Welcome to our corner of the internet Curtis!
Thanks Blakey,
I was just down your way last May/June for a month of surfing with my son. Too bad I missed everybody.
So i just changed my what inch gear i was running today 88.4 to a 84.2 (48-15t) and it has mad a massive difference i was still able to reach my top speed but i felt i could sprint for longer and had a higher average speed… i also felt like i had better control of the bike… thanks for your help guys
win!
48:16 wont hurt your legs, turn them over without blowing yourself up. Flip to a 48:14 for training with an emphasis on power etc. Like said previously, it prob depends on why your riding and for what purpose in that particular session you are seeking to improve?
Much of it depends on the race. As glorious as match sprinting is it is usually a small part of any track event. Mostly you will be riding scratch events where a little more gear is helpful. I mostly raced within a range of four inches. 88-90 for sprints, 90 for short massed start races, and 92 for long points races. The track also makes a difference.
[QUOTE=Curtis Odom;418131]within a range of four inches
That’s all I’ve got!
it might be short, but it sure is skinny!
Question for all those out there.
If, for my humble beginnings on the track, I turn up with 46/14, will it be futile? Or should i snap up a 48 or 50?
I bought the 46t cycle underground ring when I was planning to run it as a street whip.
it’ll be about the same as running 49/15, that is ~88gi. it’s probably a bit high if you’re starting out, maybe try 46/15 for ~82gi the first few times and see how you go. i went up from 48/15 to 47/14 for ~90gi this week for the first time and will probably stick with it. bigger chainrings with (slightly) bigger sprockets have the whole greater meshing of teeth and chain = more efficient power transfer, etc but just use what you have. i went with a 47/14 rather than 50/15 because having the 47t chainring meant i still have a street friendly gear at 47/17.
if you look at a gear chart you will find the most common gears for racing are all within a 48-51 chainring and a 14-15 cog
so 4 rings and 2 cogs will cover pretty much everything and you can probably use the same chain for all of them too
^ this should have been the second post…
i “accidentally” ran 50/17 last week (79"), forgot to flip over to the 15, still managed a second place in the first scratch race. That pretty much ruined me for the rest of the night though. still, its’ proof that you don’t need big gears to go fast. i’m going with 48/15 (86") this week after our rather epic weekend, which is lower than what i have been running this year (49/15 88"), i’m all about working around the 15T, mainly because its been on the wheel for so long i don’t know if it’ll come off, and as has been said in reference to other things, the best gear is probably whats on your bike, go ride it
How would restricting riders to one gear make it fairer? Everyone has their optimal cadence, limiting riders to the one gear will favour those with the ability to spin the fastest…
Juniors are restricted to specific gears, doesn’t stop accidents.
There are enough restrictions in place due to the UCI, lets not have the commissaires introduce even more restrictions.
because learning to spin increases control, and once you have control you will ride safer, and that was the point of the exercise, not to limit the number of crashes/stupid moves happening on the track.
Sorry, but I don’t actual understand how riding a higher cadence equals greater control.*
*Serious question - don’t see how I am in greater control revving out at my maximum cadence whilst racing rather than my optimal cadence…
At Disc i’ll usually ride 5014 - Points especially during an Omnium 4914. Outdoors racing scratch or points I’ll usually use either 5015 or 4814. It depends on the numbers racing - smaller gear when less people racing and I expect the pace to be slower.
because as the pace increases you are forced to pedal smoother to keep up. if you can’t, you get tired faster & get dropped (theoretically). if you really fuck up and bin it, at least you’re not flyin around @ 45km/h+.
at least that’s my understanding of it all, I’m still a noob @ all this track stuff too really.
^ I see the point of limiting gears… I don’t ride track, but I’ve always been able to push pretty big gears no worries as opposed to spinning… My guess just due to physical make up… And then that would make limiting gears unfair because it will benefit some and not others.
I’m sure that with proper training I could get my spin up, but I’m sure there are others who are the same!
it’s only a problem if you wanna race once or twice for the glory pushing huge numbers… if you are in it for the long haul, learning to spin is #1 on things to do. i’ve been running 84" the last few times out, and it rocks.
Spinning 84" could easily being off the back in the first laps! You can’t expect to race indoors and be competitive against fast riders using such a low gear?
I made the final of the Points race at the 2009 UCI Track Cycling Masters World Championships and can guarantee I was on the rivet spinning out with the 96"!