71″ on the Condor and 66″ on the Pompino with slight off road pretentations……….

If you started on 48×16, I’m not surprised you hated it. That’s a hard gear, even on the flat. The slightest headwind will have you cursing.

Dunno it was fine when I used the freewheel side, it’s very flat around here in Northamptonshire. I didn’t mind fixed for climbing actually as it kinda feels like it helps you climb somehow. Just hated it for descending and cornering at speed, I prefer to just coast for some of that sort of stuff.

Do any of you ride SS on your MTB? Seems similar to me.

Is the lower-gearing most use to learn to spin better?

TiRed – Member
The real purpose of fixed is to develop pedal stroke and perhaps fitness.

I’d hoped that the real purpose of fixed was whatever I wanted it to be? Mine is of course a SS like I said in the OP.

It was prefect on a 18.5mph 1 hour blast. I’m no big-gear masher either.

Do any of you ride SS on your MTB?

Exclusively. Standard 2:1 (34×17) gearing on a 26″ with a higher gear (34×15) for cross. I think fixed wheel riding builds strength, although I stand up a lot on the mtb. On 2:1 gearing, I will spin out on the flat at 16 mph, and that will be at about 110-120 rpm. Down hills I coast. SO yes the spinning does help with flat sections, but not much else.

76″ for me for commuting / club rides / reasonably hard rides seems to work, you find it out the saddle for step climbs but nice on the flat. Fixed just works for a winter bike keep that chain oiled and it’ll run nice throughout the winter.

I rode a 59″ fixed on longish (>70miles) hillyish (up into Teesdale) rides for a while. That was too low.

3:1 or just slightly bigger. My last one was 46:15 (81″). I have no idea how you could ride a smaller gear unless you only ride in very built-up areas and obey traffic lights. Top speed on some of the gears mentioned above must be about 15mph regardless of how fast you can spin.

42×16 on my freewheeling commuter hack is perfect compromise at 69 gear inches.

lornholio – Member
…Top speed on some of the gears mentioned above must be about 15mph regardless of how fast you can spin.

I top out at just over 28mph on a 67″ gear.

If I was clipped in I could probably manage a wee bit more, but that’s not worthwhile because I couldn’t sustain that for long anyway.

I’ve done a 100 miler in the Highlands on a 84″ gear, but my top speed on hills was approaching zero on the climbs. I can do the same loop faster on 65-67″

50×15 (87ish inch gear) fixed, and I usually don’t get above 35mph down a hill, 38 at a slightly scary push. Perfect for bashing along at 22mph on the flat.

Just switched from 32:16, to 32:17, on the (26er) SS mtb, and although the hills are more enjoyable now, I’ve been surprised at the hit on top speed when cruising back on the road.

I’ve got a first generation Langster which came with a 48:16. That was fine at the time (I was racing regularly then and a lot fitter than I am now!), it’s got a 48:17 (76″) on it now which is fine for most stuff, I can get up anything up to about 10% without any problems. I’ve even done a few crits on it, that gear is good up to about 30-32mph after which is gets very spinny and difficult to put the power down.

SS on the proper 26er, 31 X 16, 26er racer, 32 X 15 and on the fixed Karate Monkey 29er, 32 X 18 (I really like this gear, I did 100 mile Gravel dash on it last year. SS Pugsley, 32 X 19, Fixed Pugsley, will be 32 X 18………

49×18 (72″) on the fixed, up hill, down dale, even some MG TT’s. (If you’re TTing fixed, why not just do MG?) Comfortably sit at 21mph on the flat. And I’ve hit 42mph down hill. Going to go bigger get some more power in my legs, as I get all the spin training I need on the SS MTB.

44×18 (64.5) on the Pompino, seems good for my relatively hilly urban commute and general shopping duties. I’m in the process of converting my Caad10 to SS, will probably go for something in the 70″ range. SS rigid 29er has recently changed from 32×18 to 32×20, pretty ponderous on anything long and flat, but perfectly suited to the short, steep techy stuff which I now ride.

Top speed on some of the gears mentioned above must be about 15mph regardless of how fast you can spin.

Nonsense – see my sum on the previous page. I’ve ridden a 20 mph average speed club ride on 42×15. Bigger than 3:1 must see you averaging over 20 mph everywhere or averaging cadence in the 70s. My natural cadence is 95 – 105 and I gear appropriately for that.

Top speed on some of the gears mentioned above must be about 15mph regardless of how fast you can spin.

As I mentioned in my previous post, I have done 40mph downhill on my 68″ gear which equates to approx 200rpm. Can’t keep this up for long but it’s fun while it lasts 🙂

Just picked up my SS roadie commuter yesterday. It’s running 48/18 at the moment with is 70″ so It’ll be interesting to see how it goes for the first few rides.

It’s got a flip/flop rear hub as well so should be interesting to try it out fixed for a couple of commutes, probably when the roads are a bit quieter 😀

Did 20 miles on Friday, I hadn’t ridden my single speed for about 18 months – I’d forgotten how nice it is 😀
(A very girly 42×16 for me)