Get an odometer with a cadence monitor, or just reverse calculate by going from speed and gear inches to cadence.

The initial question was how to increase average speed through gearing understanding that the easy answer is to spin faster. The question was not about training.

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...imer-for-Newbs

"Maybe if you had 67 year old legs you would understand."

I should have recognized your name from the 50+ forum. You could have mentioned your age at the outset, or at least earlier when letting us know your average speed on the ride. It doesn't change what I said, though.

Actually, you didn't have to mention your age or your average speed. ;-)

I like 43x16 cuz I R wuss.

What you said was confused at best.

if you know your speed you can calculate your rpm based on your gear ratio.

Sorry about that, I guess I over thought it.

OK, I'll pretend I'm speaking louder and slower.

Frank gets a one mile per hour increase in speed if he switches from a 44 to 46 chainring, if he's riding at the same cadence. And he is riding about the same cadence, because he reported he gets about the same average speed with either chainring.

Could you read this again and see if it makes any sense? These two sentences completely contradict each other.

This.

I don't see what's contradictory, though. Feel free to tell me. Here's what I see re-reading my sentences:


1) There's only a one mile difference in average speed between a 44 and 46 chainring turning the cranks at the same speed.

2) Frank told us his speed is about the same with both chainrings, so he's using about the same rpm with two chainrings.

At the risk of overcomplicating things, Frank apparently thought just changing chainrings would make him faster.

Fixed.

You have convinced me that you are a troll.

1mph variance can be very large (at higher speeds) or very small (at slower speeds) when it comes to effort. "About 1mph slower" is dependent on where in the spectrum his average is.

Agreed.

It can be tough or easy to increase speed by one mile per hour, depending on circumstances. Frank thought it would be easy enough by changing his chainrain size to gain two miles per hour. As you've pointed out, it's not necessarily easy to do that.

I've ridden 46/16, 46/17 and 42/17 and a geared bike on the same route many times, and from my experience I always got to my destination at approximately the same time. Speed depends on your output. Having the tallest gearing doesn't mean anything if you can't spin a comfortable cadence. This may seem counter-intuitive, but you should try 39/16, you will really feel the difference in comfort and perceived speed. Lower gears keep me motivated and don't tire me out as much for longer distances, sometimes resulting in higher average speeds by the end of the trip. Ultimately, it depends on your riding style; I hate mashing.

I have a higher top end on 88" than I do on 92".
How about that?

Sure, 92" is a faster gear at the same cadence... but I am physically unable to spin the taller gear at the same rate. You really do have to find what works for you. Numbers don't mean everything.

Everything was wrong with your bike the day you brought 92gi.

Because I've never ridden 92" again right?

Just cause your bikes didn't fit doesn't mean everyone else's don't.

Your cleats kept popping you out too. I don't give a damn about your bike fit.

Don't leave me baby.

Just to set the facts straight, I don't know what my average speed was when I had the 42t chainring on the bike because I didn't have the computer at that time. I went to the 44t chainring to see if I felt faster with it. I put the computer on the bike and recorded the stated average speed. Now I think that I'll return to the 42t to see if there's any difference. I suspect that if I feel more comfortable with the smaller chainring it may compute to a slightly higher average speed. My higher cadence may more than compensate for difference of two less teeth.