How low should I go?

[Ibbots]

After a couple of days when the prevailing headwind on my homeward journey has been more than the slight inconvenience that's it's been most of the Summer, I've been thinking ahead to the dark days. Currently running on a 70" fixed gear, which has been fine so far, but cranking it up the last hill home can be draining with consecutive days of strong headwinds I usually have to deal with in Winter. As well as being a little easier on thighs I think a lower gear will be faster in heavy going if a little spinny at times.

So, assuming at least some of you are weak like me, what adjustment do you make to your gear ratio for Winter and does it help?

 

[Theseus]

I run a 70 (48*18) most of the year, even in winter.

The time did change down to 63 (48*20) was for a couple of weeks before (to get used to it), and the riding of the Edinburgh to St. Andrews just to help me up some of the climbs. Mind you, the descents were exciting.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I'm a little under your gearing, 68" 46x18, I dropped from a 70" 44x17 last Autumn to the 68 and have left it on through the summer, I'm thinking of dropping it again this autumn to a 65" 44"x18, but I don't think I would want to go any lower. My pearson came with a 72" gear and the only differences between the 72" and the 68" is the 68" makes the hills a little easier and I have to spin a little more, I think I might find the 65" is to low and top speed suffers, but it should make the bigger hills easier when I start to use the bike for winter club rides again. If I was only commuting I'd leave the gearing at the 68" all year round.

 

[tyred]

A question of suck it an see imo. Track sprockets aren't overly expensive (or at least don't need to be, depending on what you buy) and are easy changed so just experiment.

 

[gaz]

I run a 70 (48*18) most of the year, even in winter.

The time did change down to 63 (48*20) was for a couple of weeks before (to get used to it), and the riding of the Edinburgh to St. Andrews just to help me up some of the climbs. Mind you, the descents were exciting.

48x18 is 72" 48x20 is 64.8"

 

[Theseus]

48x18 is 72" 48x20 is 64.8"

Sheldon's calculator must have an error in it then.

 

[mangid]

Sheldon's calculator must have an error in it then.

Gear chart using Gear Inches

For 700 X 23 / 23-622 tire with 170 mm cranks

With Custom Sprocket(s) Cassette
48
18 70.1


Sheldon gives it as 70.1, another site gives it as 69.19, I've always thought it was around 70, presumably it can vary depending on you weight on the day and tyre. Ridden 48x18 for getting on 15 years now, even managed to climb 2500ft over 12 miles when in Yosemite a couple of weeks ago, going up was not as hard as coming down.

--
Dan

 

[gaz]

Sheldon's calculator must have an error in it then.

aaah yes. If you look at the 27" tyre in general then it is 72 but if you drill down to 700c23 then it's 70.1
We are both right and wrong, as neither of us stated which tyre our gear inch was relating to

 

[Theseus]

aaah yes. If you look at the 27" tyre in general then it is 72 but if you drill down to 700c23 then it's 70.1
We are both right and wrong, as neither of us stated which tyre our gear inch was relating to

Well ... Mine was neither, I have 25-622 and 165 cranks, not that crank length affects Gear Inches.

 

[Ibbots]

I know I could muddle though on current gear - have done for the last couple of years on single speed but I fancy just making it a little easier and being able to walk up the stairs without thighs screaming. I could put a 19T on the back but this might be too low at 66" or put a 46T ring and get 67", either way I'm messing with the chain.

thanks for the responses

 

[Pennine-Paul]

I prefer the highest gear i can get up the hills in to make it easier on the downhill

I use 44/16 in hilly areas and 44/14 on flattish rides(I can climb a 10% on this without too much problem)

I found a 44/18 too slow on the flat and too spinny downhill and not that much easier climbing

 

[Ibbots]

It's not so much the hills, but the headwind. I'm just looking to take some of the grind out of my daily winter slog into the inevitable north westerly. As I have been progressing with the fixed I find I am able to spin a bit faster when climbing out of the saddle rather than grinding away. Going down the otherside is a different matter however.

 

[Matty]

It's the reason I only have a single gear. Yeah it sucks into a wind and yeah it sucks on most Fridays, but it's my only exercise and am much fitter for it. If I were you stick at it. Full year round commuter here with 45*16 whatever that is in inches.

 

[fossyant]

77" here - 46 x 16 and it's hilly where I live.

 

[Ibbots]

77" here - 46 x 16 and it's hilly where I live.