Track Gearing ~

On the Track ~

Through the years, a regular "trackie" will amass quite a collection of chainrings and cogs as interchanging these parts is the only way to change gearing on a single speed bike. Traditionally, track racers have worked with approximately an 88" gear (49t x 15t) for all-purpose racing. Recently, as riders have gotten bigger and even more powerful, 90" and 92" gears are quite common. Gears of 82-86" are sensible for early season training.

	50 tooth	49 tooth	48 tooth	47 tooth	46 tooth
14 tooth	96.4	94.5	92.5	90.6	88.7
15 tooth	90.0	88.0	86.4	84.6	82.8
16 tooth	84.4	82.9	81.0	79.3	77.6
17 tooth	79.4	77.8	76.0	74.6	73.1
18 tooth	75.0	73.5	72.0	70.5	69.0
19 tooth	71.0	69.6	68.0	67.8	65.4

On the Road ~

As many track bikes are also ridden on the road for off-season training, it is important to look at this kind of gearing too. Traditionally, a 67" gear was used for most fixed gear road work. That translated to a 42t ring in the front with a 17" cog in the back. Earlier in the season, many riders started with a 19t and worked their way "up" to the 17t or even 15" as the race season approached. On the Bianchi Pista, our most popular fixed gear bike, the rear wheel comes with a 16t fixed cog on one side and it is threaded for a single speed freewheel on the other side. Keeping in mind that we need to closely match the chain length, we can simply add a 16t freewheel to the bike. That allows riders to just flip the wheel over in order to use either system. Carry a 15mm "peanut butter" wrench in order to loosen the axle bolts.

The Bianchi Pista bike comes from the factory with a 48t front and a 16t fixed-cog rear for an 81" gear. In order to get more "road-like", we can add a 17t (76") or 18t (72") cog to your order. We can also add a single speed freewheel to the other side of the flip-flop hub. In order to work correctly with the chain, the cog and freewheel should be within 1 tooth of each other. 18t is an excellent cog to make you really spin. For more of a power workout, the 17t is appropriate. As you get ready for sprinting season, a 15t can also be appropriate. To order a Bianchi Pista click to this webpage: Track

Lifu "Peanut butter wrench" = Tools