Gear ratios ? 29 er wheels

[Vermooten]

Download the app "GearCalculator"

Its a magic app for working out gear ratios, speed while pedalling a certain cadence and even distance travelled with one rotation of the crank. You can set up different bikes and the operation itself is really user friendly.

[matthieup]

i just don't get the SS thing... 

[henningvr]

There's nothing to get.

[deanbean]

Riding 34x18 at the mo. We'll see how my knees hold up tomorrow. Doing a long ride into the Amatolas

[tunariaan]

I run a 34 oval x 16 or 18. Did the baviaans this year and stayed on the 34 oval x16. Paid the price on the climbs but still finished in 13:30.

 

Tried a 15 but just toooooo much hard work.

13hours ,,30mins?

[tunariaan]

i just don't get the SS thing... 

maybe its a good thing

[Koos Likkewaan]

Sorry to revive an old thread, but need some advise on SS gearing. Always wondered about an SS bike, and finally decided to just build one and see if it as much fun to ride as everyone says.

 

Question is on chainrings. I see people use NW rings. I understand chain dropping etc..., but can a standard (geared) chainring not be used ? - Will not be using a chain tensioner, as the frame will be SS specific.

[BenGraham]

Sorry to revive an old thread, but need some advise on SS gearing. Always wondered about an SS bike, and finally decided to just build one and see if it as much fun to ride as everyone says.

 

Question is on chainrings. I see people use NW rings. I understand chain dropping etc..., but can a standard (geared) chainring not be used ? - Will not be using a chain tensioner, as the frame will be SS specific.

The thing about standard chainrings if they're the two or 3 ring type is that they are designed to allow the chain to slide off. Its inherent in the system. They expect you to use a front derailleur. I mean you can try. If anything single speed for me is about thumbing my nose towards accepted wisdom and conventional ways of doing things but my advice is get a dedicated nw chainring and the single speed experience with be significantly better. Rapide has them for fairly cheap. Spend less on the chain and you can afford it. The beauty of single speed is you can replace you entire drive train for less than the price of a rear derailleur.

[Koos Likkewaan]

The thing about standard chainrings if they're the two or 3 ring type is that they are designed to allow the chain to slide off. Its inherent in the system. They expect you to use a front derailleur. I mean you can try. If anything single speed for me is about thumbing my nose towards accepted wisdom and conventional ways of doing things but my advice is get a dedicated nw chainring and the single speed experience with be significantly better. Rapide has them for fairly cheap. Spend less on the chain and you can afford it. The beauty of single speed is you can replace you entire drive train for less than the price of a rear derailleur.

Thanks !

Think I will get a NW ring just to be save.

[Jewbacca]

To answer your question, you can definitely use a normal chain ring. 

 

The chain line is straight with a SS (if you space the rear cog correctly) and the tension will be up all the time (No RD to soak/spring loose), so no, if you do that it shouldn't come off the front.

 

I have done Freedom Challenge, Epic etc with a normal 'middle' 32 chainring before NW was widely available with zero issues.

 

I use a NW now because it's all I have in the spares box now, which wasn't the case a while back.

[BenGraham]

Thanks !

Think I will get a NW ring just to be save.

Enjoy it. Single speed is an experience that's hard to describe. You have to experience it to understand what's great about it.

[BenGraham]

To answer your question, you can definitely use a normal chain ring. 

 

The chain line is straight with a SS (if you space the rear cog correctly) and the tension will be up all the time (No RD to soak/spring loose), so no, if you do that it shouldn't come off the front.

 

I have done Freedom Challenge, Epic etc with a normal 'middle' 32 chainring before NW was widely available with zero issues.

 

I use a NW now because it's all I have in the spares box now, which wasn't the case a while back.

This is true and helped by the single speed frame. I have to use a tensioner so I like the extra security of a NW ring and they're so easy to get now. I started riding when NW chainrings were just becoming a thing.

[Koos Likkewaan]

Thanks for the feedback so far.

 

At the moment I have a 30t NW and 32t middle (geared) ring.

 

I think the 30t will be to small, hence my question.

 

Will try both and if I prefer the ratio of the 32t, I will get a 32t NW.

[Jewbacca]

Thanks for the feedback so far.

 

At the moment I have a 30t NW and 32t middle (geared) ring.

 

I think the 30t will be to small, hence my question.

 

Will try both and if I prefer the ratio of the 32t, I will get a 32t NW.

Why not run 30/18? 

 

What size rear sprocket are you using?

 

I find the magic SS ratio is around 1.7 or just under. 32/19 is 1.68 and 30/18 is 1.66, so basically the same thing.

 

My favourite is 33/19 which is 1.73 but that can get pretty stiff when things get steep.

[TyronLab]

So for some or other reason simplifying my current bike is appealing to me more and more. Saw that SS conversion kits are pretty cheap, and my Stache has horizontal dropouts built for SS, so I was about to get a kit from Rapide until I realised that I have one of those newfangled XD drivers now.

 

Any advice on how to go about converting to SS? I have the stock Trek hubs the bike came with, so I'm not sure if I can change the freehub to a Shimano type, or how much that would even cost. Any advice?

[Koos Likkewaan]

Why not run 30/18? 

 

What size rear sprocket are you using?

 

I find the magic SS ratio is around 1.7 or just under. 32/19 is 1.68 and 30/18 is 1.66, so basically the same thing.

 

My favourite is 33/19 which is 1.73 but that can get pretty stiff when things get steep.

Just ordered 16 & 18 from Rapide.

 

Will try combinations from 30/16 - 30,18 to 32/16 - 32/18

 

In Gauteng, so will try with the flatter areas first, and then work my way to the more technical, steeper stuff.