stifflersmom Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 42 18 is the same as the ratio on my Brompton and I can't get anywhere near 20mph with that. 15 mph is realistic. Yes, 20mph is the max speed I get on 42/18. I wouldn't rude fixed in Sheffield for commuting, but single speed is perfect for me. My route is Millhouses to city centre and then back. Occasionally I go out to the Peak and hills like Surprise or Froggatt are fine ( although cadence drops significantly). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bargepole23 Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 Single speed is fantastic for commuting ( route dependent of course) because maintenance is minimal; one new chain every 6 months. Winter road salt and rain will eat derailleurs if you ride daily so I'd recommend the one gear option. I have a 42/18 set up which means I spin out at about 20mph on the flat but am ok on hills up to 10% without popping my knees. I ride daily all year to work and an evening and a Sunday in the winter all on my winter bike, same rear mech for the last 7 years, probably washed it about 7 times in those 7 years, I think that road salt myth is just that...Campag tho innit Back on topic, wouldn't fancy a fixie for a hilly ride in Sheff, SS maybe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimmyR Posted August 31, 2016 Author Share Posted August 31, 2016 (edited) Well after riding 10 miles on 39 15 I can safely say the idea is off the table. It basically means you are constantly in the wrong gear and I really don't see the point in that. I was spinning out at my normal riding speed on the flat and was struggling on the steep hills. A fixie is even worse as you couldn't really go at any pace down a hill (at 30mph your legs would be going at a ridiculous cadence!) and where's the fun in that? I think these bikes make a lot of sense on purely flat rides where speed is fairly constant but not at all in sheffield. If I still lived in hillsborough and commuted to the station I'd consider it but I have a big hill to get up now at the end of the day so no. Thanks for the all the comments though, not for me. I will still try and make the bike look cool and sexy though to get the girl chasing thing happening (which it definitely will) ---------- Post added 31-08-2016 at 09:03 ---------- Yes, 20mph is the max speed I get on 42/18. I wouldn't rude fixed in Sheffield for commuting, but single speed is perfect for me. My route is Millhouses to city centre and then back. Occasionally I go out to the Peak and hills like Surprise or Froggatt are fine ( although cadence drops significantly). THis is the problem I have, I ride at 19-22mph on the flat and the cadence was just far too high, but to get the cadence right I'd never get up the hills it was a struggle with the equivalent of 46/18. With 42/18 you be really pushing it to get to 20mph, certainly not comfortable. Edited August 31, 2016 by TimmyR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WalkleyIan Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 Can anyone tell me how to get all the gears (apart from second) taken out of my car's gearbox as I don't want it to work properly too. Well you could get an old 2 speed powerglide but make sure you've got enough torque and a healthy dose of horse power. As an old drag racer once said , gears are for people who cant build engines with a decent power band. Mind you his 57 Chevy did 90mph in low. I drove a 450HP TVR round Oulton Park where the owner said just leave it in 3rd once its moving it'll pull nicely . Most of the gears on my mates 72 Mach 1 are pretty much redundant. Certainly 1st gear is no use in the wet. Then again BMW seem to think you need an 8 speed gearbox and some bikes now come with a 1 x 10 setp up. Different solutions for different problems. Before they were trendy fixies were the bike you used for winter training to keep warm and supple, build up a smooth pedalling action and save your best bike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacifica Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 So thinking of trying a single speed conversion out on my commuter. Just wondering what ratios people have tried in Sheffield? I ride around 20mph on the flat quicker if I'm in a rush over a short distance but then of course there's the hills... What's common? What's considered big? 46/18 is a combination I've heard of. In the meantime I'm doing a respray job on the frame. Just need to grow a beard... Just get a bike with a Sturmey Archer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tzijlstra Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 Wait, I just realised the difference between a fixie and a Dutch single gear bike. Go Dutch... seriously, same advantages but no hassle with the pedals continuing to go when coasting along. After seeing a friend on a bakfiets 'fixie' severely dislocating his knee coming down a tiny slope (fully loaded though, bar steward, I helped him move to a new flat, two stories up, guess who ended up picking up all the slack!) I would NEVER advice a fixie on hills. You want to be able to free-run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obelix Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 Ironically, as you are aware Alcoblog (captain of the Aclocopter), helicopters have fixed gears. Might be because the speed of sound doesn't change very much in the operating environment of a helicopter.... The effective acceleration due to gravity changes considerably on Sheffield hills - I really cannot see the advantages of going to a fixie in Sheffield either. Well I can see the advantages but also the massive disadvantages. But hey - beards and girls. Always a wining combination Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tzijlstra Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 Might be because the speed of sound doesn't change very much in the operating environment of a helicopter.... The effective acceleration due to gravity changes considerably on Sheffield hills - I really cannot see the advantages of going to a fixie in Sheffield either. Well I can see the advantages but also the massive disadvantages. But hey - beards and girls. Always a wining combination You get wine for riding a fixie and having a beard? I am nearly on my way to girls! (PS happily married!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obelix Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 You get wine for riding a fixie and having a beard? I am nearly on my way to girls! (PS happily married!) Apparently so. You also get bad spelling as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexo Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 Can anyone tell me how to get all the gears (apart from second) taken out of my car's gearbox as I don't want it to work properly too. I'll call your bluff... Get an electric car e.g. a Tesla. They are direct drive with no transmission and no gears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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