gear ratio?

[ThaValleyFixedGear]

rollin wit 49x17 or 49x18

[yrpants]

yeah, i'm running 42/17...crazy low on a fixie a friend gave me when it was too low & small for him - it's slow for flat san jo, but it does the overpasses like a breeze and makes me a spinner the rest of the time.  

[polyrider]

I know this thread is old, but I just stumbled up on it today.  For the most part I understand the gear ratios, but need some clarification...

I put together an old bike, and it had a 52 teeth chain ring when i got it.  After doing some research (sheldon brown site, etc.) I went with a 19 teeth cog.  The gear inches is 73.9, which seems to be ok.  Does this mean that my 52/19 rides approximately the same as a 41/15 with 73.8 gear inches?  

I dont understand skidpatches either.  Can someone help? And is 19, good/bad/ok?

I would change out the chain ring and play around, but it is not detachable, and therefore I would need to replace the crank.

Thanks for the help

[Kid1435]

univega conversion  now on a 46/17 was on a 48/16

[urielwinger]

53:16