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Stochastix

06-21-04, 08:26 PM

Hi,
I started to ride more seriously this year. Being tall and big, I got used to ride 53x17 down to 53x13. I've read in a few places that a lot of racers prefer to roll on 39x17, 39x15... Which brings the question: what gear fo you prefer to roll (on flat roads) and which cadence... Evidently, cadence and gearing are linked by speed, but still, I'd be interested to know.

Also, do you vary this gearing from ride to ride?

velocipedio

06-21-04, 09:02 PM

i like 39x16 at about 100 rpm.

geneman

06-21-04, 09:13 PM

I love 42x17, 18, and 42x19 at around 100 rpm. It's good for around 20mph.

-mark

Stochastix

06-21-04, 09:17 PM

I get it. Basically you prefer to spin a lot more. Is it linked to cardio efficiency?

geneman

06-21-04, 09:21 PM

I get it. Basically you prefer to spin a lot more. Is it linked to cardio efficiency?

More like muscle efficiency. I spin because I can't mash (I just plain lack the big muscle power).

-mark

Fat Hack

06-21-04, 10:11 PM

More like muscle efficiency. I spin because I can't mash (I just plain lack the big muscle power).

-mark

I don't wanna sound like a hero, but a 39 is kinda useless on flat roads, mainly because there's too big a jump from the 52 or 53, so, obviously I like a 42 with whatever (depending on the wind).....16,15 or so

Stochastix

06-26-04, 02:08 PM

Did my longest outing of the year this morning (110 km). I changed my old 52-15 gearing to a 39-14 one, and increased RPM to 90-100 from near 70. As you told, the effort is less muscular, but the average speed is higher:

52/15 = 3.466 * 70 RPM = 242.3 wheel turns per minute
39/14 = 2/785 * 90 RPM = 250 wheel turns per minute

Thank you all. Now I have to be able to keep to 90-100 the whole distance. In the last miles, I was closer to 80.. :(

froze

06-26-04, 11:54 PM

My chainrings are 54 and 42, on flat with slight rolling hills I usually ride in the 54 on the front and 18 on the rear at 85 rpm; when I'm in better shape I'll run it in on the 16 (this is a 7 speed freewheel).

redfooj

06-27-04, 01:31 AM

42x16... approx 20.5mph at 100rpm

dexmax

06-27-04, 04:44 AM

i use my 52 most of the time when I'm on the highway..

52-16/15 @ 90rpm, criusing at about 31~35kmh. I fine tune my cadence w/ my rear gears.
If the ride include lots of short hills, but is still in the 28~35kmh region I use my 42-14/15. This way I can shift to a easier gear if the hill is too hard for my knees..