Damn boy. I came away from this with several takeaways. Also this is one of your best and most encouraging videos in a while. First, I've been following you for several years and your videos were a big part of getting me back into cycling and fixed gear riding. Some time back you published a documented ride with a rather high gear and an average cadence of 65rpm, and I sent a comment that you should try a lower gear and spinning and see how the speed compared. Glad that you are finally trying it. Second. When I was younger, I really tried to sell everyone I knew on spinning. I tried explaining that cycling should come from your lungs and heart not your legs. 90-100 rpm should be a good target cadence, even for a recreational rider. Third. This brings me to now. I'm old and slow. On my Kilo TT Pro I've got a 48x19 and an average ride is 65rpm, fast parts 80-90. My excuse is that I'm old, 74, 7 years post heart surgery. At my age heart rates in the 120s, are good exercise, with around 140 as peak, and this seemed to match. However... Fourth. Tomorrow before I go out for a ride, I'm going to swap over to a 44T chainring. Practice what I preach(ed). Spin to win.
I was running 42x17 on my bike and loved that its more relaxed compared to my other bike at 49x17. After watching this i searched through my cogs and found a 19 tooth. This ratio is awesome for commuting. I no longer arrive sweaty and have more control when the traffic gets tight. Im loving it, thanks heaps for the suggestion!
If you want to keep it apples to apples, shortening the cranks might also be necessary to maintain the same stroke velocity. Increasing cadence with the same crank length just raises stroke velocity, potentially recruiting more fast-twitch muscle fibers than before. My knee issues went away when I tried shorter cranks, resulting in a more straight piston-like pedaling motion.
As a hobbit onn 152's, mtb & bikepacking... shorter cranks and a smaller front ring. Guys far taller than I like it as well. 165 would be a great test for anyone. Even heavily loaded on big long climbs in the big mountains, for me, it works. Wieird, eh? Cheers
Haha its so funny how as fixed gear riders if we want to change gear we have to rebuild our bike and test it out for 30 days while every other cyclist just clicks a lever on their handle bars 😭 what are we doing
I run a 47/19 or a 47/18 living in hilly Seattle. Think it's one of the better ratios that allows you to cruise around at 20mph but can still take on hills. Keep thinking I'm going to change it but it's now been my go-to for 5+ years.
@@DelinquentPigeon The great thing about a 47t is that you never have to worry about skid patches if you use skids to brake. No matter what cog you run in the rear, you'll always have plenty of skid patches.
I’m 67 live in the uk. Quite hilly. Two bikes. 46/20 and a 48/22. Did Great Britain end to end last year on the 48/22. I think Zac you’ve finally seen the light, considerably earlier I did though. Spin to win!!
Gratz dude! The longest I’ve done was the coast to coast so Plymouth to ilfracombe. That was done on a 42 x 16 and relatively easy. Not thought of going big 48 x 20. I have a 22t banging around so might go and give it a ride.
Big time! I’ve settled on a 46/18 for my main bike, and 46/20 on my casual bike. Love it! I will say that downhill was tough for a bit, but that what my front brake is for lol
46/18 I'm here in Colorado. I can hang with the group riders, Mob through traffic with the homies, gravel goon whenever I want and I eat up big hills for breakfast. Iv been on the spin it to win it train for quite some time. Nice video. I feel glad to see your excitement around this experience.
I'm currently rehabilitating after a couple of nasty accidents. So I've been experimenting a lot and eventually I'm now riding 30 x 22 and 152mm Cranks - cycling is fun again!
Very interesting to hear your experience! I ride quite a spinny gear anyway (48/19) and it works for me. The heavy gear might make you strong but spinning is a skill too and fixed gear is especially good for it because there is no dead spot.
Dude, that Knee injury you said at 7:30 is what happened to me, it was really painful for a few months, then: I started slow running every morning for 1 hour I started doing CrossFit, BUT I stayed at Level 1, no weight and go slow And most Importantly I stretched for 30+ minutes focusing on the Hips Good to 'see you', take care
I've been running 46/18 for about two years now, and it feels amazing. It's heavier than what you tried but definitely lighter than what most people ride, and as a commute and trick rider it hits the spot just right.
