I had been riding a Fixed gear around Boston for the past year, 46tx15t, which is an average ratio and one that I found perfect for long rides or around the city. Not too spiny down hill but still allowed me to cruise up hill with little effort. I recently got a new bike with a bigger chainring (52t) and figured I could just put a bigger cog (18t) in the rear to equal my comfortable ratio from my previous fixed gear. After using Sheldon Brown’s gear calculator (http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gears/) I was able to get a similar gain ratio.
Well after going on a 25 mi ride out to Walden Pond I found myself exhausted and having to work a lot harder to get up those hills, down hills were OK. So in closing the big chainrings which are becoming a hip look on fixed gears don’t work on long rides.
I am now riding a 42tx15t and gearing up for a 150 Boston to the Cape ride.
happy riding.
