All I have ever wanted on a Bicycle is a comfortable middle gear; Not too hard and not too easy; something to set a steady pace, something that is juuuust right...
There are two approaches to the Goldilocks gear ratio. It depends how hilly it is where you ride. I have been belting along for 10 years now, and this is what I have discovered. I have tried to get a good range of gears for off road riding, both chain and Gates Carbon Drive.
The following are the raw Gear Ratio data without considering wheel sizes.
Gear Ratios:
- 33:18T = 1.83 = 39:21T
- 32:18T = 1.77 = 39:22T
- 32:19T = 1.68 = 39:23T
- 31:19T = 1.63 = 39:24T
- 32:20T = 1.60 (I used this ratio to ride 100miles of the SDW in under 10hours... )
- 31:20T = 1.55
So the 2 extreme Single Speed Gear Ratios approaches are as follows:
FAST for the FLAT:
33:18T (1.83) is a fast gear that is hard to climb with but you win on the flats. In Gates Carbondrive this equates to 39:21T
Climb like a King or Queen:
This is a Strava reference. If you have read this far you will realise that I like to make a point... Change your Strava profile to Singlespeedxxx, and you too can make a point. 31T:20 you will climb with the kings - however you will spin out on the flats. I have found that 32:19T is a sweet spot for my style of 29er riding and this equates to 39:23T in Gates Carbondrive. Gates did not have 23T until recently.
We have Izumi 1/8" chains and laser cut chainrings. And if you want to try beltdrive, we have stock of 22T, 23T and 24T rear 9-spline carbondrive sprockets - ideal for all of the above ratios. Go out and look for your own Goldilocks gear ratio - There is no right or wrong, but there is going to be something just right...
