Originally Posted by
elTwitcho
See this always comes up when people talk abou spinning, and I think mediocrity has become so entrenched that you guys have a hard time believing that competence on your bike is even possible. It's like saying "yeah right, hercules" when someone tells you they just rode 50 miles on their bike.
If Keirin and other track racers can hit 240+ rpm, and if there isn't likely a single amateur track racer in EXISTENCE ANYWHERE who can't spin 170+ even if they lose every race they enter, why is it hard to believe that an average person can't learn how to be competent on his bike as well
I have to agree with dsh.
Reasons you are wrong:
1. We are not all professional track racers.
2. Most of us aren't Lance Armstrong.
3. The slope in a velodrome (0) is not the same as on the streets.
4. Most of us don't train consistently (so your "average" person can be someone within a wide range of cycling capability) but instead ride to commute, trick (even lower ratio), or for recreation.
5. Your foolish assumption that everyone is "entrenched" in "mediocrity" is senseless; almost all of us realize our own level of cycling, and build our bikes correspondingly.
6. We
are aware the gearing of track racers, but since they are racing, professional athletes, and ride in the velodrome and the only thing we have in common is we turn cranks, I hardly think that your little analysis of your "average" cyclist is a plausible answer.
7. Yes, you are right if you are describing the human ability to perform that task of higher gearing is physically possible, but "competence" in your eyes, apparently, is that everyone should be on the same level as professional track riders. So you are assuming that the "average" person should be as fit and fast as those racers? I think not.