Gear Selection in City Centres

[garrilla]

I probably spend most of the time in the city on 52/16 (85") spinning at about 85avg

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

I noticed that after I went clipless I used a gear or 2 higher than before, simply because it makes clipping straight in on the first stroke so much easier

 

[phaedrus]

I find this interesting because I've realised that when I'm on my commuter bike (Shimano Nexus 8 hub gear) I'm no longer conscious of what gear I'm in, or even aware that I'm changing gear. The whole process is so effortless and requires so little thought that it has become automatic, in fact it's a bit like having automatic transmission.

 

[dondare]

I tend to use a relatively low gear most of the time (can't remember the ratios), so I end up pedalling at 90-120 rpm (I think).
I started doing this when I had problems with sore knees, I thought it would take the strain off them.
Does anyone know if this actually helps or not?

Low gears certainly help my poor old knees.

 

[BentMikey]

I tend to spin, so lower rather than high gears for me. You can see exactly how I'm pedalling here in this video around Hyde Park Corner:

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTnZ18TWeRU

 

[dondare]

Three (gear-related) things I don't like the cyclist in front of me doing:
1) Accelerating away in a tiny-weeny gear and then coasting until they slow right down, then spinning off again and so on.
2) Honking in a gear that is way too high, building up speed and then coasting until they slow right down again and repeat;
3) Powering past me uphill then idly coasting down the other side.

I see all these a lot and they seem completely pointless.

 

[dondare]

I tend to spin, so lower rather than high gears for me. You can see exactly how I'm pedalling here in this video around Hyde Park Corner:

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTnZ18TWeRU

But how do you ride on a real bike? (A fanny-hatchet or whatever you want to call it.)

 

[BentMikey]

Up to 185rpm on my fixed so far, but only downhill.

 

[dondare]

Up to 185rpm on my fixed so far, but only downhill.

Do you actually have a bike with freewheel, selectable gears and a saddle that you sit on?

 

[BentMikey]

Not currently, but I did in the past, and I'm sure I'll have one again. Don't lose sight of the fact that they're all just bikes. Well, except the unicycles and trikes and others, but I don't have any of those. [Edit] They're also good and also cycles, just not bicycles.

 

[dondare]

Not currently, but I did in the past, and I'm sure I'll have one again. Don't lose sight of the fact that they're all just bikes. Well, except the unicycles and trikes and others, but I don't have any of those.

I feel a warm comradeship with all my fellow HPVers.

Except RLJers and pavement artists.