Professional Cycling - What gear are the stage-finish sprinters using?

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thewalrus
07-07-05, 07:17 PM
McEwen, Boonen, and others who are sprinting at stage finishes:

53x14? 53x13?

Smoothie104
07-07-05, 07:27 PM
I would think its a 12 or 11, some run a 54 in the front no?
gsteinb
07-07-05, 07:32 PM
it really depends on the finish, but they can certainly turn the 11 and i have read of 55 in front for a downhill finish

Keith99
07-07-05, 07:40 PM
McEwen, Boonen, and others who are sprinting at stage finishes:

53x14? 53x13?

A fat old guy like me can turn a 53 x 12.
thewalrus
07-07-05, 07:56 PM
A fat old guy like me can turn a 53 x 12.

I meant, what gear are they using during the sprint, not what is the smallest cog on their cassette...
skydive69
07-07-05, 08:01 PM
A fat old guy like me can turn a 53 x 12.

Great, but at what cadence?
pearcem
07-07-05, 08:03 PM
usually 53-55 x 11 or 12 depending on the finish.
Laggard
07-07-05, 08:23 PM
Petachi was sprinting last year in a 53x11 at 110 rpm.
pearcem
07-07-05, 08:43 PM
that's 41.8 mph. i've heard it was more like 120-125, so, just for fun, that's 45.6 mph. In the race commentary, they normally talk about sprinting at around 70 kph, which is right in between the two speeds.
Laggard
07-07-05, 08:46 PM
Paul may have said 120. Thought it was 110. In any case, it's a big gear being turned fast. Lot of power there.
pearcem
07-07-05, 08:58 PM
yeah, 110 vs. 120 isn't very important (or at least, not to us since we aren't racing). What matters is that it's a lot faster than we go. ever.