Single speed bikes.

[croyde]

What are the usual amount of teeth on the front and rear cogs on a typical single speed?

I just want to emulate the gear on my 24 speed to see what it is like.

Cheers.

[mackie1]

I'm not singlespeeder but ride with a couple. It seems to vary a bit but towards the smallest rear sprocket and middle front ring. Try the 2nd or 3rd smallest and see how to get on.

[croyde]

Cheers.

[Bolebroke]

rather depends...I ride anywhere between a 46 and 48 on front with a 14-17 on the back...all depends on what is available..how I feel...used to pull a 50 15 along the embankment for a year on a loathsome Condor / Rapha pista set up...remember single speeding is all about fun...if you like spinning then lower you go !

[skibum]

It also depends on what surface you are gonna be riding. Most MTB singlespeeds tend to run a 32 up front and then a 16 at the back - giving the 2:1 ratio. Then they tend to increase the ratio towards 2.5:1

Personally I'm running a 38:16 on one of my set ups which is perfect for medium paced urban riding but doesnt always give the top speed I am looking for.

[Lord Pikey]

My Trek Soho is a 44 17 if that helps

[cheadle hulme]

42x16 on mine is 72 inches. Ok for flattish areas and doesn't compromise top speed much.

Use Sheldons gear calculator to work out your current set up. Then choose one between 69-75 inches.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gears/

[a11y_m]

Off-road or on-road?

I'm riding 32t x 20t on a 29"-wheeled MTB, but that's roughly equivalent to 32t x 18t on a 26"-wheeled bike. I've got a lot of hills around here and it's a good compromise for the hills and flatter bits. I just have to glide downhill though...

[mchammer89]

cheadle hulme said:

42x16 on mine is 72 inches. Ok for flattish areas and doesn't compromise top speed much.

Use Sheldons gear calculator to work out your current set up. Then choose one between 69-75 inches.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gears/

42/16 is the standard ratio that comes on most singlespeed bikes.

[a11y_m]

mchammer89 said:

cheadle hulme said:

42x16 on mine is 72 inches. Ok for flattish areas and doesn't compromise top speed much.

Use Sheldons gear calculator to work out your current set up. Then choose one between 69-75 inches.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gears/

42/16 is the standard ratio that comes on most singlespeed bikes.

Not on single-speed MTBs it's not, unless you've got legs of pure steel

32/16 is the standard for off-road use.

[mchammer89]

a11y_m said:

mchammer89 said:

cheadle hulme said:

42x16 on mine is 72 inches. Ok for flattish areas and doesn't compromise top speed much.

Use Sheldons gear calculator to work out your current set up. Then choose one between 69-75 inches.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gears/

42/16 is the standard ratio that comes on most singlespeed bikes.

Not on single-speed MTBs it's not, unless you've got legs of pure steel

32/16 is the standard for off-road use.

Whoops, just assumed the OP was talking about road bikes, is he?

[croyde]

Me the OP here. Its a hybrid that I have. Cheers for all the info people.

[croyde]

Me the OP here. Its a hybrid that I have. Cheers for all the info people.

[Samol]

I ride single speed off road 32-16, I live in the Lakes and it just gets me up most of the hills.
And for the road I ride 45-16 but I have to choose the routes I do.

[mchammer89]

Samol said:

I ride single speed off road 32-16, I live in the Lakes and it just gets me up most of the hills.
And for the road I ride 45-16 but I have to choose the routes I do.

Is that fixed or SS? I find fixed builds my strength much quicker, I rode from London ro Brighton on 44/15, some of the hills were pretty tough but I made it there.

[Lord Pikey]

Mr Rascal

Its not the belt number, its the base model with chain drive. There are some pics of it in the later pages of the "show off your bike thread".

I absolutely love it, it works perfectly in the city environment. Riding around here there are a lot of dropped curbs on the cycle paths and its such a nice change to not have to bunny hop (like i used to on my racer) them all the time for fear of snake bites. The standard tyres are puncture resistant and just about wide enough (30mm) to cope with the curb edges. There is also no chain slap noise when going up or down kerbs which adds to the nice stealth approach

The geometry fits me a lot better than my racer does. My racers position was too extreme for my back, my belly and my ball sack so the racer has now been converted to a exercise bike with the aid of a massive riser bar and a turbo trainer.

My only gripes are the schraider (sp) inner tubes loose pressure very quickly and my local trek shop is completely dumbfounded by my asking for them to order a 15t fixed gear for the other side of the flip flop hub. They are estimating 8 week lead time which to me just sounds like they cant be arsed. Around town with stop and start at intersections the 44/17 is fine, but if i get a clearer run i spin up to quickly so i really want to try a lower gear and the curiosity of riding a proper fixie will have been quenched.

[a11y_m]

Lord Pikey said:

Its not the belt number

LOL, I think he meant "is that the one with the belt drive" rather than asking if the number was a belt number. Or I could be wrong...

[Lord Pikey]

I meant its not belt drive.

[a11y_m]

Doh, quoting went wrong there - I was trying to quote Bedford Rascal!