40/18 on my fixed cyclocross bike so I can actually go up some hill. Shorter cranks help with the higher cadence, less bounce at the upper end around 110-125+. I'm 6'2" and went down to 170 cranks from 175. Great video
I started off with a 44:19 gear ratio when I started riding fixed gears and eventually geared up to 46:19, not much difference but still lighter. I went with a low gear ratio because I rode road bikes prior to getting into fixed gears. Since I was use to high rpm pedaling it wasn't a big deal to me, its also comfy on long hill climbs as well and I still caught up with my friends on bigger ratios. It's still personal preference on which ranges riders would go. Light gear ratios will eventually save your knees from injuries, I haven't had any knee issues until I stopped riding 😅.
Crank length matters too. The guy that won the Tour de France this year used 165mm (172.5mm is normally used for his height). Even with the same gear ratios, shorter cranks are more efficient - you don’t have to have a higher cadence. Someone the height of Zach could easily use 165mm. It’s better on the knees too.
@@miatomi I was just pointing out that someone as tall as Zach can have what many might consider to be a “short”crank. He might actually be able to go shorter, but at a certain point the efficiency drops off.
@@miatomi Thank you! It's so unproductive how some try emulating one pro's setup just because they won. Optimizing fit doesn't mean ride someone else's bike. lol
that's bunk. if it were more efficient, everyone would be already using it. it is however proven to be not hurting maximum power, goes against common sense, but common sense is often wrong. not much of an issue to go 165, 155, or even 145, but the upside you could prevent knee issues down the line. (source: appleman, and also dr. jim martin's research)
@@0neSillyG00se It is just an example of someone using cranks that are shorter than what is conventionally used. Spinning didn’t used to be a thing in road cycling, but now it is. I don’t think pros change their position on a whim.
i rode skinny gear ratios for a few years, and started getting hella pain on both achilles tendons and ankles. messed with my fit like crazy and it just kept getting worse. switched to a taller gear, and even though it was harder to push, my pain started decreasing. eventually i ended up doing something completely dumb like a 53-55/15, and fell in love with riding again. i was sprinting faster, riding further, and my average speed shot up like 3-4mph. i'm a pretty big guy tho, and i think the rotating mass that was my legs wasn't conducive with high rpms. i was able to just kinda throw my weight around and lean into the taller ratios without causing any inflammation. i'd probably have a more positive experience with spinning if i was maybe 100lbs lighter and not built like a linebacker.
Felt similar, even on regular bike. Eventually you'll get used to it. Listen to your body and your knees and your back and make sure you do a lot of stretches. When you spin you actually moving muslces more, just not "harder". My glutes got tight one day and my back was hurting, had to get massage done and did some stretching, also switched to weight training OFF the bike since not doing it so much ON the bike with gear ratios. There's always a trade off.
For almost a decade of riding fixed gear I always picked a high gear ratio. Last year i decided to lower my gear from 48:14 to 44:17. It really changed my life now I'm sure that this ratio will be my last
I've used 48/18 from very beginning and it's easy for a flat city I live at. When cycling outside of city on flatland to rolling hills with a headwind around 20km/h I appreciate this ratio as I still can move on. Though, last time wind was stronger and I wished I have 19T cog on other side so I could flip wheel.
I had switched to a 19t on my cruiser. That was a lot of spin. After this, I'll be swapping an 18t to a 19t on my single speed and see what happens. I know it will make the hills and starts really easy. I am curious what it will do on the cruise. Thanks for inspiring the change to see what happens.
45x19 with 42c tires is what i run. i ride lots of really big offroad climbs in portland and im over 200 lbs so i like a lighter ratio. i have done some pretty long rides with it including a 250 mile non stop from portland to seattle. the only downside for me is trying to keep pace with riders on my traditional ratios..until we get to the hills.
A lot of militaries had bicycle infantry in WWII. They all used single speed bicycles. Almost all of them had a gearing of around 65 gear inches. In my opinion 65 gear inches is the ideal all purpose gearing. You're reasonably fast on the flats but you can still get up steep hills with some effort, and gentle hills are no big deal. I mean, not only does it feel really good on my bicycles, but you have to figure various militaries did a lot of testing and there must have been very good reasons they settled on 65.
There are still roadies who insist they can use a full sized 53/39 crankset over a compact 50/34. As if anyone is spinning out a 4.54 ratio on compact. . .bruh ( . -.) Anyway, been liking your content for 7 years now. Getting back into riding again after a couple years off running/lifting for track n' field. I've missed cycling so much and plan on giving it everything for a while. And have finally convinced myself to build up a fixed gear for threshold training, but also just enjoying something less serious than being a roadie.
