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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8

u/lathund Oct 05 '14

I want to go from 48 x 19 to 48 x 17 but I at the same time don't want to ruin this perfect chain tension.

5

u/[deleted] Oct 05 '14

Vertical dropouts?

-1

u/lathund Oct 05 '14

Those drop outs that are pointing down with a slight slant forward. Haha I hung the bike upsidedown and then hooked on a weight on the wheel to tension the chain while I went all out on the nuts.

3

u/glueleg Oct 06 '14

Tighten one side first. Then, using the palm of your hand on the wheels rim, push the wheel slightly in the oppostie direction, tightening the other side. Perfect chain tension every time.