Originally Posted by
Brian Ratliff
When trackies talk about gearing, they are talking about the difference of 4 or 6 gear inches. When you launch a road sprint in a 53/14 and finish in a 53/11, that's a difference of almost 30 gear inches. Different world.
That is what I am wondering. I launch my road sprint in my 53/11 90% of the time as I don't like to shift, my last shift will be when I get on the final leadout typically at least 500 meters before the line. I target around 80 RPM at 500 meters out, but usually just slam it as far as it goes and hope. I don't mind being bogged down, and then I ramp it up to 100rpm or whatever I get to. The gear differential is huge between my road and track sprint.
All I know is that I can sprint with the top roadies when on form, but I could never sprint with the true top trackies, but I have equal experience with both. And now the top masters are riding times that are really fast and the guys I could play with 10 years ago seem at another level on the track, but I have been finding my road sprint this year.
I just did a fit review on my bikes and they were different, but they are both new bikes and last years bikes are disassembled. I have made them closer to the same as I think that was part of it, at least this year so far. I like the over the bar sprint, that is where I feel I can generate the most power with my legs. I think that is actually the 2nd part of the issue, I can't stand at full speed on the track around the corners. Partly the corner, but also I have such a high RPM by that point it makes no sense to be standing. On the road I stand until the final bike throw.
So does standing on the pedals for 20 seconds during top speed make a big difference in power? My current track power numbers are much lower than my road numbers, but most of my track time is seated, most of my road time is standing when I am on the power. Does anyone stay out of the saddle past ramp up on the track? Funny that the road is opposite, sit until 20+ seconds left then stand, on the track I am standing then for the final 10 seconds I am sitting.
I am thinking this all goes back to the same issue I have had since day one ... cadence. At 80/90 RPM I can generate a lot more power out of the saddle on the road, I am small and very aero out of the saddle so I am not pushing that much more air. Once I get over 100 RPM my seated power numbers drop as does my muscular endurance, but my position doesn't change as much as others so I am not getting the same power to air ratio any longer.
That means both more low power RPM work as well as more high power RPM work. That is hard work ... maybe I should stay an enduro, track sprinting is not going to be easy this year.