Instead of 20:10, 30:15, 40:20, etc. etc.

Is it something to do with balancing ground clearance with chain life/reducing chain slipping? Or did some bearded bloke just decide that 32:16 would be the standard one day?

The god father speaks

Maybe because most middle rings are 32 and that makes it an easy conversion? Plus someone told me that 32 is the smallest you can have on the middle ring position.

Standard middle chainring size is 32 teeth innit.

Ok, cheers all.

is it because they’re weak, both physically and emotionally ?

34:15 is where it’s at

(err, in the new forest) 😳

and using the middle ring position gives you the best shot at a good chainline

Job 32:16

Shall I wait, because they do not speak, Because they stop and no longer answer?

Is that because they are so far behind and knackered on the climbs?

igm – Member
Is that because they are so far behind and knackered on the climbs?

😆 Best post of the week!!!

igm – Member
Is that because they are so far behind and knackered on the climbs?

No, they hang back out of consideration.

Gears are for the old and frail and it would be impolite to barge in front of such a person.

20:10 – ever tried fitting a 11t cog to the middle of a cassette body?
30:15 – doable but would need to buy a new ring inted of current middle
40:20 – not much in the way of log clearance

it works and if fine so leave it. 😛

I have weeds knees and thus run 32:18

“The weak shall inherit the 18 toothed cog”

another 32:18 pansy holds his hand up in shame.

i do live in sheffield tho! – please understand and forgive me.

I have 42/20

32:18 North Wales

Because many ss evangelists like to have ‘rules’ and requirements so that those not in the clique can be laughed at.

Or just because 32 is standard and 2:1ish is the ratio at works for most people.

Most people blindly put up with standard gearing without ever knowing about gear inches or that 42/21 is the same as 32/16 or 60/30.I can remember pouring over gear charts in my youth before going to the shop and picking my choice of sprockets off the wall display to get exactly the gears I wanted,those were the days

bigger is better in terms of wear/ component longevity

smaller is better in terms of weight/ clearence

32:16 is a nice comprimise

interesting surly article here

32:17 here.

36:16 in flat old Suffolk.

Ridden 2:1 for years but have always prefered the additional overlap and reduced wear of 36/18 and the 18T sprockets, King in particular, look nicer imo.

36:18 here.

I had a 36 ring on the bike and the singlespeed kit I got had a 16 and an 18 ring. I chose based on the 2:1 ratio. It works for me.

32:17 in Cannuckshire in the wet
32:16 in the dry

32:22 ftw.

48:16 here, but that’s on the road and have the standard 32:16 on my mtb.

I’ve tried using the 32:16 on my conventional gears for a whole ride just to see how I get on, I can appreciate the simplicity of not having to think about gear changes, I also appreciate it can present a challenge of different approach and way of thinking altogether when riding over techy terrain, up hill switchbacks etc..

But the ride to get off road is a few miles for me and I found that utterly monotonous, having to freewheel on flat areas, would only go SS if I was driving the bike to the location.

Tempted by the thought of a 3 speed Sturmey Archer though. 😉

But the ride to get off road is a few miles for me and I found that utterly monotonous, having to freewheel on flat areas,

Yep – it’ll do that! I ride 3-5 miles on road each way to get to my rides, and it’s a little tedious, but it’s a price I’m willing to pay. It is pretty nice scenery on the ride, so that makes it tolerable. Having no other option also helps! When I occasionally commuted on 32:16 (if I was going out at lunchtime/after work) then I hated riding through town.

And riding 32:16 on a geared bike just somehow isn’t the same. I found it a lot easier on the true singlespeed.

32:16 on my SS MTB and 42:16 on my SS commuter, that’s what they came with from the shop. MTB one suits me just fine, road might go 46:16 to make things a little more fun

because everyone else does….no i mean i chose 32:16….people must have copied me!

34:17 – Coz it is what I had

Because thats meant for girls.
42/18 on my SS Cx in the not so flat FoD.
No off to chop a few trees to BBQ a boar.

when I had a 32:16 singlespeed I found that it was only any good for undulating woods and stuff. It was rubbish on the road or anywhere that required continuous pedaling for any length of time, spins out too soon and makes you look like coco the clown. So I gave it to my brother, he loves it.

Kev

30:20 on the Mendips. You know what? I can actually climb a lot of stuff (until I go blue). I tried 32:17 and got fed up with the stopping and walking on long climbs. Each to their own.

32:17 here on 26″ and 32:19 on 29″ get up most things around here when I am on a good day

1) 36/19 for me in hilly Devon
2)it was the size of chain ring I had lying around
3) it’s gear inches that are important sayeth the prophet Sheldon Brown.

2:1 of a 36-18 here up in Yorkshire 🙂