first foray into single speeding… what ratio?

Im expecting delivery of a single speed wheel this week in order to try out on my fab 853 Inbred frame – but apart from an unsuccessful trail a few years back I have next to know experience of s/s.

My biggest concern is spinning out as I would prefer to run a gear low enough to take on most hills..
I know its going to take some trial and error, but im fairly limited to 32t on the front ring, what would be your best recommendations for rear cog size?

WTF is ‘gear inches’ all about?
I know 32/16 = 2:1 … but you s/s chaps spurt out alternative ratios like another language! it all very confusing..

try 32:18 or 19 to start with if you’ve got any ‘proper’ hills around you – will help break you in gently and get you up most things slightly more easily than a 16, downhill it makes not much difference if you run an 18 but the lfats can be a bit spinny.

If it’s fairly flat stick 10 16 so you don;t spin out on the flat bits.

I’d go with 32:16 as a starting point & see how you get on.

Used 34:18 for a while before 32:18.

Use what you’ve got! 2:1 is good for starters to see what it’s like on your local terrain.

Gear inches is a way to measure the hardness of a gear. Bigger number = bigger gear. 2:1 gearing on a 26″ wheel is 52 gear inches (32/16 x 26).

Used 34:18 for a while before 32:18

What would the equivalent rear cog size be to replicate 34:18 with a 32t chain ring?

To all above, how often are you defeated by a hill on a 32:16/17/18 ratio, or should I expect to still get up everything?

Im worried about spinning out on the flats if using a ratio I can realistically climb on. Is it literally a case of learning to spin a whole lot faster than used to?

I’d go 32:16 too

‘Gear inches’ converts your ratio to the equivalent diameter Penny Farthing wheel so is ‘ratio’ x diameter so on a 26″ wheel running 32:16 would be 52

It’s useful for comparing different ratios between different wheel sizes but unless you’re shifting from bike to bike or changing to greatly bigger or smaller tyres then the simple ratio is as easy.

I think ive got a 16t and 17t free wheel to play with so keen to see how they both feel.

Once i’m happy with my selection im rather interested in purchasing a White Industries free wheel, or does anyone suggest otherwise?

gear inches is the theoretical distance you and the bike would travel for a single turn of the cranks. Problem is that tyre and wheel size can make a big difference so it’s really just a useful tool for comparing ratios.

What you can get up is a balance of the amount of power you can excert vs amount of traction available. You do learn to balance power output much better but sooner or later you’ll find somethign that needs a little walking to get to the top. I find it’s less humiliating with the SS than when I’ve got gears 😉

32:16 is The Law for 26″ wheeled singlespeeds.

I ride 32:17 because I’m more niche.

how often are you defeated by a hill on a 32:16/17/18 ratio

It’s not always as simple as that… Sometimes a bigger gear is easier up a steep climb if you can maintain more pace.

play with sheldon browns gear inch calculater[/url] to see which combinations result in similar ratios.

i have 38/18 (55Gi)on the mtb (rigid, 26×2, discs) and 48/18 (70Gi) on the commuter (rigid, 700×28, drops, centrepull)
the mtb gets me up offroad climbs, but suffers more on gentle tarmac descents

I ride 32:17 because I’m more niche.

😆

What I really want to know is, do you still conquer every hill?
Or is it not realistic to expect to be able to climb everything unless you want to spin out like Roadrunner on the flats?

wwaswas is wrong about gear inches… Sorry! It’s actually a meaningless measurement, but easier to calculate than wwaswas’s idea.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gear_inches

It’s not always as simple as that… Sometimes a bigger gear is easier up a steep climb if you can maintain more pace

So when training for s/s, what should my aim be, to ride flat out in order to keep momentum up, or to mash out the climbs and build up my quads? or both?

Anything with a 2:1 ratio is a good place to start. I run 36:18 because it’s what had around

Training aim would be to “just ride”. Ensure you attack anything steep out of the saddle otherwise your knees will start to complain.

thanks Simon, im asking so many questions as I really didn’t get on with s/s when I tried it before and this time I want to persevere and see if a can get into it.

I have a local trail which should be no trouble, but if I head somewhere like swinley forest then im hoping I can take all my usual trails on without getting frustrated by having to stop up hill

2:1 I can (mostly) ride guisbrough on 38-19 (2:1 with bigger than average rings).

Climbing makes me want to vomit.

Along the flat ish bits it’s OK.

Slightly downhill is a bit harder, you soon learn just to leave a longer gap to the guy in front, that way you brake less and dont suffer the concertina effect of group riding. I find it easiest to spin really quickly for a few seconds to top up speed, then concentrate on maintaining it as long as possible.

Downhill I’ve never noticed it being slower.

I have a local trail which should be no trouble, but if I head somewhere like swinley forest then im hoping I can take all my usual trails on without getting frustrated by having to stop up hill

I’m unfit and I rode Swinley on 38-17 and could have gone harder if I’d had a 16 cog!

I’m unfit and I rode Swinley on 38-17 and could have gone harder if I’d had a 16 cog!

you’re probably the guy that flew past me on my geared bike and made me realise what a wimp I must be!

My first foray into singlespeed offroad was at ther weekend, 38/18 – got on fine, although it wasn’t that steep.

You should use the ratio which lets you go at the right speed around the best fun trails where you ride. Then you might just have to put up with a higher gear than you like up the hills and a lower one on the fire roads. There’s no point doing it if you can’t enjoy the singletrack blasts.

I ride 34:18 (32:17 equivalent) on Cannock Chase, and I rode it at Llandegla last week just fine. If I were at Thetford I’d have a higher gear.

I also have a 36:16 ratio available, by undoing the wheel and moving the chain and tensioner over. But I only use that for the half hour road ride to the “trailhead”.

36:18 and 38:20 out here on the edge of the Peaks.

Only those climbs that would be tough in granny gear are the ones that get me.

Did the CVMBC this year SS without any issues (having to walk on the usual steep sections). I did lose time in parts though as you will spin when going flat out for speed.

thanks guys, good advice above.

Any thoughts on the quality of free wheel used? are WI worth the extra?

until you get something you liek I’d get a cheap and cheerful solution. the spacer kits you can get for a standard freewheel often include a couple of alternate rear cogs.

I’ve only ever used a normal wheel with spacers. That’s why I can get 2 sprockets on it.

34-16 for me, I think it’s equivalent to what you get on a bmx so it’s about right for the flatness we have here.

I use 32:18 on my 29er, which is pretty much 32:16 on a 26er.
I tried a few ratios using the Superstar wide base cogs, at £7 each they are good value. After settling on 32:18 I went for a Surly hub & W.I trials freewheel. Its been faultless. If you speak to Charliethebikemonger he will echo this. They are pricey, but apparently they outlast everything else by x times over. They do one with two ratios on the same freewheel, if your likely to be swapping.
Whatever you do, stick with it for a few months at least.

what’s the deal with the green WI trials freewheel? more pawls for more instant take up or something?
is there a reason this would be a bad thing on MTB?
not much that I can think of..

What I really want to know is, do you still conquer every hill?
Or is it not realistic to expect to be able to climb everything unless you want to spin out like Roadrunner on the flats?

I ride at Hamsterley and in Swaledale.

At Hamsterley, there’re two hills that I can’t quit make, but I’ve overtaken granny gear grinders on them while pushing the bike so I’m not too worried about those. In Swaledale, I’ve avoided the climb up Fremington Edge so far, but can ride pretty much everything else on a good day.

I have one bike with a SS hub and one with a cassette hub and spacers. I’d go for a cassette hub and spacers every time…