# Woo, just went from 48/17 ratio to a 48/14



## Tbirdbassist

I sure love getting this thing up to speed!


I used to have a 17 in the back, but found myself getting to speed way too fast. Great, great acceleration but the fastest I can comfortably ride at is about 25 mph, any faster and I feel like my legs are moving way too fast. 

With the 14, although it takes some force to get off, but once you get a good "cruising" speed.(for me about 15 mph) a few good standing pumps to get her up to 25, and I'm much more comfortable. Haven't had a chance to see how fast I can get it to, but I think 30mph shouldn't be a problem. I run a brake on the street, so no worries about short stops.


I'm a messenger in NY, but I wanna try some Velodrome racing in the summertime so I guess this would be a good leg strengthener.


Not really sure why I made this thread, haha,.For you guys that ride track/singlespeed daily, do you prefer a larger gear?


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## roadfix

My favorite all around street gear is about 70 inches. I don't think I can comfortably ride 92 inches like you're pushing around where I ride. ouch....


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## Tbirdbassist

Ive been meaning to ask that... I'm not sure how to/if I understand the gear calculator. So you've kinda got me lost on that one.

One thing I do know is that it really isn't the most stop-and-go friendly of ratio's but I jsut feel a lot more comfortable with it. There's another messenger around here riding 50/13, he's ridiculously fast, but he's apparently been riding track for years and has calves the size of my thighs. He also rides brakeless, but I don't tihnk I'd ever go brakeless riding in the street.


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## JCavilia

*gear calculation*

ring divided by cog, times wheel diameter (often people use 27 inches for rough; a 700/23 wheel is usually about 26.3 inches outside diameter).

(48/14) X 27 = 92.5


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## SSSasky

Man, I love to push a small gear. I used to push a lot bigger, but lately I've been going smaller and smaller, and loving it. It's way easier on the body, and way more fun. Plus, makes for a better polo bike. You just can't freak out about a lower top speed. But the low gears give you such great acceleration, that for urban riding, I think they are almost faster than steep gears -- way way better for start/stop city riding.

I went from 46:15 when I started riding fixed gradually down to 39:17. I think I may even go down to 38. I ride 20km a day on this, and it works great. Lots of messengers in my city run similarly low gears. Some even lower. Way easier on the body when you start racking up the years couriering.


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## botto

Tbirdbassist said:


> I sure love getting this thing up to speed!
> I used to have a 17 in the back, but found myself getting to speed way too fast. Great, great acceleration but the fastest I can comfortably ride at is about 25 mph, any faster and I feel like my legs are moving way too fast.
> With the 14, although it takes some force to get off, but once you get a good "cruising" speed.(for me about 15 mph) a few good standing pumps to get her up to 25, and I'm much more comfortable. Haven't had a chance to see how fast I can get it to, but I think 30mph shouldn't be a problem. I run a brake on the street, so no worries about short stops.
> 
> I'm a messenger in NY, but I wanna try some Velodrome racing in the summertime so I guess this would be a good leg strengthener.


good luck, you'll need it.



Tbirdbassist said:


> Not really sure why I made this thread, haha,.For you guys that ride track/singlespeed daily, do you prefer a larger gear?


you're not alone.


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## Tbirdbassist

Yea, I actually don't plan on riding on it every day, especially on rainy days. My hub is fix/fix so I kept the 17t cog on the other side... . I have some good length on my dropouts so I switched it back to it today actually since it was raining... don't need speed in the rain.

Surly also has a dual fixed cog (17/19) that I've been looking at getting and sticking on, see if 48/19 is skiddable so I can impress the hispter chicks...

I kind of like the feeling of knowing that if I'm already at a good speed, and I want to go faster, I can kick it in a go faster without feeling out of control

NYC is an odd place, at least when it comes to city riding and gearing. I mean, we have A LOT of straights, very generous stop light timing and more often than not, you don't have to do much stopping. I think a 39:17 is WAY too light, at least for me (I'm 230 lbs). We have a lot of straights and times where you can ride at speed for at least 1-2 miles without having to stop at all (I usually do stoplight circling).


I guess it really comes down to whats comfortable to you. I personally don't see anything lighter than a 48/19 practical for me. My legs strengthened up to stopping the 48/17 rather quickly now and I only use my brake with that for emergencies. I guess since I'm young I've got some time to play before I should really worry about stuff ccausing serious body damage. Cause like I said, there's a guy riding a 50/13, thats 103 gear inches. Albeit he's been riding for a long time... I guess if you treat your body well it will do the same.


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## roadfix

Those gear ratios are insane if you were riding in mi barrio. We have little hills and big hills.


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## wim

*Mix it up.*



> _I'm a messenger in NY, but I wanna try some Velodrome racing in the summertime so I guess this would be a good leg strengthener_


90 inches or so is a popular track racing gear, so it's not a bad thing to get some feeling for it. But in the deciding moments of a track race, winning power is made with strength _and_ leg speed. If you only train for strength, you'll be out of contention on the track.


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## Howzitbroke

48x14 is pretty monster. You sound like a slow rpm crusher. I run 44x17 so I can climb most of the stuff around me. It is a bit tall for climbing really steep hills but if I can get a run I usually clear them without dropping below 4 rpm. I would say try and spin more. I can get up about 33 mph still pedaling (my rig coasts as I am a lazy decender) smooth enough that that there is a pull on the freewheel. On the track acceleration and top end are a delicate balance. The best thing is to have flexibility of both power and speed in your legs so you don't live and die by gear choice.


