Advice needed from fixie riders

EKE_38BPM

I've just finished building my fixie and the gearing needs sorting out. I'm about to buy a sprocket and need some real world advice.

The current set up (only for proof of concept, really) is 34:16 (55.8")

The other chainring I have is 50T, so I was thinking of going 50:18 (73"). I live in a pretty hilly area, so was thinking that I don't want to run too big a gear.

Is 73" about right for a novice fixie rider in a hilly area?

spasypaddy

if you can wait until tomorrow i'll post my gearing, i ride all the same hills as you. unfortunately i dont have net at home and dont have my fixie with me today so i will count teeth tonight and post tomorrow?

i do think its a 46x16 though

rick_chasey

http://www.bikeforums.net/archive/index ... 89667.html

44x17 seems popular.

I believe I ride 46x17 (having had 8 or so months sans bike) and one of the steeper bits in Richmond park absolutely totally ruined me by the top (to the point where I was seeing stars and couldn't steer straight or brake - took me about 20 mins to recover by lying on the ground), to put it into context.

SimonAH

Assuming you don't have pipecleaners for legs there's not much you won't be able to get up at 73", you should be fine. 55.8" will be horribly spinny - anything above about 20mph and you'll whip yourself to death with your ripped-off legs.

rick_chasey

Rick Chasey wrote:

http://www.bikeforums.net/archive/index.php/t-489667.html

44x17 seems popular.

I believe I ride 46x17 (having had 8 or so months sans bike) and one of the steeper bits in Richmond park absolutely totally ruined me by the top (to the point where I was seeing stars and couldn't steer straight or brake - took me about 20 mins to recover by lying on the ground), to put it into context.

I lie. Just found out I actually ride 42 X 16.

Clever Pun

I ride 50-16 but I've progressed to that after riding fixed for a while(can do the richmond park hills ok).. 48-18 is a standard beginners gearing. you're a fit lad you can probably cope with 50-18 but it might be a bit mashy especially if you get tired

start spinny and build as your legs get stronger

rick_chasey

Clever Pun wrote:

I ride 50-16 but I've progressed to that after riding fixed for a while(can do the richmond park hills ok).. 48-18 is a standard beginners gearing. you're a fit lad you can probably cope with 50-18 but it might be a bit mashy especially if you get tired

start spinny and build as your legs get stronger

Pfft - you're better than me!

EKE_38BPM

Cheers fixie riders.

I've just remembered that I have something to send back to Wiggle so I will use the £s to get a sprocket.

Clever Pun

Rick Chasey wrote:

Clever Pun wrote:

I ride 50-16 but I've progressed to that after riding fixed for a while(can do the richmond park hills ok).. 48-18 is a standard beginners gearing. you're a fit lad you can probably cope with 50-18 but it might be a bit mashy especially if you get tired

start spinny and build as your legs get stronger

Pfft - you're better than me!

I get that a lot

Best just to give it beans so your legs don't slow to much and pull up a lot so your legs are constantly at it.

I rode up Highgate hill on that gearing to.. got to say I was really pleased with traffic light breaks

rick_chasey

Clever Pun wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

Clever Pun wrote:

I ride 50-16 but I've progressed to that after riding fixed for a while(can do the richmond park hills ok).. 48-18 is a standard beginners gearing. you're a fit lad you can probably cope with 50-18 but it might be a bit mashy especially if you get tired

start spinny and build as your legs get stronger

Pfft - you're better than me!

I get that a lot

Best just to give it beans so your legs don't slow to much and pull up a lot so your legs are constantly at it.

I rode up Highgate hill on that gearing to.. got to say I was really pleased with traffic light breaks

:P Hey I did the Tourmalet in just over 90 minutes so I'm not too much of a slouch uphill! Just started riding in London a couple weeks ago whe I managed to get my new singlespeed/fixie, after moving here in early July. Had never been to Richmond park before, but yeah, that effort ruined me to the point where I was a little worried by my state.

nicklouse

as you have a 16 rear a 42 front will be fine.

42/16=2,6
48/18=2,6ish

wgwarburton

Hi,
If you know what cadence you're comfortable at and what speed you typically average you can just work it out, modifying slightly if you prefer to trade off some hill-climbing leverage against some top end speed.
My advice would be to start spinny and gear up later. It'll improve your technique and smoothness and you can build up strength, as you toughen up. You don't want to tear a ligament or something trying to be macho too soon, time enough for that down the line.

I started on a 64" gear, then moved up to 68" or so after a while (18 months or so?). I like to turn 90-100rpm or so, though, and I'm not very fast (maybe 18mph).

This website: http://software.bareknucklebrigade.com/rabbit.applet.html is handy.

Cheers,
W.

Oddjob62

I get up hampstead on a 51/15 and you've got a lot less weight to carry. 50/18 will be fine.

SteppenHerring

I'm a fixie newbie and went for 42x15 (73"?) because I thought I was hard. It's a bit much up the steeper stuff, but as I say, new to it. On the bright side, there are some climbs where I'm much quicker on fixed because you have to MTFU.

