Today's Ride, And Compact Crank Report
09-20-09, 03:36 PM
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Today's Ride, And Compact Crank Report
Ok, first the ride data: https://connect.garmin.com/activity/13702817
I don't have much to add to the ride data. Good ride, fun time, good pace. The Zym electrolyte tablets are great. This is the first long ride I've gotten back better hydrated than when I left. I actually gained half a pound. Go figure?
The gearing with a compact is weird. The gears in the small ring don't mesh real well with the gears in the big ring, unless you cross chain (I don't like to do that). It's a good thing I like to spin! I'm also having to work out all my cruising gears again.
The shifting was flawless. Never had a problem the entire ride. Maybe I should thank my mechanic?
I didn't need that new really small gear (34/26) until I hit the steep section on Chili Hill. Wow! That was great! Made a real difference in how I felt on the climb, and my speed was actually faster going up in the smaller gear. It kept my HR much lower (about 8bpm) over the 39/26 I was using. I did have to get on the hoods as there was enough torque to lift my front wheel off the ground. That was an interesting experience.
Incidentally, I really noticed the stiffer BB and crank combination over what I had. That was nice.
Anyway, I'm sold on the compact. That was a really good upgrade.
I don't have much to add to the ride data. Good ride, fun time, good pace. The Zym electrolyte tablets are great. This is the first long ride I've gotten back better hydrated than when I left. I actually gained half a pound. Go figure?
The gearing with a compact is weird. The gears in the small ring don't mesh real well with the gears in the big ring, unless you cross chain (I don't like to do that). It's a good thing I like to spin! I'm also having to work out all my cruising gears again.
The shifting was flawless. Never had a problem the entire ride. Maybe I should thank my mechanic?
I didn't need that new really small gear (34/26) until I hit the steep section on Chili Hill. Wow! That was great! Made a real difference in how I felt on the climb, and my speed was actually faster going up in the smaller gear. It kept my HR much lower (about 8bpm) over the 39/26 I was using. I did have to get on the hoods as there was enough torque to lift my front wheel off the ground. That was an interesting experience.
Incidentally, I really noticed the stiffer BB and crank combination over what I had. That was nice.
Anyway, I'm sold on the compact. That was a really good upgrade.
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Last edited by JoelS; 09-20-09 at 03:40 PM.
09-20-09, 09:33 PM
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Glad you enjoyed the switch. I found that when I went to a compact crank it didn't take long before I redefined my cruising gearing. I now mostly use the 50T, and rarely go below 50x21 for starting from lights and tooling around on slight inclines. 34T is only there for climbing, but it can really leverage a closer ratio cassette.
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