OFF
Fact is, when you are an experienced and fit cyclist, using toe straps or clipless pedals, the high rpms start to make sense. They are much more efficient, meaning you can generate more power on the long run, easier on both the drivetrain and your knees, and even your leg muscles. On a fixed gear and in a city, they are even more welcome as you will want to accelerate and decelerate a lot using the drivetrain, which is easier with an easy ratio.
Good cyclists like to spin 80-100rpm, and that's 16-20mph supposin 44/16 and 700c's. Not all that slow, and most here can rev up to 140-150rpm on downhills if need be.
Conclusion: your gear ratio is too high, full stop. Gear down, and your knees will thank you.

Thats true... I totally agree...

52x15 in the street?.. r u hulk or do u live in florida? :P ... man go the the miami track with that... u'll see your self how slow u should be... and u'll be slower and slower if u continue using that in the street...

cya ;D

So you are saying that if I keep this ratio for any extended period of time that I will end up being very slow all the time ?

Is this because of some problems that could develop in the leg muscles due to extended use of high gearing?


Please explain.

For christmas my fiance got me some risers that I chopped, Oury grips, a stem, and a NOS white Turbo Saddle. I love all of them so much.

http://img226.imageshack.us/img226/2...riends30rt.jpg
Our bikes today.

let me ask you....did you tell her what you wanted her to get specifically....or did she know you wanted those just by knowing you

Well the explanaition u gave is quite right and very scientific but look at it this way... we r talking about coordination in fast movements, right? If u r riding always at the same cadence lets say 50 rmps.. but always... all the time... ull get used to that, so if somebody change that or if u get obligated to change to 70 or 100+ rpms just like in a race u wont be able to catch up at all... sure u r freaking strong but u dont have power niether agility... so the asnwer u gave its absolutely right...

What happend with road racers is that they can adjust the cadence using different gears but untill some point only.. all have a limit... Personally I beaten people using 52x16/15 in a race, being that the other guys where riding with 53x14/13 ... even now that im not racing anymore i see guys riding with 53x14 ahd they think they are going fast??? I even pass them easyllly using 40x15/16 or 53x18.. just like nothing... or they simply try to go behind me and they simply after 2 miles or so gave up becuase they arent strong to move fast the gear they r usong and they arent fast enough to catch up with a lighter gear...

As an advice... is better go with some light gear than a heavy gear because of an improvement of coordination, cadence, style, riding position, hearth and lungs development, diminish the damage in the knees... etc etc etc... WIth the TIME u guys will get stronger, usually heavy gears is sinonimous of GETTING strong but people forget to work the BASE to use those heavy gears...

Now seriously... avoid them, I know it will be a pain in the ass going jumping over the seat because the legs cant catch up with the crank speed, but thats the symptom that shows a lack of legs speed and coordination, try to ride 15 mins at 85/100 rmps using 42x16 or some like that... sightseen speed, 3/4 maybe... if u jump and its hard 4 u pedaling w/o jump over the seat is because of a lack of U know what... solution... continuing using light gears...

Look profesionals track riders do not use more than 51x15... or something equivalent to that like 47x14... Im talking a guy that is prepared to get 150+ rpms in a sprint... thats freakin' fast u know... but in the street? use that for going to the super market?? nah... U'll be wondering maybe why nobody uses more than 51x15 or so... what happend is that tracks arent easy... i mean... u have wind everywhere, even in a indoor track... the gears are heavy all the time... thats explain maybe why tracks racers are masive!... musculars... u have to be pedaling all the time... incredible right? Althought the track is made of wood u have to deal with more friction that people may think. This is an stupid example but true.. its easyer do 1KM TT in the road than in the track... My record in the road and using my road bike when I was in Junior was 1 min, 1 secs... in the track I never did less than 1 min 6 secs, both stop starting.

Well I just move too much from the topic... I apologise...Hope this stuff teach to some people be more open to try new things and learn... because many r cyclist of weekends, book riders or magazine riders... they do what the book or the magazine says... sometimes arent bad advices but sometimes they simply dont work for simple people as u and me... education is the key sometimes.

Thanks...

I want that bike! The red brick wall makes for a classic photo.

This guy sent me a pic of his bike w/ the wheels I sold him. I wanted to keep the wheels but I needed to buy my Cinelli back.

Here's the pic:

http://img287.imageshack.us/img287/1705/a1ep.jpg

nice bike...not exactly a classic....but i'd take it

Dear God I love that frame. Sweet sweet Toronto-designed goodness.

Brooks B5N (used; free from buddy) + Black and Decker RTX (Xmas gift) = DIM (Doing It Myself) Brooks Swift :D

Is it really that hard to spell our "are", "you", and "for" or do you just not realize how over the top annoying your post is to read?

Lol :d

I was lucky. My friend got me the swift for destroying my bag.. I wasnt expecting it.. Damn thing cost a lot

Here's some pix of a tigwelded Columbus Zona track frame I built for a trackie out in California:
http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/9530/dt2qe.jpg
http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/9564/dtbb0we.jpg
http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/8905/dtht5ad.jpg

Jesus Christ, do you have to try to take over all my bike fetishes before I can? Save some for the rest of us.

I can't bring myself to do that. If I go for cantis that look like that, they're gonna be real mafacs, not the boutique reinvention of 'em.

It's a few pages back, but I like that Carlton a lot, schloe mo. That's actually pretty similar to how I'm planning on setting up my frame once I get it March-ish.

Well, if you're hunting for Mafacs I've seen a coupla folks on the iBOB list selling recently..

-s

http://img426.imageshack.us/img426/5402/bike21md.jpg
http://img302.imageshack.us/img302/4373/bike11hy.jpg
The latest combination of parts. I really hate the fork on this bike.

I like the white Turbo. Your bike looks good.

Presto! Your's isn't too bad either.

god kenneth, the fork on your bike totally sucks.

I knew you were going to say something about the fork. I beat you to it. Get your own opinion you un-original bastard. Piece of repeating ****. ;)

hahaha, i know you already said it. just, you know, helping to reinforce your opinion.