On Mon, Dec 8, 2008 at 9:10 AM, Larry Powers <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> What part of the country do you ride in? I am trying to get a gauge on > the type of hills you are riding on. I am using the QB with a 40x17 and > have found this to be a pretty good gear. I am a bigger rider and find that > this leaves me enought for the hills and still lets me move fast enough on > the flats. I am in central Connecticut. Not to many real long climbs but > alot of short steep stuff. > > I do have a fixed 15 on the flip side. I don't do enought riding on the > fixed to be comfortable on long rides but if we will be doing a relatively > flat 15 to 20 miles that is the gear of choice. > I started with a 63" gear (that's what you get with a 40/17 and say a 28 mm tire), but despite being a spinner at the time found it very annnoying down grades and especially with tailwinds. I've pretty much found a 70" is a fine all round gear even for hills; a 46X18 will give you this. For faster rides on a light bike, even a 75" gear is good if I'm in shape and warmed up. The surprising thing -- again, when I started riding fixed 12 years ago I was a spinner, whose favorite cruising gear was 65" at 110 rpm -- about riding fixed for me was that it quickly turned me into a masher, so that even my off road bike has a 64" gear. Granted I don't ride in the mountains, but short, steep hills are still quite doable; I just stand. So, for me, in ascending order: 64" off road, 66" grocery bike, 69" commuter, 75" gofast. I can do the 7 mile Tramway climb in a 70" gear, taking it slowly. Pushing 54. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
