Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good gear ratio for a road bike?
A standard 'compact' road setup is 50/34 chainrings with an 11-28 or 11-32 cassette. This provides a gear ratio range from approx 1.0 (easy climbing) to 4.5 (fast descending).
What are gear inches?
Gear inches is a unit of measurement that takes wheel size into account. It represents the diameter of the drive wheel on a penny-farthing that would cover the same distance per pedal stroke. It's useful for comparing gearing between bikes with different wheel sizes (e.g., 26 inch vs 29 inch).
Why do skid patches matter for fixed gear?
When you skid on a fixed gear bike, the tire stops rotating at specific points relative to the crank position. If you have only 1 skid patch, you will burn through your tire in the exact same spot every time. Higher skid patch counts distribute wear evenly around the tire.