Was thinking about going down to a 17 but it's nice being able to cruise at 20mph.

hatbeard

I run 42/16 and unless the hills are proper uphills it's a good around town gearing.

hatbeard

I know dhope is on 42/15 as well.

jonny_trousers

I use 50/18 and find it to be a good gearing. It let's you accelerate from a stop quite quickly and you can zip along at 25mph without feeling too uncomfortable.

Like others have said, singlespeed will always be a compromise and there is nothing more manly about one gear ratio to another. You could have a super high gear and ride slowly and a low one and ride like the wind; it's all down to you as a rider.

Butterd2

I'd say 73" is a little high, I started 68" and moved to 71" after a few months, I'm now carrying panniers and going uphill >10% I really would not want anything longer.
I can cruise at 20-21mph and hit 24-25mph but anything faster feels like my legs are going to come off. I'm naturally more of a low revving diesel though rather than a 16v GTi !

EKE_38BPM

Right, decision made.

The Vitamin is SS and the gearing was 54". I've been riding that for three months and I've got used to the spinniness but going fixed is a new ball game, because of the downhills, I need higher gearing. I've now done about 25 miles fixed (I get around) and the gearing I'm on is too slow on the flat and too spinny on the downhills so I've decided to go to 50:18.

I was advised to go for the Miche track sprockets and as I have a £19 exchange coming up with Wiggle I'll get it there. The question is, what to spend the difference on, I've just bought a little hat, so any suggestions for around £6?

EKE_38BPM

Update.

I've just ridden the 20 miles from Brixton to Barnet (after riding there this afternoon with detours) so I'm at around 45 miles for the day and for my total fixie experience.
I need to get that gearing sorted out before any more long rides so I've ordered the 18 tooth Miche sprocket. Now for the wait.

The new riding position is stretching new muscles, so I expect pain tomorrow even though I've done some stretching.
I've got to adjust the handlebars to reduce my stretch for a little while at least.

And that saddle has to go!

redvee

EKE_38BPM wrote:

And that saddle has to go!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMYZyUygW6Y

EKE_38BPM

Thats the problem, I'm used to a 'razor blade' saddle and the one I was using was built for nodders.

MonkeyMonster

Oddjob62 wrote:

I get up hampstead on a 51/15 and you've got a lot less weight to carry. 50/18 will be fine.

each of your legs weighs as much as eke

and I know you aint fat either. stop going to the gym!

pastryboy

EKE_38BPM wrote:

I was advised to go for the Miche track sprockets

You did remember to get one of these, right?

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/miche-track-sprocket-carrier/

edit - I see they come with it, nevermind


Just went from 50/17 to 42/16 - I don't find it makes that much difference after a few minutes, I just look at my speedo and work with what I have.

EKE_38BPM

I've just had a look at my order and it hasn't been processed yet (almost 20 hours later).

I blame Wiggle.

On a plus note, I popped to the shops on the bike and as I went through a car park, I thought I'd try trackstanding. I've been practicing on the Vitamin whilst waiting at traffic lights on a slight incline when I'm leaving work. They are very slow changing lights, I don't just hang around there to practice.

Anyway, the practice on the Vitamin went as well as I could expect (having a freewheel so having to rely on rolling backwards on the slope), but when I was out riding yesterday I didn't have the bottle to attempt trackstanding at the lights, hence the carpark practice today.

I found a quiet part of the car park and went for my first fixed trackstand and it went perfectly! I can now trackstand my fixie. The last one I did I held until I got bored. I suppose a little practice goes a long way. I've never been able to trackstand right foot forward though.

dhope

EKE_38BPM wrote:

I blame Wiggle.

Don't be ridiculous, you can blame Wiggle for reasonable things; like traffic, headwinds, not winning the lottery etc, but it's a bit much to blame them for this. Where'd you order from btw?

EKE_38BPM

dhope wrote:

EKE_38BPM wrote:

I blame Wiggle.

Don't be ridiculous.... Where'd you order from btw?

Wiggle!

Oddjob62

MonkeyMonster wrote:

each of your legs weighs as much as eke

and I know you aint fat either. stop going to the gym!

NEVER!!

Blue Meanie

Just dropped from 78" to 69" as my right leg's hip flexor is in trouble from a different injury. Actually feels like a harder effort for less strain, but time/distance hasn't changed.
I'll be keeping to 69" for the next few months until this niggle goes away.

Thing is, it's a suicide hub for winter use and on the first decent I unscrewed the cog, then had to spin it back on whilst grabbing the rusty/seized front brake thing. Ah, the joys...

Normally 81" for track days.

EKE_38BPM

Wiggle have pulled their fingers out and I should get the sprocket tomorrow (hopefully with Haribo)

I was approaching a zebra crossing today and saw at least two classloads of primary school kids about to cross. I took primary and stopped (trackstanding) until I caught the eye of the teacher and the kids started to cross (2x2, holding hands stylee). One of the kids saw me trackstanding and just stopped to gawk then his friends joined him staring at me. The slow process of getting all of the kids across the road was now taking longer than ever but I held my trackstand and waited.
Eventually one of the kids asked the teacher how I was balancing and the teacher said they didn't know so I shouted "Practice" and when the crossing was clear I rode of with my hands in the air like I just won my first pro stage.

This fixie lark is OK.

pastryboy

Should have told them it was the trackstandium imobilus spell you learned at Hogwarts.