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## SSSasky

I'm not exactly old - 25 years old. And at last check, I was 215 lbs. So I'm not far off your body type.

Switching from a steeper gear ratio to the lighter one, I didn't see a huge drop in my top speed, once I got used to the spinning. My average rolling speed is somewhere around 20-25 km/h (15-20 mph). My max speed is probably somewhere around the 35 km/h range (25 mph). Not as fast as your speed, but that's okay by me. Being a bit limited just makes me less competitive when I'm riding--in a good way.

Learning to spin fast is way easier on the body in the long term than mashing. If anything, it's preventative therapy, whereas mashing is asking for long term problems.

Whatever though man. Do what makes you happy. 

Just don't do redlight circles near me. It makes everyone on a bike look bad. Foot down or trackstand.


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## Tbirdbassist

Haha, well, with the 14, to get going from a stop isn't exactly the easiest thing to do. Most people don't think much of cyclist's anyway.. so who cares. 

I'm jsut a fan of going fast... good and bad thing depending on who you talk to.


I can spin ok with the 48:17 when I'm at top speed (around 28-30 mph, I'm going by what some guy in a jeep told me while I was riding the white line), but I still feel kinda like I'm gonna lose it at times. I'd say my cruising/average speed is the same as yours (guesstimating by catching glimpses of car speedometers, haven't bothered with a computer yet). I was on the 14 and with a lil help from a slight decline I think I hit at least 35mph, my legs were really going.

I have only been riding fixed for 3 or so months, but riding 5 days a week 8hrs a day has certainly gotten my skills up, I definitely feel more in control, but thats a given. Just gotta practice more "at speed" riding.


And like I said, I definitely won't be riding that every day/all day. Actually, since my dropouts have good length on them, I've gonna buy that Surly dual cog, my LBS has the 17t/19t one and experiment with the 19 as well. 


One surprise to me though, is that 48/14 is not anywhere near as hard to stop (just using my legs) as I thought it would be.I mean, from 20mph, it'll take you a minute... but it's not much of a strain on my legs.


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## botto

Tbirdbassist said:


> Yea, I actually don't plan on riding on it every day, especially on rainy days. My hub is fix/fix so I kept the 17t cog on the other side... . I have some good length on my dropouts so I switched it back to it today actually since it was raining... don't need speed in the rain.
> 
> Surly also has a dual fixed cog (17/19) that I've been looking at getting and sticking on, see if 48/19 is skiddable so I can impress the hispter chicks...
> 
> I kind of like the feeling of knowing that if I'm already at a good speed, and I want to go faster, I can kick it in a go faster without feeling out of control
> 
> NYC is an odd place, at least when it comes to city riding and gearing. I mean, we have A LOT of straights, very generous stop light timing and more often than not, you don't have to do much stopping. I think a 39:17 is WAY too light, at least for me (I'm 230 lbs). We have a lot of straights and times where you can ride at speed for at least 1-2 miles without having to stop at all (I usually do stoplight circling).
> 
> 
> I guess it really comes down to whats comfortable to you. I personally don't see anything lighter than a 48/19 practical for me. My legs strengthened up to stopping the 48/17 rather quickly now and I only use my brake with that for emergencies. I guess since I'm young I've got some time to play before I should really worry about stuff ccausing serious body damage. Cause like I said, there's a guy riding a 50/13, thats 103 gear inches. Albeit he's been riding for a long time... I guess if you treat your body well it will do the same.


deep.


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## Tbirdbassist

botto said:


> deep.



So I assume you're the resident bucket-o-sarcastic comments, eh Botto?


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## bigrider

Hey if that ratio works for you then it is all good. Around here, that gear combo would have you pushing your bike up a hill every three miles or so. I run a 48/18 but I used to switch out to a 48/17 or 16 when I would do a long flat century on the shore.


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## superjohnny

Good luck with your knees riding 48/14 around the city. That makes me ache just thinking about it. Ahhh to be young again...


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## threesportsinone

> I was on the 14 and with a lil help from a slight decline I think I hit at least 35mph, my legs were really going.


So your cadence was around 130 rmps. Not sure if I'd call that "really going" but then again I also like going fast, and 25 mph on my 42*16 (69 gi with a 23c tire) is a pretty decent pace (130 rpms), and accelerating isn't a chore so my knees are fine. 

I'm not criticizing you, merely comparing data, congrats on being able to push such a tall gear.


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## Mark32

Tbirdbassist said:


> I sure love getting this thing up to speed!
> 
> 
> I used to have a 17 in the back, but found myself getting to speed way too fast. Great, great acceleration but the fastest I can comfortably ride at is about 25 mph, any faster and I feel like my legs are moving way too fast.
> 
> With the 14, although it takes some force to get off, but once you get a good "cruising" speed.(for me about 15 mph) a few good standing pumps to get her up to 25, and I'm much more comfortable. Haven't had a chance to see how fast I can get it to, but I think 30mph shouldn't be a problem. I run a brake on the street, so no worries about short stops.
> 
> 
> I'm a messenger in NY, but I wanna try some Velodrome racing in the summertime so I guess this would be a good leg strengthener.
> 
> 
> Not really sure why I made this thread, haha,.For you guys that ride track/singlespeed daily, do you prefer a larger gear?


Bigger the better for me. You’ll only ever be as quick as the gearing you learn to ride. brave move and a smart one (as long as your willing to adapt to it 💪🏼) 😬


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