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spin/speed

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Old 11-03-04, 12:41 PM
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spin/speed

I had been riding 48x18 and recently went to 48x16 to build the quads for the upcoming tele season. I can't seem to spin more than mid 90s and top out around 22mph. With the 18t I was spinning over 100 and yet able to ride 4 or 5 mph faster with the same apparent effort? Doesn't that sound backwards?
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Old 11-03-04, 12:52 PM
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No, that sounds right.

It makes sense that you were spinning a lot more with the 18. Maybe you just aren't strong enough to mash the 16 yet and therefore can't get up to the speeds you were at with the 18. (I'm not putting you down in any way. 48x16 sounds rough. I'm running 42x15 and I wouldn't want to get a bigger chainring.)
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Old 11-03-04, 12:59 PM
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Originally Posted by labratmatt
No, that sounds right.

It makes sense that you were spinning a lot more with the 18. Maybe you just aren't strong enough to mash the 16 yet and therefore can't get up to the speeds you were at with the 18. (I'm not putting you down in any way. 48x16 sounds rough. I'm running 42x15 and I wouldn't want to get a bigger chainring.)
Seconded.
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Old 11-03-04, 01:02 PM
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Yeah, 48/16 isn't bad at all once you get used to it. I can spin 30mph on a level grade and I'm sure there are those here who can do better, but I do remember it being rough when I first moved up from 42/17.
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Old 11-03-04, 01:42 PM
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Yeah, 48/16 isn't bad at all once you get used to it. I can spin 30mph on a level grade and I'm sure there are those here who can do better, but I do remember it being rough when I first moved up from 42/17.
Wow, thats like 130 rpm, on level ground, with 78ish gear inches. Thats pretty strong.

Milo
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Old 11-03-04, 01:53 PM
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It's actually not so hard... I mean pushing it without any assistance is a trick for sure (energy lost to wind resistance goes up with the square of relative wind speed--so on a still day going 30 is going to take 4x as much power as 15), but the spinning's not so hard. 35 is my personal best but even then the spinning itself isn't so difficult.
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Old 11-03-04, 03:23 PM
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I did 32 on a 42x16.
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Old 11-03-04, 03:31 PM
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I've done 39 on 42x16.
I say this not in a jocko "I'm better than..." way.
(which would be funny if you ever met me)
just to say that if you've got a big enough descent
and your legs are made of wet noodles its possible.

jeff
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Old 11-03-04, 04:23 PM
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185 rpm. Rock on.
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Old 11-03-04, 06:15 PM
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46/17 on a 1.25" wide x 26" MTB wheel - average 40mph down a hill, with some skidding towards the bottom (legs couldn't go any faster - eek!!) - conservative calc is 197rpm. Also coincided with my maximum heart rate reading of 212bpm - I wonder why??
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