@@redkeyspoke True, not the typical roadie defense of 53/39 chainring though. And I was talking about chainrings, not cassettes, with gear ratio as the topic. Wasn’t debating the efficiency of identical ratios given different gear sizes. And chain line is more a factor of gear range, not size. But I do love the topic of drivetrain efficiency. I hope someone else can find this rant neat. Simply put as I can, friction created by a roller chain is proportional to (chain tension)x(sine of lateral deflection)x(link articulation angle at a given engagement or disengagement point)x(number of link articulations per unit time at that point)x(total engagement and disengagement points in the complete drivetrain) Focusing on the topic of efficiency with varied gear size given the same ratio. Essentially, friction is created each time an individual link under tension, bends (articulates) as it contacts and leaves the teeth of a gear. “Articulation angle” is proportional to gear size… smaller gears have a larger angle of articulation… bending more under tension creates more friction. A derailleur-style drivetrain contains 8 engagement and disengagement articulation points, single speed has 4. The link articulation points associated with the top chain span experience the highest high tension, responsible for transferring the rider’s power. The other link articulation points experience tension independent of rider power. While larger gears will always be more efficient, some engagement points have more or less opportunity for increased efficiency. Going from a standard to oversized pulley wheel will save NO MORE than 0.9-1.5w at best… not that fixed riders have such weakness. But the two engagement points that transfer rider power… where the chain leaves the cog and starts on the chainring… are the highest tension points of articulation and have most efficiency gains with alteration. Most watt savings will be from a larger cog. The difference in articulation angle/efficiency of going from a 10 to 14 is more dramatic than any chainring swap. But a corresponding chainring will be needed to maintain gear ratio. The real-world tangibility of this is that a 53/19 will feel smoother and last longer than a 48/17… And that a 63/23 will have more FixiePoints 😎than a 49/18. Well, I’ve thoroughly embarrassed myself, good day.
I live in Rwanda(the land of a thousand hills) And spinning to win is the only way to win here. Not an option. So so much so, I run a 48/28😂😂😂. You climb hills way easier, and you don't have to pedal down hills 😊
I like to see what works best for me. Especially since my left leg is tricky. I was hit by a car and my left leg plus a few other things randomly give me problems. So I try to mix it up whenever I’m able to see what works best for me. But feel you on it taking a few weeks to get used to a new ratio.
Running 48/13 for extreme straights and while 48/17 on my flipped hub for general riding. Yes it takes more muscle to hold good cadence but it feels like a good quad workout when running it
I don't ride fixed (single speed sometimes, sorry lol) but I found I needed to do the same thing. After riding my road bike with 53-36 front rings and 11-28 rear and using the small ring on the middle of the gears has made it so I can ride for hours and spin at like 90+ RPM without issue.
Welcome to spinny club. i have steamroller 44/19 40mm/700c gravelkings. My Vigorelli 46/19 28mm/700c gp5000, And i live in a pretty hill area. Works for me
it's not what the general population prefers, and it's not even what's measured to be most metabolically efficient. i also spin, but this was never a proven thing, just something said by people and it kinda became "truth" over time. (source: dr. jim martin's research papers)
I started biking in 2021 and ride single speed since 2022, later switched to fixie. I never understood why you were referring to these high gear ratios as "perfect". I ride 2,625 in summer and 2,33 in winter (with spikes). I also rode a >300 km event this year with 2,33 and I cannot imagine doing that with my summer gear ratio. Maybe next year.
Gear ratio matters for speed. My casual track is 48/17, but my group traning/long distance track is 51/16. The former feels way too light at times, but I can climb the steepest hills with it at least. It's mostly incredibly flat here though.
We've been telling you this for years. Old time European pros ride singlespeed bikes in early season. Spin for aerobics and VO2 max, crank a big gear for the orthopedic surgeon.
lmao, 46/16 on a flat but gusty Jacksonville, Florida, Can out spin my bike that it would lift my rear, decent spinny enough gear. Stock gear ratio isn't bad.
Been spinning for a 5 years now, prior was running 88 gear inches with enough leg power to make that work.....its just safer, more fun and wayyyy more versatile...off road stuff becomes doable,
When I started to think about to upgrade my bike and buy a Hollowtech bottom breaket i thought about change my gears ratio from 44/17 to 48/17, but since l tried a 48/17 I didnt feel well, I really think keep the 44/17 or maybe 46/17 is better,
Makes me wonder if just riding with a derailleur, and a wide gear range might just be better for your legs. Why is there not a simple kit to throw a 9 speed cassette and derailleur on fixed/single speed frames?
