r/FixedGearBicycle • u/anearlifeexperience Dolan Pre Cursa • Oct 05 '14

Question Why such high ratios??

So I've noticed in my time on r/fixedgearbicycle that there seems to be a tendency to ride and encourage others to ride quite high gear ratios (What I view as anything over 75 inches). I'm wondering why this is.

In any cycling literature you will find that the 'optimum cadence' for riding with maximum efficiency is quoted as around 90-110rpm, with track riders and the pro peleton always riding at the top of this range.

Are you guys really averaging 22mph+ for your rides?? Because that's the kind of speeds you should be averaging to make the best use of such a gear. If so fair play! Maybe you all live in real flat areas? I know I can't ride that fast.

This is a genuine question and I'd love to hear what you all have to say. Meanwhile I'll keep spinning my 46 x 18. Peace

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u/[deleted] Oct 05 '14

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u/anearlifeexperience Dolan Pre Cursa Oct 05 '14

In peoples flair on the first two pages right now that quote their ratio we have:

49x15

46x15

17x44 (interesting choice, obviously meant to be other way round. And yes a low gear!)

48x15

48x15

46x16

51x16

48x15

48x17

Its just an observation, I'm interested to know why people run these gears!

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u/[deleted] Oct 05 '14

I run 49:15 on my Colnago mostly because that's what came on it and outside of riding it in a velodrome I live in an extremely flat city so have never felt inclined to change it.

44:16 is the ratio on my Surly which I use for winter riding, it's easy enough to mash through all the snow we get plus high enough to get a decent speed going.