bla...bla...bla..yea i've got a 11-23 for my rear cogs...with a 53 on the front...
Sound familiar...or not familiar or make ya think...what ARE they talking about?? This is my sixth season of doing triathlons and when people have talked bikes inevitably gears will come up. And then gibberish ensues...at least in my little brain. I used to think: what are they talking about? Why do they care so much? who really, REALLY cares? I did not think I would ever become one of them. Just 10 months ago someone mentioned their rear gearing on their bike and my reaction was: blink...blink...blink.
It made no difference to me...and I had no interest in understanding it. AND THEN....(insert scary music)...i learned to ride a track bike. And that is one HUGE topic that that gets talked talk about on the track...well because there is one...maybe two (if you have a flip flop hub) gears on your bike at any given time. Granted if you want to 'change' gears you have to take your tire off and flip it around. But this is pretty typical to see on a track bike that a rider will have two different gears in the back.
Serious track riders carry around a serious gear bag( as in full of different cogs and chain rings). It is quite impressive. And I am happy to say...i'm starting my collection!
I have a 48 chain ring on the front and currently a 16 on the back...but I just got a 15 for the back. (Wasn't able to try it out tonight though sadly). So a 48x16 = 80ish gear inch. And a 48x15 = 86ish gear inch.Gear inch? Again, I hadn't even heard that term, let alone cared to understand it until I discovered the velodrome. Here is a pretty cool explanation of gear ratios from How Stuff Works if that whole big gear little cog thing never made much sense. The animations are cool.
Gear ratios are related to 'gear inch' and it is possible to calculate how fast one can go with a specific gear inch at a specific cadence...ect. I like this site to calculate gear inch. Bigger gear inch = harder to push. But the tricky thing when on a track bike is...there is no switching a gear mid ride like on a freewheel with lots of gears. Want to go faster...spin faster...that is the only choice given. So i'm going to try a heavier gear next week...maybe I'll keep up a little better...or...maybe not...
got a talkin' to
I still hear a lot of random screaming from one of the guys in charge about me needing to 'CLOSE THE GAP'...yea, i lost the pace line a few (ok a lot...like normal) tonight. That being said...we did work on paceline technique mainly 'getting back ONTO' the paceline after taking a pull at the front. I get dropped a lot off the back of a paceline after I have pulled because I don't do this correctly. On a track it is important to GO up to the board and then when the end of the pace line comes to shoot down to the end of the pace line so that you have enough momentum to catch the pace line AND the draft as you get in. I typically will come into the end of the pace line too 'cold' and then have to waste a lot of energy trying to catch the back fo the pace line. Coming in a little too 'hot' means that you come in closer to that last rider and then slide back behind that person.
But...the 'talkin' to...i've sorta known is an 'issue' i deal with. It went a little like this: You are strong enough to hang in there...you leave TOO much of a gap in your paceline and then catch the wind. Get over your fear.
Gee...thanks...that's the advice? Get over your fear of being too close to that person in front of me: WHO HAS NO BRAKES?? NOR DO I?
Here is part of the reason I have issues with holding close to the person ahead of me: I will get the proper distance and then I swear then i'm ON the person ahead of me, and now have to slow down (which means lightening the pressure on the pedals) and then SUDDENLY a gap gathers and now I have to close it...and then I catch too close...and again...repeat. I know it takes time. And I am getting better at it...but sheesh.
Enough random talk of gearing out of me tonight.
4 comments:
I've said it before...
BIKER CHICKS RULE!
that is SO cool...
I love the gear ratio stuff. And I still don't understand it all :) GRAB on to that paceline! Oh and it sounds scary to me!! Awesome job!
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for the gear ratio explanation. I didn't have time today to go check out those sites but now I know where to go to get a good explanation. I understand basic gear lingo but never the details. AWESOME!
As for your talkin' to...I can see how it would be much scarier without brakes. A LOT scarier. But you've come so far in such a short period of time I know you'll eventually get it. Just keep workin' at it! (and nevermind those stupid boys...)
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