After my first commute home on my ss 29er, i was surprised how much of a pull 30 x 18 was TBH, particularly on the climbs. So now i’m thinking that if i which to ride the bike off-road something lower may be in order.
Or do i just need a six pack of man up?

I ended up on 32:20 on mine on the Downs round Brighton.

I’m on 32×18.
I’ve been fine in Berkshire and Essex. Bit slow on the flats but I can mash up any hill so it works out okay.

Ohhhh 2004/5 all over again..

2:1 or something like innit.

32:16

I use a 34:19 for climbing..but have a 21 if in dire need.

When I rode SS on a 26″ wheel bike I ran the gear of champions – 32:16

That equates to 32:18 on a 29er, based on traditional “gear inch” measurements

When I moved to rigid 29er, I decided to make things a little easier on myself – I went to 32:20 to allow for the fact that I was running rigid and might need a bit more help. After a few months I moved to 32:19. Works nicely for me

32/16*26 = 52 gear inches
32/20*29 = 46.4 gear inches
32/19*29 = 48.8 gear inches

Your measurement is close to mine

30/18*29 = 48.3 gear inches

I’d say keep with it, it’ll get easier

Ohhhh 2004/5 all over again..

it was 26″ wheels them days.

29ers do make a difference to gearing.

33:19

Off road presumably?

32:18 here on a 29er. Yes, hills will always be hard work, (if you’re not up for that then gears are the answer!) but frankly I find road sections more of a PITA due to the spinning needed to go at a reasonable pace.

for a 29er I’ve a feeling it’s a bit lower/ gruntier – mate runs 30/19 or maybe even a bit lower.

My 26″ is on 32:17 or 32:16 if I’m feeling particularly manly.

Depends on the terrain as well, no?

32:18, any lower you’d be going nowhere quickly, that’s already a mad spin if you have to do any road work.

That gets me round nearly anything, W2 at afan etc is ok etc.

33×18 on mine, but purely to get the back end as short as possible. Would have been happier on 32×18 or 34×19.

32:18.
No hill I can’t climb on that*

DrP

*apart from a few hills.

Remember, NSFW.

No Singlespeeder Fears Walking. If in doubt, go tougher on the gearing, grunt till you can’t go any more then get off an push

Most riding, both commute & off-road is from West Yorks valley bottoms right up onto the tops, places like Outlane/Scammonden/Scapegoat Hill.

32/17, but I’m well ‘ard.

I was 32:17 on my 26er; that’s 48.9 gear inches. The reason being that where 17 is a prime number, the chain meshes with the same position on the rings and sprocket only once every 32×17 = 544 revolutions, thus evening out chain wear and preventing dead spots*

I’m now 34:20 on my 29er = 49.3 gear inches, so similar to the 32:17 of yore. Whether I’m now fitter, or the better rolling ability of the 29er wheel, I’m not sure, but I reckon it’s easier than my 26er. Oh, and it’s a wonky Taz ring too. So much so that I’m on the lookout for a 19 sprocket to see if i can hack that.

* either that, or it was that on-one didn’t have any Groove Armada 16’s in stock so sent me a 17 instead. It was one or the other, i forget now.

32:20 but I will swap to 19 when the 20 eventually wears out.

32×18 on mine. I used to run 32×16 in the halcyon of the 26″ wheel, so i set up my 29er to match it. In reality, the 29er feels like it’s a lower gear, although it’s not.

34:18 here and not had any problems……so far!

I was running 36:18 for Thetford, where it was just about fine if you accepted that you were going to be walking out of the steeper bomb holes. I’m usually so knackered after a few hours of going in and out of those things that I’d probably walk even if I had actual gears.

Now switched to 34:18 for Cannock next weekend, no idea what it’ll be like. Worst case I’ll walk.

On 26″ I have always used 2:1.

On the 29er I’m running 34:18 and that seems to be working out ok so far. Certainly seems to work for most things around the Chilterns.

I ride in the lakes so pretty hilly. Started with a 32:18 which was OK but swapped to a 19 which is more enjoyable tbh.

It’s spiny on the flat but I find it the best compromise.

32:18 or 32:16 depending on how unfit I am around the Mendips and Dartmoor.

34:20 only ratio i have used and that was because it was what i had and was to skint to try anything else, and it seems to be fine so i’m in no hurry to change.

Bit of a hijack but what do people think about oval chainrings? I’m intrigued to see how different they feel.

FWIW I’m running 32:16 on a 650b and I can get up most things as long as I don’t mind screaming legs and the taste of vomit/lungs.

I like my oval ring. When it wears out I’ll probably get another.

What’s the main benefit over normal rings though? I know they’re supposed to even out your power curve or something like that, but what’s the real world difference?

32×18 here in Bristol and can ride pretty much anything.

Never used oval rings and don’t see any advantage.

32/16 in the Chilterns has worked really well for me… when we did Charlies SS event in Swanage I changed it to 32/18 as the hills are bigger and we had a few more beers in the legs. Most of the guys who singlespeed in our (non club) club run 2:1 +/- 1 tooth.