I live in Plymouth UK and it's a small and hilly city and I ran a low gear that I had to change to a higher gear because I was getting knee pain from the movement of my knees from traveling down hills at a high speeds
If foam rolling is the hardest part of the workout, your workout rpe is low on intense rides. As noted by avoiding sprints/intensity due to lung discomfort.
I know there are ways to calculate the overall ratio, but I’m too lazy to look it up right now… I wonder how these gear ratios compare to big BMX bikes. 29” tire, running 36-16. Some bikes are 33-16 but I find they don’t have enough speed and they wear me out quicker.
In an urban environment I'd tend to agree that lighter gears are better for the stop/start. BUT...in hilly areas spinning downhill on a low gear is less fun than grinding uphill on a big gear. There is definitely a balance.
My fixed gear bike has 48/18 gearing. Rode track years ago, and I also have a fully geared bike, so my normal rpm is 90 or faster. Good leg muscles, though I'm definitely not Quadzilla.
Probably, you are first person running 48/18 I see on Internet. I thought I'm unique (because I'm not skidding and don't care about skid patches). Do you keep chain meshed on same teeth, I mean when replacing after taking wheel off? We have both rings w/ even number of teeth.
For me your saddle is way to behind with respect the center of the chainring thats why you have problems with your knees bring the saddle more in front so you can learn to dorsiflexion your toes
Hey Zack, sé que hablas español, no te cansas de la espalda y los hombros por rodar en esa posición?, osea, veo que tú manubrio está mucho más abajo que la altura de tu asiento
Damn boy. I came away from this with several takeaways. Also this is one of your best and most encouraging videos in a while.
First, I've been following you for several years and your videos were a big part of getting me back into cycling and fixed gear riding. Some time back you published a documented ride with a rather high gear and an average cadence of 65rpm, and I sent a comment that you should try a lower gear and spinning and see how the speed compared. Glad that you are finally trying it.
Second. When I was younger, I really tried to sell everyone I knew on spinning. I tried explaining that cycling should come from your lungs and heart not your legs. 90-100 rpm should be a good target cadence, even for a recreational rider.
Third. This brings me to now. I'm old and slow. On my Kilo TT Pro I've got a 48x19 and an average ride is 65rpm, fast parts 80-90. My excuse is that I'm old, 74, 7 years post heart surgery. At my age heart rates in the 120s, are good exercise, with around 140 as peak, and this seemed to match. However...
Fourth. Tomorrow before I go out for a ride, I'm going to swap over to a 44T chainring. Practice what I preach(ed). Spin to win.
I was running 42x17 on my bike and loved that its more relaxed compared to my other bike at 49x17. After watching this i searched through my cogs and found a 19 tooth. This ratio is awesome for commuting. I no longer arrive sweaty and have more control when the traffic gets tight. Im loving it, thanks heaps for the suggestion!
If you want to keep it apples to apples, shortening the cranks might also be necessary to maintain the same stroke velocity. Increasing cadence with the same crank length just raises stroke velocity, potentially recruiting more fast-twitch muscle fibers than before.
My knee issues went away when I tried shorter cranks, resulting in a more straight piston-like pedaling motion.
As a hobbit onn 152's, mtb & bikepacking... shorter cranks and a smaller front ring. Guys far taller than I like it as well. 165 would be a great test for anyone. Even heavily loaded on big long climbs in the big mountains, for me, it works. Wieird, eh? Cheers
@@brianwarshow129 i'm 180cm and switched to 152mm cranks - never want to go back, and i was on 165 too
@@FractalZero Right on, It seems to work for some people regardless of height. Just got another pair for my other main bike. Had to. Cheers
Haha its so funny how as fixed gear riders if we want to change gear we have to rebuild our bike and test it out for 30 days while every other cyclist just clicks a lever on their handle bars 😭 what are we doing
What indeed
That's pretty much my ratio on my singlespeed mtb. 38/18. I'm 42 years now and the older i get the more i'm in spinning rather than pushing :)
I run a 47/19 or a 47/18 living in hilly Seattle. Think it's one of the better ratios that allows you to cruise around at 20mph but can still take on hills. Keep thinking I'm going to change it but it's now been my go-to for 5+ years.
Seattle also. I’m 48/19, but this made me want to try a smaller chainring.
@@DelinquentPigeon The great thing about a 47t is that you never have to worry about skid patches if you use skids to brake. No matter what cog you run in the rear, you'll always have plenty of skid patches.
I’m 67 live in the uk. Quite hilly. Two bikes. 46/20 and a 48/22. Did Great Britain end to end last year on the 48/22. I think Zac you’ve finally seen the light, considerably earlier I did though. Spin to win!!
