Gear ratios?

When I was choosing what gears to use I went out on my geared bike and put it in a gear and didn't change it for the whole ride. Based it on that. Also, asked around a lot. I settled with 32:18, which is pretty good and really maxes me out on the climbs (sometimes I wish I had a 19 back there, but then I would want a 20, so you'll never be happy). That's the nice thing about riding single speed, you never have to worry about being in the wrong gear, you are always in the wrong gear.

Thanks for the tip! I have an old frame that I want to set up as a single speed. Let me ask you this question. Should I be concerned about the old frame? What I mean is will single speed riding destroy the frame? It is a Giant Tomac version.

Walker T

Off the road, on the mind...

I'd say go for it, ride it 'till you destroy it. I built my first one out of a 2001 Jamis Durango aluminum frame, rode it pretty hard. Then I bought an SS frame, built that, rebuilt the Jamis to original and sold it for more than I paid for it. I see some people riding old chromo Specialized bikes that are holding up great. Build it, ride it, and you won't go back.

Thanks for the advice on this. One more question, should I go rigid?

Walker T

Off the road, on the mind...

Yes, you should go rigid. So responsive, no sloppy handling, direct contact with the ground. You will giggle all day.

Any ideas on the fork?

Walker T

Off the road, on the mind...

i did the same as below, found a ration on my geared, didnt shift, went with that ratio, i also rode a hard tail but my ss was rigid. i can do certain ares of my ride rigid i wasnt able to do with suspension, fork would bottom out, rigid is the way to go. sucks cause i have a fox f 80x now hangin on the wall next to a xtr'd klein geared ride, love the ss

You haven't ridden until you have ridden rigid and single speed. On my 29er, I run 32:22 because I live in the glacially challenged part of the country called New England. I also ride 32:16 on easy stuff, like rail trails and greenways. I have also ran 32:20, which is good gear but I like the 22t for climbing better.

I just put hundy miles on a Fetish Fixation frame riding it as a 69er, 29er wheel upfront and 26er in the back. On that I rode 32:20 and it rocked but since the frame is Aluminum, I found it really harsh and have subsequently turned the Fetish into a 1x8 with 130mm Manitou Fork.

i have a geared alum klein. ive been lovin my rigid ss and was thinkin of makin the klein rigid as well? good or bad?

I wouldn't touch the Klein, if you ask me.

why wouldnt you touch the klein. im not used to accounting for the travel in the fork unlike the auto response of a rigid.

Unless the Klein is of the URT (Unified Rear Triangle), which is basically just a cushy-tushy aka pre-industrialized revolution thudbuster, I would keep it with the squish if you already have a rig that is rigid. If not, go out an get a steel frame and rig that rigid. My steel 29er is rigid and its a complete joy to ride. If you got squish, keep it, and just get another frame and build that one up.

You can never have too many bikes, you just can ride only one at a time.

right on. i have a steel ss rigid and a squishy geared klein, i just miss my ss

Pedro, am I missing something here? You got a steel SS rigid bike and then you got your geary klein, other than getting a 29er, what else do you need? I am working towards having 4 bikes: SS 29er and an SS 26er/69er. And then FS in both styles. Hopefully, I can sell enough beer cans from my old beer can collection to pick up a used FS frame from the bay and build that up into my next toy. Then, next year assuming I get a good bonus, then I am shooting for an FS 29er and then I will be complete, well sort of then I might thinking about getting a road or cross bike. Then come my kids. They are still pretty young so I have time with them.

i was lookin at the bianchi rita. shes 29 and single so i think we might start dating, a bianchi ss roadie is coming soon. if only someone would come up with a way to mount a ladder rack to my bike i could sell my truck and ride everywhere...

Rita sure is purtty. Did you check out Mary from Haro? She comes with Mary Bars, which to me are the best bars for SS'ing. Can't go wrong with Rita, though. Buddy of mine rides her all the time!

Gear ratios are caluclated: Front ring / rear cog X wheel dia...so say you have 32 ring divided by 18t cog times 26in wheel= 46.222 what does this number mean ? Nothing! It is just a number to relate other gear ratios...so now you have a 29er... you'd need a 20t cog to get close to what your 26er felt like: 32/ 20 x 29= 46.4 ...the bigger the number the harder the force required to push. This caculations come in handy say if you (or I) were to hold an under ground race and require all riders to use the same ratio...someone is likely to have an old school crank that only accepts a 34t as the smallest mid ring... 34/ 19 x 26= 46.52
It comes down to what you CAN push and are comfortable with it for the long haul. Down here in Gallup I like to run the above examples on the D2D course and the stuff in the forest, but I'm a average rider and would blow up if I pushed any thing harder.
We know that races are pretty much won on the up hills, So if you race it, find a gear that works for you on the up hills and just plan on relaxing and spinning out the down hills...this goes for your trails or courses that you plan to visit...I could see you (Walker) pushing a 32 14or15 26 on the Road Apple Rally course.

In SSing you do a lot of standing. I'd say set up your bars a bit higher (for that stand possition), perhaps a bit longer for leg room too. Use wider bars for torque and stability. Use longer cranks to (if possible) to help with torque. Use an aggressive rear tire for traction (especially while standing). If you go front suspension, set it up a bit stiffer than normal--again do to the out-o-saddle cranking and your forward possition.
Stainless rings help with longevity, so do bmx chains. New Fatty cogs platform help with prevention of digging into AL hub shell driver bodies.
If you want to know how far each crank revolution plays out, you'd have to factor in PI = 3.14 something, something, something...UMMM, I like pie. cherry. apple.

Peace,
Stan

Yatahey Yataho Get on your bike and Go Go Go.