Originally Posted by
Astrozombie
Need to get out of that 3rd chain ring, i really only use it as an "overdrive" when i feel like seeing how fast i can go, only the fittest cyclists will actually stay in that gear for any decent amount of time....also if i don't want to "wear down" my middle chainring but i'm not sure if that even matters.
~90RPM is like 2 revolutions every second (well looks like this thread has showed a better way)
I can postpone that purchase of a new computer
What? 90 rpm is exactly equal to
1.5 revolutions every second. 2 revolutions per second would be 120 rpm.
Originally Posted by
mrodgers
This is all great stuff, I appreciate the replies and discussion.
I have maybe 1 more question just for information as I won't have the cash for a new bike until next year, but....
Right now I'm on my old 2005 Mongoose mountain bike from Walmart that I got back then to ride with my then 5 yr old when she got her first bike. Obviously, it is a POS and I know that, I will be figuring out over the winter what I want. The bike was fine back then at 4 mph riding with her and even when she went 2 wheels and on her 2nd bike as well (I think we rode 7 mph.) Now that I'm actually riding for real, I think that I am more comfortable everywhere but the rear end if I sit way back on the seat. I can't adjust it back any further so I can't see how it is. So obvious to me is the bike is way small.
Thus, I'm wondering if you guys could shed some insight on whether it would be easier to pedal faster if my legs weren't so cramped up as close to the seat position? My seat is as high as it can go and the height feels just fine to me (leg barely bent at the bottom of my pedal with the ball of my foot on the pedal and knee locked when the heel of my foot is on the pedal which I've read is a decent way to know with seat height.) Thus, I just was wondering if having a larger bike that fits better would affect how easier it would be to pedal faster once I get through this year and pick something up next year (I'm thinking roadlike hybrid such as the Trek 7.x FX over a road bike because I do have some gravel roads and gravel paths I want to ride on and I do like a more upright position.)
This is just a curiosity question at the moment. As for my next ride, I will try out staying in the middle chainring and increasing my pedaling rpm which will be tomorrow.
Yes your stroke will likely be more efficient if the bike actually fits you and because of that it should feel easier. However as you have noticed mashing feels correct now but once you work up to a faster cadence you will no longer enjoy mashing.