gearing for the road

[dmw010]

I've got 32/18 on my SS for off-road. That's too low for road riding. Any thoughts on what would be reasonable?

[AA]

I have a 48:18 on my fixed gear (700c wheels) and that works pretty well. I'd guess on a mt bike somewhere around 3:1 would be a good starting point.

[bdee]

Is it a road bike or MTB ? I rode 32x15 on the road on my MTB or 32x16/17 depending on what I was looking to do. On the roadie it's 39x16 with 165mm cranks - which is perfect for what I'm using it for (shorter hard rides, intervals and hills). Experiment a little and you'll figure it out fast.

[dmw010]

It's a rigid MTB with 175mm cranks. I've got a 16 cog I can try. I'd like to be able to ride up to 18mph or so on the flats at 85-95rpm. Right now, I've got to spin like crazy to get near that speed.

Is there a more scientific way to figure this out? I've seen gearing tables, but I don't really understand how to interpret them. What does the difference between two combinations in gear-inches mean in practical terms?

[bdee]

More than you ever want to know - I just play with gearing until it feels right myself but if you want to go nuts this site covers it all.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gears/

[ssnoobie]

I have a 7 mile commute with some steep relatively short hills.

I ride 42:16 on a old, rigid MTB with slicks and 175 mm cranks.

I tried fixed, but did not like the hill descents. I guess I am a frewheeler.

Cheers,
SSnoob