Gratz dude! The longest I’ve done was the coast to coast so Plymouth to ilfracombe. That was done on a 42 x 16 and relatively easy. Not thought of going big 48 x 20. I have a 22t banging around so might go and give it a ride.
Big time! I’ve settled on a 46/18 for my main bike, and 46/20 on my casual bike. Love it!
I will say that downhill was tough for a bit, but that what my front brake is for lol
46/18 I'm here in Colorado. I can hang with the group riders, Mob through traffic with the homies, gravel goon whenever I want and I eat up big hills for breakfast. Iv been on the spin it to win it train for quite some time. Nice video. I feel glad to see your excitement around this experience.
I'm currently rehabilitating after a couple of nasty accidents. So I've been experimenting a lot and eventually I'm now riding 30 x 22 and 152mm Cranks - cycling is fun again!
Very interesting to hear your experience! I ride quite a spinny gear anyway (48/19) and it works for me. The heavy gear might make you strong but spinning is a skill too and fixed gear is especially good for it because there is no dead spot.
Dude, that Knee injury you said at 7:30 is what happened to me, it was really painful for a few months, then:
I started slow running every morning for 1 hour
I started doing CrossFit, BUT I stayed at Level 1, no weight and go slow
And most Importantly I stretched for 30+ minutes focusing on the Hips
Good to 'see you', take care
I've been running 46/18 for about two years now, and it feels amazing. It's heavier than what you tried but definitely lighter than what most people ride, and as a commute and trick rider it hits the spot just right.
i just bought my 18T as i have 46T crank. your comment made me excited
40/18 on my fixed cyclocross bike so I can actually go up some hill. Shorter cranks help with the higher cadence, less bounce at the upper end around 110-125+. I'm 6'2" and went down to 170 cranks from 175.
Great video
I started off with a 44:19 gear ratio when I started riding fixed gears and eventually geared up to 46:19, not much difference but still lighter. I went with a low gear ratio because I rode road bikes prior to getting into fixed gears. Since I was use to high rpm pedaling it wasn't a big deal to me, its also comfy on long hill climbs as well and I still caught up with my friends on bigger ratios. It's still personal preference on which ranges riders would go. Light gear ratios will eventually save your knees from injuries, I haven't had any knee issues until I stopped riding 😅.
SS 44/19 with 165mm cranks on Gravel King SS 38's. Works for me in LA.
My brother is definitely getting older now. 😅 I still remember the early days of the channel.
We like him unlike you we don't like you 😂
Bouncing when peddling can be overcome by practice and concentrating on making smoothe circles.
Good points. Love it. This explains my kneecaps looking weird. I’m on a 50/13… I gotta reduce that ratio.
You are not kidding on the stop start went from 46/16 to 46/20 feel faster without killing the legs
Crank length matters too. The guy that won the Tour de France this year used 165mm (172.5mm is normally used for his height). Even with the same gear ratios, shorter cranks are more efficient - you don’t have to have a higher cadence. Someone the height of Zach could easily use 165mm. It’s better on the knees too.
The right crank length is important. And fit for crank length should not be based on height.
@@miatomi I was just pointing out that someone as tall as Zach can have what many might consider to be a “short”crank. He might actually be able to go shorter, but at a certain point the efficiency drops off.
@@miatomi Thank you! It's so unproductive how some try emulating one pro's setup just because they won. Optimizing fit doesn't mean ride someone else's bike. lol
that's bunk. if it were more efficient, everyone would be already using it. it is however proven to be not hurting maximum power, goes against common sense, but common sense is often wrong. not much of an issue to go 165, 155, or even 145, but the upside you could prevent knee issues down the line. (source: appleman, and also dr. jim martin's research)
@@0neSillyG00se It is just an example of someone using cranks that are shorter than what is conventionally used. Spinning didn’t used to be a thing in road cycling, but now it is. I don’t think pros change their position on a whim.
38/22 in a hilly town. Flat I would probably do a a 42/22
that's going a bit far isn't it? do you have like 125 mm cranks and spin at 150 all times?
1:04 this chart is awesome. Everyone should grab a shot of it. But you can use your front break as a governor.
