Fixed gear ratios

[dcv]

All kidding aside, finding the right FG gear ratio is a matter of personal preference and the type of rides you plan to go fixed. I have two scenarios:

– A gear to climb the toughest hill (41st St)
– A gear to keep up on medium pace group rides

I’d suggest you figure out a few preferred gear ratios, then build a bike for each.
I prefer 165 – 170 mm cranks (spin to win).

[dasgeh]

@Raymo853 106111 wrote:

Driving to go ride, ugh.

If you don’t want to drive to ride, you could get one of those newfangled bikes that have multiple gears…

[OneEighth]

I’m with dcv on crank length. Shorter cranks also leave me less worried about pedal strike in the corners.
As for ratios, it’s good to see what others are doing, but whatever works best for you is what’s best for you.
And, honestly, what feels about right today may not work tomorrow. This time of year, 48×16 on the steel bike can feel like a slog. Come Spring and Summer, it will feel right. I’m just not in the mood to switch out the cog and chain.

[Raymo853]

@dasgeh 106128 wrote:

If you don’t want to drive to ride, you could get one of those newfangled bikes that have multiple gears…

Don’t worry, to prove my hypocrisy, I plan to drive to Leesburg Saturday morning to ride my geared road bike around out there. Hypocrisy is not just the name of a mountain range in Turkey.

[hozn]

@Raymo853 106165 wrote:

Don’t worry, to prove my hypocrisy, I plan to drive to Leesburg Saturday morning to ride my geared road bike around out there. Hypocrisy is not just the name of a mountain range in Turkey.

That looks like a perfect route to ride out to ride … And you’ll even have gears and a road bike! Or is it that you are riding your MTB 55 miles *and* doing Snotcycle? That would be a different story.

[dcv]

@hozn 106182 wrote:

That looks like a perfect route to ride out to ride … And you’ll even have gears and a road bike! Or is it that you are riding your MTB 55 miles *and* doing Snotcycle? That would be a different story.

A few of those roads are gravel, but they’re the “new” type of gravel that pretty much seem paved. So disappointed the last time I was out there.

[Tim Kelley]

@hozn 106182 wrote:

*and* doing Snotcycle?

See you there!

[vvill]

@dcv 106184 wrote:

A few of those roads are gravel, but they’re the “new” type of gravel that pretty much seem paved. So disappointed the last time I was out there.

Wait wait, did they pave some of the gravel grinder roads out there??

[dcv]

@vvill 106194 wrote:

Wait wait, did they pave some of the gravel grinder roads out there??

Old Wheatland and Old Waterford almost seem paved now. Furnace Mountain Rd was still gravel two weeks ago. Not sure about Piggot Bottom Road.

[Rod Smith]

Chip seal

[hozn]

I did Furnace Mountain for the first time this past fall. Didn’t realize it was gravel; the 23mm tires got some exercise.

I am sure the residents appreciate the improved surfaces.

[DaveK]

@hozn 106200 wrote:

I did Furnace Mountain for the first time this past fall. Didn’t realize it was gravel; the 23mm tires got some exercise.

I am sure the residents appreciate the improved surfaces.

A lot of them don’t want the improvement – http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/loudoun-wants-to-keep-its-historic-potholed-gravel-roads-unpaved/2014/02/14/ccdda5e0-94c8-11e3-84e1-27626c5ef5fb_story.html

[vvill]

@dcv 106196 wrote:

Old Wheatland and Old Waterford almost seem paved now. Furnace Mountain Rd was still gravel two weeks ago. Not sure about Piggot Bottom Road.

No, not Old Waterford!!

[Raymo853]

@hozn 106182 wrote:

That looks like a perfect route to ride out to ride … And you’ll even have gears and a road bike! Or is it that you are riding your MTB 55 miles *and* doing Snotcycle? That would be a different story.

No I am not doing Snotcycle and I suspect I will not get there early enough to see much of the race.

[Subby]

@Rod Smith 106199 wrote:

Chip seal

We better get back out there and do our li’l old route again before everything is paved.

[Author]

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