Hi

I’m going to try and cycle commute to work 14 miles each way along a flat mostly cycle path. Currently I have 32 x 13 gearing on my single speed. I was thinking of going 40 x 13 or 42. What are you guys running on your commuter? If it works out I’ll buy a road bike but it seems quiet a distance to cover daily for me at least. Thanks

72gi

You could try an 11T sprocket, see what that’s like and go from there? Just nick one off the end of a cassette.

52 x 17 is my most used gear, when I say my commute is flat though, it’s Cheshire flat…

I suppose really it depends on how fast you want to go 😀

you didn’t mention what wheels and tyres as that can make a difference, or if you’re going to be carrying any load, or if you work a manual job or desk job etc.

FWIW – 48:17 with 700x23C with 167.5mm cranks (~74 Gi) for hilly Devon when riding lightly loaded (ie: one pannier or less)

If it is dead flat then I’d probably go with 50:16 or 53:17 on that bike, but if you’re on 26inch wheels with slicks then gear higher, if you’ve got sticky knobblies then go lower, but this is all going to come down to personal preference for you and your riding style, spinning or grunting, riding with load or without, how tired you’ll be on the way home etc.

I would suggest you either start on a geared bike and work out what gear gives you a good compromise, or jsut crack on with what you have and adjust to suit.

You could try an 11T sprocket

An 11t wont slide on past the end of the freehub as it has the step/stop on it, smallest you can use and still have adjustable chainline is 12T, generally though, more teeth are better to spread the load and wear, an 11 or 12T won’t last long and will destroy your chain in no time, so once you find a ratio you like get some decent sized rings/sprockets on there, maintain the ratio, but do it with as many teeth as possible.

Fair points amedias, I figured a bad chainline wouldn’t be the end of the world for a trial of a ratio.

tails, this does all depend a bit on what kind of cycle path it is.

Smooth, wide tarmac, not shared use, good sight lines, not many junctions? Go nuts with the higher end of the recommendations.

Or gravel/dirt, narrow with restriction bars to stop motor vehicles, overgrown vegetation hiding dog walkers and prams round lots of blind corners? Better off lower.

Agree with first response of around 72GI but it all depends on whether you are a spinner or a grinder.
I like to spin and have ridden mostly fixed for last 10 years and I go for just under 70GI living in an undulating area but found I could maintain 20mph easily enough at around 100rpm

On the flat bits of mine (canal path stretch) I’m probably in 52-14 most of the time, going up and down a little to season. Probably not totally helpful but I wouldn’t choose singlespeed if you’re thinking it’s a lot of distance for you, it’ll be hard to find one gear that suits you when you’re fresh and when you’re tired and when the wind’s blowing…

I use gears but based on my 13 mile mainly flat commute I would have thought somewhere around 75″ (50×17/18) is the most used gear for me. Although I pootle rather than try to Strava it everyday.

52×14 is crazy long unless you’re really pushing very hard (faster than 25mph?).

I have my fixie geared for 20mph @ 100rpm (48×19 currently)

cheers guys think I’m going to go for the 40t with my existing 13t at the back unless it slips then I’ll replace the lot.

Strangely Salsa don’t seem to make chainrings anymore and lot’s of manufactures stop at 38t. Ideally it would be machined but FSA make one that’s cheap and their kit has always been reliable.

QBP are still making the rings they used to market as Salsa. Now being sold under the Dimension name. Try googling for a xxbcd xxT Dimension chainring and you’ll see quite quickly what an awful brand name it is for a component supplier.

Then you can call Charlie Bikemonger. He can get them in for you quite quickly.

ride a geared bike for a week, see what gear feels nice and then use that?

77″ apparently seems a bit steep. 45:17 with a 29″ wheel. I can get up the short hills I need to and I can pull away from lights fast enough. Good for 18-20mph cruising.

Somewhere around 70 may be better as my commute is short at 6 miles so I just pedal harder if it is windy.

Don’t understand why people grind such high gears. I know it’s personal preference, but…..

Usually use 72 fixed or gear down to 66 for hillier stuff

A singlespeed commuting bike should have a gear no bigger than the largest gear you’re willing to push into the worst imaginable headwind, drunk, while carrying the largest bag you ever have to bring back from the office.

🙂

High gears are relative. It works for me – I’m still wondering if I’ve got a 17 on the back as that does seem like a big gear. I used use 78″ on my 26″ (48:16) but was sure I dropped a few when I bought a new bike with 29″ wheels. The joy of singlespeeds is that I fitted it a few years ago and may have flipped it over at some point but it ha been on there a long time.

As BigDummy suggests, unless you are prepared to change sprockets then it should be set up for the worst conditions. It is a real pain riding home into a headwind having to stand up to turn the pedals knowing that standing up is just going to make it harder.

I’m on about 65 GI, it does limit my top speed but the odd kicker does not kill me. I used to run about 72 or so GI and it was a fair bit faster but I think I was fitter at the time as well as a zero hills commute. Gear down and you learn to spin.

A singlespeed commuting bike should have a gear no bigger than the largest gear you’re willing to push into the worst imaginable headwind, drunk, while carrying the largest bag you ever have to bring back from the office.

I prefer to gear for the 90% use case, rather than the edge cases, but I see where you’re coming from, my tourer/towing bike is geared (not SS) for just this reason so that I can still ride it home while towing 30Kg of junk + Panniers uphill, into a headwind, if necessary. My SS commuter is geared for optimum compromise in normal conditions.

Don’t understand why people grind such high gears. I know it’s personal preference, but…..

It’s all relative though isn’t it, relative to route, relative to your local geography, relative to your fitness, relative to any weight being carried etc.

74Gi is spot on for me on 700c for commuting and rides up to 40 miles around my area of Devon with a light load, has me cruising at 18mph and spinning out at about 22-23, which is perfect really.

Once I started using the trailer more often I re-evaluated and swapped to using my tourer when towing as hills were becoming annoying.

This is the problem OP, you jsut need to see what works for you, and ignore all of us offering advice 🙂