on the road bike at the weekend and freewheel, I think it has also made me pedal more constantly and take less mini breaks.

Clever Pun

hatbeard wrote:

when I get some fettling time this weekend I'll be converting the pink pub poser to fixed.

I'll be starting on 42:16 but I also have a 13 track sprocket that i got on the cheap which I may have to give a go. :twisted:

your commute is flat right? you're going fixed?

flicksta

50:12 SS on my Brompton. About to head up to 54:12. Ouch. Double ouch on 170mm cranks.

Oddjob62

Even my "spinny" gear is 51/18ish. Run 51/15 most of the time.

hatbeard

Clever Pun wrote:

hatbeard wrote:

when I get some fettling time this weekend I'll be converting the pink pub poser to fixed.

I'll be starting on 42:16 but I also have a 13 track sprocket that i got on the cheap which I may have to give a go. :twisted:

your commute is flat right? you're going fixed?

only on my pub bike, my daily commuter is my tricross.

on my commute there's only two quick up and overs and the tooley street approach to london bridge in terms of 'hills/slopes'.

pitchshifter

flicksta wrote:

50:12 SS on my Brompton. About to head up to 54:12. Ouch. Double ouch on 170mm cranks.

Impressive, if the wheels were not the size of a dinner plate

flicksta

pitchshifter wrote:

flicksta wrote:

50:12 SS on my Brompton. About to head up to 54:12. Ouch. Double ouch on 170mm cranks.

Impressive, if the wheels were not the size of a dinner plate

That's the problem. 120RPM 50:12 only delivers 25mph. Even 54:12 is only 27mph. Too slow! Imagine my disappointment when I went to change the 13t for a 12t at the weekend, only to find it was already a 12t.

54:12 is going to hurt. MTFU will be required, but will also deliver many unopened cans of whoop-ass, ready for opening.

rolf_f

Meh! All this talk of different gears. Unless your commute is flat, you're in the wrong gear 90% of the time anyway with a fixed gear bike so don't worry about it

rjsterry

pitchshifter wrote:

flicksta wrote:

50:12 SS on my Brompton. About to head up to 54:12. Ouch. Double ouch on 170mm cranks.

Impressive, if the wheels were not the size of a dinner plate

Indeed. My Dahon (20" wheels) has a habit of chucking the chain off the front when changing gear (no front mech), so I tend to leave it in 52:13, which is fine unless I need to get away from some lights in a hurry.

jonny_trousers

I've actually just gone back to using a freewheel sprocket on my SS and I have to say, I way prefer it for the commute. I'm so retro cool.

wgwarburton

flicksta wrote:

...That's the problem. 120RPM 50:12 only delivers 25mph. ....

But 120rpm is cruising territory. Unless you're cruising at 25mph (chapeau!) then you should be good for 35mph plus in a sprint.

You only need big gears on a fixie if your technique is poor and you can't spin. Unless you can push your 80" gear to 150rpm you're just embarrasing yourself claiming that it's Manly.

Cheers,
W.

PS :-)

_Brun_

Talking up big gears on a Brompton is meaningless because of the much smaller wheels. 54:12 on 16" tyres is ~70", which is completely normal.

Canny Jock

Rolf F wrote:

Meh! All this talk of different gears. Unless your commute is flat, you're in the wrong gear 90% of the time anyway with a fixed gear bike so don't worry about it

My commute is flat, except for when I choose it not to be.

Was using 48x15 on my previous setup, new (old) bike turned up with 46x16 which I was going to change but I like spinning a bit more.

Originally went single speed when I realised I was only using 2 or 3 gears on the normal commute, love the single speed bike for commuting now. I still love the geared bike for longer weekend rides though.

SimonAH

WGWarburton wrote:

flicksta wrote:

...That's the problem. 120RPM 50:12 only delivers 25mph. ....

But 120rpm is cruising territory. Unless you're cruising at 25mph (chapeau!) then you should be good for 35mph plus in a sprint.

You only need big gears on a fixie if your technique is poor and you can't spin. Unless you can push your 80" gear to 150rpm you're just embarrasing yourself claiming that it's Manly.

Cheers,
W.

PS :-)

I could well have my maths wrong - but a quick fag packet calculation gives (for 80")
84rpm 20mph, 100rpm 23.9mph, 120rpm 28.6mph and 150rpm 35.8mph. And no, I can't maintain a 150rpm cadence

flicksta

WGWarburton wrote:

flicksta wrote:

...That's the problem. 120RPM 50:12 only delivers 25mph. ....

But 120rpm is cruising territory. Unless you're cruising at 25mph (chapeau!) then you should be good for 35mph plus in a sprint.

You only need big gears on a fixie if your technique is poor and you can't spin. Unless you can push your 80" gear to 150rpm you're just embarrasing yourself claiming that it's Manly.

Cheers,
W.

PS :-)

I have a 6.5mile flat commute, which I use for interval training and building strength. Basically I go like fuck from start to finish, time trialling any safe sections or if I catch a green wave.

16" wheel 50:12 is 70 GI.

andy83

anyone a link to all these different ratios as im confused

All i know is i ride 44 x 17 and my commute is not flat at all but i like the challenge

_Brun_

andy83 wrote:

anyone a link to all these different ratios as im confused

Gear ratio calculator

andy83

cheers, did find that on the old google but wouldnt work in chrome

redvee

Mark Elvin

Pushing around 44:16 in Brizzle city centre and elsewhere when not going to/from work and find it OK, also ideal for the climb on the cyclepath and most of the hills I've attempted.

roger_merriman

for flat outer london and a route though Bushy Park etc 48.16 or 80inch gearing is fine for the pottering, it is a tad slow off the mark but allows for a decent lick of speed on the open road.

SS as mine is for utility cheap transport really.