Single Speed Riders - Help Required!

[letmetalktomark]

Hi Folks,

This topic is getting quite a bit of coverage at the moments so i thought I would throw in a quick question :roll:

In a couple of week (5 I think) I'm riding the London to Brighton which I plan to ride SS :?

I used to use a 48 x 16 for a work commute but that was pretty harsh on the hills :shock:

and I use a 36/32 x 16 for off road.

Now I know that its a bit like asking how long a piece of string is....... but any recommendations on what I should run on the L to B?

My knees are pretty good :twisted: but I do want to make it to the end!

Any suggestions welcome.

Suggestions I ride with gears will be ignored :roll:


M

 

[one-eyed_jim]

700c: 42:16

26": 42:15

 

[letmetalktomark]

Ooh 42 x 15

Should have said its 26''.

I have limited rings - I have a 44, 36, 32 - and a 16 and 18 tooth rear.

Any ideas how a 44 x 18 would ride?

 

[one-eyed_jim]

Should have said its 26''.

I have limited rings - I have a 44, 36, 32 - and a 16 and 18 tooth rear.

Any ideas how a 44 x 18 would ride?

I think 44:16 would be about spot on.

70" is a good all round road gear. A 26" wheel with slicks is only about 25" in diameter, so 44:16 is a hair under. Should be fine if you're not in a rush. You really just want a middling gear to roll along on the flat that will let you grunt up the Beacon. 44:18 would be a bit low for 90% of the ride.

 

[Harryburgundy]

Would this be any help?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Robin-EH035-Four- ... .m63.l1177

 

[letmetalktomark]

Very good HB.

Cane see me on the finish line now:

I would have gotten away with it if it weren't for those pesky kids......

 

[dookie]

http://software.bareknucklebrigade.com/rabbit.applet.html

 

[Wold Ranger]

Hills

A lot of these guys ain't ridden Ditchling Beacon, Ur gonna be walking up with those gears! 32 x 15 or 16, it'll be slower but U'll get up the hills!! 42 front ring!!!!!! I'll book U in for replacement knee joints or worse now! Other thing to bare in mind with SS is to run longer cranks! 185 or even 195mm re not unknown for the extra leverage. Just a thought?

 

[one-eyed_jim]

Re: Hills

A lot of these guys ain't ridden Ditchling Beacon, Ur gonna be walking up with those gears! 32 x 15 or 16, it'll be slower but U'll get up the hills!! 42 front ring!!!!!! I'll book U in for replacement knee joints or worse now!

It's been a while since I rode up Ditchling Beacon, but the last time I did it was on a 70"-geared singlespeed, 42:16 on 700c. I had a 30 litre rucksack on the rear rack, and I'd just ridden down from Bath. I was in better shape then than I am now, but no Olympian.

London-Brighton is a flattish 60 mile ride with one steep hill a few miles from the end. I don't think it makes sense to make the first 55 miles an excruciating twiddle just to make that one climb less of a haul. Have you tried twiddling a 32:16 on the road for four hours?

44:17 might make sense. I wouldn't go lower.

Other thing to bare in mind with SS is to run longer cranks! 185 or even 195mm re not unknown for the extra leverage. Just a thought?

Even if 195mm cranks were easy to find, I've never really understood the sense in longer cranks for singlespeed. Leverage is what the gearing is there for. Why not just drop a tooth or two on the chainring?

 

[orange71]

try riding similar roads (I don't know what the route is like) with a multi-geared bike and try all the different ratios - find one which is comfortable and count the teeth!