Part of what attracts me to fixed gear street riding is the lower cadence because I really like to spin when I have gears.
i rode skinny gear ratios for a few years, and started getting hella pain on both achilles tendons and ankles. messed with my fit like crazy and it just kept getting worse.
switched to a taller gear, and even though it was harder to push, my pain started decreasing. eventually i ended up doing something completely dumb like a 53-55/15, and fell in love with riding again. i was sprinting faster, riding further, and my average speed shot up like 3-4mph.
i'm a pretty big guy tho, and i think the rotating mass that was my legs wasn't conducive with high rpms. i was able to just kinda throw my weight around and lean into the taller ratios without causing any inflammation.
i'd probably have a more positive experience with spinning if i was maybe 100lbs lighter and not built like a linebacker.
I use 44/13 on my 727. Once you get up and going, you are definitely moving with that ratio too.
Felt similar, even on regular bike. Eventually you'll get used to it. Listen to your body and your knees and your back and make sure you do a lot of stretches. When you spin you actually moving muslces more, just not "harder". My glutes got tight one day and my back was hurting, had to get massage done and did some stretching, also switched to weight training OFF the bike since not doing it so much ON the bike with gear ratios. There's always a trade off.
We both have Wabi Thunders with a 42/19 ratio! I really like having a spinny ratio here in hilly Seattle. It lets me stay on my bike for most climbs.
i just started also using spinning ratios and i'm loving it, 44/22 works very well for me and i think i'm not gonna change it
This made my knees hurt just watching. I hate feeling spinny
For almost a decade of riding fixed gear I always picked a high gear ratio. Last year i decided to lower my gear from 48:14 to 44:17. It really changed my life now I'm sure that this ratio will be my last
I've used 48/18 from very beginning and it's easy for a flat city I live at. When cycling outside of city on flatland to rolling hills with a headwind around 20km/h I appreciate this ratio as I still can move on. Though, last time wind was stronger and I wished I have 19T cog on other side so I could flip wheel.
50/16 checking in!!!
Yea !!
49/16 checking in
... also another d.animal checking in?
on the same setup!
I had switched to a 19t on my cruiser. That was a lot of spin. After this, I'll be swapping an 18t to a 19t on my single speed and see what happens. I know it will make the hills and starts really easy. I am curious what it will do on the cruise. Thanks for inspiring the change to see what happens.
Knee health is a factor. Just like terrain, weather, goal/expectation, etc. The only thing a casual cyclist needs to win at is Life.
45x19 with 42c tires is what i run. i ride lots of really big offroad climbs in portland and im over 200 lbs so i like a lighter ratio. i have done some pretty long rides with it including a 250 mile non stop from portland to seattle. the only downside for me is trying to keep pace with riders on my traditional ratios..until we get to the hills.
This video is brought to you by slobbi cycles
A lot of militaries had bicycle infantry in WWII. They all used single speed bicycles. Almost all of them had a gearing of around 65 gear inches. In my opinion 65 gear inches is the ideal all purpose gearing. You're reasonably fast on the flats but you can still get up steep hills with some effort, and gentle hills are no big deal. I mean, not only does it feel really good on my bicycles, but you have to figure various militaries did a lot of testing and there must have been very good reasons they settled on 65.
65 is exactly what i run for everything. can climb pretty much everything and still do a century at a reasonable pace.
44x19 tracklocross.Was running 48 x14 road.It's a relief .
There are still roadies who insist they can use a full sized 53/39 crankset over a compact 50/34. As if anyone is spinning out a 4.54 ratio on compact. . .bruh ( . -.) Anyway, been liking your content for 7 years now. Getting back into riding again after a couple years off running/lifting for track n' field. I've missed cycling so much and plan on giving it everything for a while. And have finally convinced myself to build up a fixed gear for threshold training, but also just enjoying something less serious than being a roadie.
The larger chainrings are more efficient and allow them to keep a straighter chainline. The 10t or 11t cogs waste watts.
@@redkeyspoke True, not the typical roadie defense of 53/39 chainring though. And I was talking about chainrings, not cassettes, with gear ratio as the topic. Wasn’t debating the efficiency of identical ratios given different gear sizes. And chain line is more a factor of gear range, not size. But I do love the topic of drivetrain efficiency. I hope someone else can find this rant neat.
Simply put as I can, friction created by a roller chain is proportional to (chain tension)x(sine of lateral deflection)x(link articulation angle at a given engagement or disengagement point)x(number of link articulations per unit time at that point)x(total engagement and disengagement points in the complete drivetrain)
Focusing on the topic of efficiency with varied gear size given the same ratio. Essentially, friction is created each time an individual link under tension, bends (articulates) as it contacts and leaves the teeth of a gear. “Articulation angle” is proportional to gear size… smaller gears have a larger angle of articulation… bending more under tension creates more friction. A derailleur-style drivetrain contains 8 engagement and disengagement articulation points, single speed has 4. The link articulation points associated with the top chain span experience the highest high tension, responsible for transferring the rider’s power. The other link articulation points experience tension independent of rider power.
While larger gears will always be more efficient, some engagement points have more or less opportunity for increased efficiency. Going from a standard to oversized pulley wheel will save NO MORE than 0.9-1.5w at best… not that fixed riders have such weakness. But the two engagement points that transfer rider power… where the chain leaves the cog and starts on the chainring… are the highest tension points of articulation and have most efficiency gains with alteration.
Most watt savings will be from a larger cog. The difference in articulation angle/efficiency of going from a 10 to 14 is more dramatic than any chainring swap. But a corresponding chainring will be needed to maintain gear ratio. The real-world tangibility of this is that a 53/19 will feel smoother and last longer than a 48/17… And that a 63/23 will have more FixiePoints 😎than a 49/18.
Well, I’ve thoroughly embarrassed myself, good day.
As a long distance rider, the 53/11 let's me get out of the saddle without tipping over myself
i've been on 59 inch for over a decade now and pretty happy with it
the FGFS and Tx people are onto something running BMX/Gravel Cranks with tiny front chainrings
I live in Rwanda(the land of a thousand hills) And spinning to win is the only way to win here. Not an option. So so much so, I run a 48/28😂😂😂. You climb hills way easier, and you don't have to pedal down hills 😊
Used to live in TZ, would love to bring my fixed gear out to East Africa some day! Mungu akipenda
was waiting for this vid since the instragram post, definitely trying this
I like to see what works best for me. Especially since my left leg is tricky. I was hit by a car and my left leg plus a few other things randomly give me problems. So I try to mix it up whenever I’m able to see what works best for me. But feel you on it taking a few weeks to get used to a new ratio.
Running 48/13 for extreme straights and while 48/17 on my flipped hub for general riding. Yes it takes more muscle to hold good cadence but it feels like a good quad workout when running it
I prefer a higher cadence, and I live in SW PA and it's a hillfest sooooooo. No slow grinding here. My knees would never forgive me
48/16 is my ratio right now for a few months, feels fun an fast, could change for smth easier later on
I don't ride fixed (single speed sometimes, sorry lol) but I found I needed to do the same thing. After riding my road bike with 53-36 front rings and 11-28 rear and using the small ring on the middle of the gears has made it so I can ride for hours and spin at like 90+ RPM without issue.
Welcome to spinny club. i have steamroller 44/19 40mm/700c gravelkings. My Vigorelli 46/19 28mm/700c gp5000, And i live in a pretty hill area. Works for me
A cadence around 90 is the optimum. Maybe hurts fixie riders, but the best and most efficient way to get this, is to use gears. :D
it's not what the general population prefers, and it's not even what's measured to be most metabolically efficient. i also spin, but this was never a proven thing, just something said by people and it kinda became "truth" over time. (source: dr. jim martin's research papers)
I started biking in 2021 and ride single speed since 2022, later switched to fixie.
I never understood why you were referring to these high gear ratios as "perfect".
I ride 2,625 in summer and 2,33 in winter (with spikes). I also rode a >300 km event this year with 2,33 and I cannot imagine doing that with my summer gear ratio. Maybe next year.
Gear ratio matters for speed. My casual track is 48/17, but my group traning/long distance track is 51/16. The former feels way too light at times, but I can climb the steepest hills with it at least.
It's mostly incredibly flat here though.
Onoda-kun Raise your cadence by .... FIVE!
How you like the super wide drops? I have them on my gravel bike, but on a fixed gear bike is interesting.
We've been telling you this for years.
Old time European pros ride singlespeed bikes in early season.
Spin for aerobics and VO2 max, crank a big gear for the orthopedic surgeon.
I’m running 42-17 single speed, with 40mm tires- I spin out around 20mph, but cruising 15-16mph feels great.
I recently stepped down from a 46-17 to a 44-18 and I'm much happier. I stole a 44T from my 20" bmx bike, and an 18T cog from my 24" bmx race cruiser.
Hmmm! Food for thought!
lmao, 46/16 on a flat but gusty Jacksonville, Florida, Can out spin my bike that it would lift my rear, decent spinny enough gear. Stock gear ratio isn't bad.
Been spinning for a 5 years now, prior was running 88 gear inches with enough leg power to make that work.....its just safer, more fun and wayyyy more versatile...off road stuff becomes doable,
I used 42/23 (old and heavy bike - 20 kg) and did a 180 km ride this summer.
welcome to the spin club! xD
I use 44/22 and carry a passenger, sometimes uphill, and this ratio makes it so easy
4919 right now. what goes up must come down.
*race bike will be like 98’’
Going to try shorter cranks when I switch to spin setup
When I started to think about to upgrade my bike and buy a Hollowtech bottom breaket i thought about change my gears ratio from 44/17 to 48/17, but since l tried a 48/17 I didnt feel well, I really think keep the 44/17 or maybe 46/17 is better,
More Barbara please
I've been running a 45 19 for a while now but chill
Makes me wonder if just riding with a derailleur, and a wide gear range might just be better for your legs. Why is there not a simple kit to throw a 9 speed cassette and derailleur on fixed/single speed frames?
46/16 in my flat area of Tokyo. Same ratio for at least 10 years. I've tried other ratios but 'This is my ratio. There are many like it........'
I live in Plymouth UK and it's a small and hilly city and I ran a low gear that I had to change to a higher gear because I was getting knee pain from the movement of my knees from traveling down hills at a high speeds
spin ftw
One of my bikes is 42 /16 that’s the steel ratio my aluminum bike is 49/16
If foam rolling is the hardest part of the workout, your workout rpe is low on intense rides. As noted by avoiding sprints/intensity due to lung discomfort.
i'm not convinced wabbi is best at anything at all
bro im bouncing in your usual 49/17. I think 49/15 is the best
I just farted into my hand and then smelled it
That's called a buttercup
What did it smell like?
@@keithjackson9976 most probably ass gas
Lmao have you ever tried farming into a sports cap bottle though and using it is a dispenser bottle for later wafting
Wtf guys 😂😂
I know there are ways to calculate the overall ratio, but I’m too lazy to look it up right now… I wonder how these gear ratios compare to big BMX bikes. 29” tire, running 36-16. Some bikes are 33-16 but I find they don’t have enough speed and they wear me out quicker.
In an urban environment I'd tend to agree that lighter gears are better for the stop/start. BUT...in hilly areas spinning downhill on a low gear is less fun than grinding uphill on a big gear. There is definitely a balance.
42x17 FTW.
Now i wanna know the benefit if you would use a high flange carbon wheelset...???
46 X 15 here, maybe i'll give this a shot
Wow, 49/17! I'm at a 52/13. I'd probably get wrecked trying this
this is what i do on my unicycle. even a 36" wheel is fairly spinny
My fixed gear bike has 48/18 gearing. Rode track years ago, and I also have a fully geared bike, so my normal rpm is 90 or faster. Good leg muscles, though I'm definitely not Quadzilla.
Probably, you are first person running 48/18 I see on Internet. I thought I'm unique (because I'm not skidding and don't care about skid patches). Do you keep chain meshed on same teeth, I mean when replacing after taking wheel off? We have both rings w/ even number of teeth.
@@event4216 I don't really worry about chain meshing. I do adjust tension at different rotations, and try to get a completely noiseless gear train.
@@GordonMoat Oh, that's chain wear prolongation technique described by Sheldon Brown.
What tire size? I find that also plays a factor
I daily 46/19 at age 30 and run 49/15 on my crit bike. Spin to win baybeeeee
40/18 on my fixed all city nature cross ss
53x15 baby
For me your saddle is way to behind with respect the center of the chainring thats why you have problems with your knees bring the saddle more in front so you can learn to dorsiflexion your toes
Is 53/14 good for flat areas?
If your goal is to destroy your knees yes.
@@YippeeSkippie426 road bikes don’t use your knees to brake….
@@randomdude5938 ive never had knee pain. Ive also used 50/11 for a year and it was my favorite ratio
@@codmxbaconatorx1956 talk to me in 20 years kiddo
Is 45/19 ratio good?
Where did you get that clip of the orangutan falling 😭💀
Hey Zack, sé que hablas español, no te cansas de la espalda y los hombros por rodar en esa posición?, osea, veo que tú manubrio está mucho más abajo que la altura de tu asiento
im rocking a 28/22, but its a fixed gear mountain bike
I've just recently started outgrowing spinning to win. So We going all in. 52-11
Great, are you living on a velodrome?
@@johnhatfield1070it's a lot but I think I can work up to it
My summer 40*16 is little bit faster on high speed, but much more exhausting than my winter 40*18 by the way.. average speed in the city the same.
the Older you are, the more comfortable you on Lower Gear
Running 45 x 16, it’s the right balance of spin and speed.