A question about gearing
Discussion
I've got a MTB, a guy at work has a road bike, we compare times and I murder his best times along the same flat stretch on the sea front.
I'm 6ft 7 and 22 stone, he's 5ft6 and 10 stone, he should by rights be much quicker, but my best times have been wind assisted, early morning so no random obstacles and I have better cardio.
He says for me to improve my times I need to fit a bigger front ring and I'm not convinced.
I currently have a 36t on the front, but I very rarely spin it out, so I don't believe a bigger ring will help me at all. I believe I'd struggle to turn a bigger ring due to my power to weight/leg strength etc.
Who's correct?
I'm 6ft 7 and 22 stone, he's 5ft6 and 10 stone, he should by rights be much quicker, but my best times have been wind assisted, early morning so no random obstacles and I have better cardio.
He says for me to improve my times I need to fit a bigger front ring and I'm not convinced.
I currently have a 36t on the front, but I very rarely spin it out, so I don't believe a bigger ring will help me at all. I believe I'd struggle to turn a bigger ring due to my power to weight/leg strength etc.
Who's correct?
If you already have an 11t smallest sprocket at the back, then he's right. For the same cadence, if you want to go faster, then you need a 'bigger' gear on the front. Or, to go faster with the same hardware, you need to turn your biggest gear faster. Increase your cadence, and you will go quicker, but there's a natural limit to how far you can go with that approach. Honestly, though, I wouldn't bother switching to a bigger chainring at the front unless you regularly "spin out" your highest gear to the point where that is what prevents any speed increase.
Alternatively, it's time to look at buying a road bike, an "N+1", if you like. Then spin that fecker out, and blast your roadie pal even further into the weeds...
FWIW there are a number of PHers on this forum who would likely be faster (on their MTBs) than me (on my road bike), or at least give me a good run for my money. I'm struggling to find any increase in pace at the moment. Save for doing 'specific training' (which isn't really my 'thing') I cannot see how to get off this plateau on which I find myself.
Alternatively, it's time to look at buying a road bike, an "N+1", if you like. Then spin that fecker out, and blast your roadie pal even further into the weeds...
FWIW there are a number of PHers on this forum who would likely be faster (on their MTBs) than me (on my road bike), or at least give me a good run for my money. I'm struggling to find any increase in pace at the moment. Save for doing 'specific training' (which isn't really my 'thing') I cannot see how to get off this plateau on which I find myself.
yellowjack said:
to go faster with the same hardware, you need to turn your biggest gear faster. Increase your cadence, and you will go quicker, but there's a natural limit to how far you can go with that approach. Honestly, though, I wouldn't bother switching to a bigger chainring at the front unless you regularly "spin out" your highest gear to the point where that is what prevents any speed increase.
A lot of truth in this. Many years ago a friend got a carbon bike (This was a rarity in those days and VERY expensive). He was horrified when he turned in exactly the same time for a local evening 10 as on his old bike the previous week! When I quizzed him about his gearing it turned out the same size chainrings and sprockets as old bike. I said " same gear at same rpm is same speed" but he didn't seem to get it! "But the bikes lighter" he said, I repeated "same gear etc". I explained to go faster either pedal same gear faster rpm, a higher gear or a combination of the 2. Fell on deaf ears
Sounds like my commute observations n me n my mate. I'm 5"7 n slim, hes 7ft (yes 7ft) and stocky . We ride together sometimes, I'm more bike fit. We would have races, on slight long downhill's, with the wind behind him, once he gets going, he is a machine! I can just keep up , but I would be flat out, he would be cruising! Accelerating and hills, I leave him for dead, but I'm good at that anyway. Same applies when I ride with big blokes in my club, they do well once they get going in a rhythm.
As for commuting, I often do it on a rigid MTB with slicks , on my not flat/not too hilly route I only really use the 39 front ring and don't ever pedal it out, until the big down hill on way home. Overtaken loads of road bikes, I reckon on a good day on I'd be quicker on the MTB than a bad day on the road bike. I can also kane it over poor quality sections of road that on my road bikes I have to slow down for.
But....The above is only 10 miles each way, any more on the MTB I start to burn out due to the extra effort and lack of drops, so after 40 miles, I'm just getting started on a road bike, but I'll be pretty knackered holding a decent pace on the MTB on the road.
So short rides, not much in it for me, unless I am really pushing on the roadie (then I go quicker ) longer distance big difference!
As for commuting, I often do it on a rigid MTB with slicks , on my not flat/not too hilly route I only really use the 39 front ring and don't ever pedal it out, until the big down hill on way home. Overtaken loads of road bikes, I reckon on a good day on I'd be quicker on the MTB than a bad day on the road bike. I can also kane it over poor quality sections of road that on my road bikes I have to slow down for.
But....The above is only 10 miles each way, any more on the MTB I start to burn out due to the extra effort and lack of drops, so after 40 miles, I'm just getting started on a road bike, but I'll be pretty knackered holding a decent pace on the MTB on the road.
So short rides, not much in it for me, unless I am really pushing on the roadie (then I go quicker ) longer distance big difference!
Yes, he does need to speed up a bit, pretty poor show from him and it was especially satisfying as he was cocksure he'd smash my best times but came nowhere near them.
Same gear, same rpm = same speed makes sense.
So either more cadence or a bigger ring, I'm pretty happy with what I have, it was him suggesting I could improve my times just with a bigger front ring.
Same gear, same rpm = same speed makes sense.
So either more cadence or a bigger ring, I'm pretty happy with what I have, it was him suggesting I could improve my times just with a bigger front ring.
Barchettaman said:
Great read, getting that result on a clunky hard tail with knobblies, brilliant. 
CoinSl0t said:
I've got a MTB, a guy at work has a road bike, we compare times and I murder his best times along the same flat stretch on the sea front.
I'm 6ft 7 and 22 stone, he's 5ft6 and 10 stone, he should by rights be much quicker, but my best times have been wind assisted, early morning so no random obstacles and I have better cardio.
He says for me to improve my times I need to fit a bigger front ring and I'm not convinced.
I currently have a 36t on the front, but I very rarely spin it out, so I don't believe a bigger ring will help me at all. I believe I'd struggle to turn a bigger ring due to my power to weight/leg strength etc.
Who's correct?
Weight and power to weight don't particularly matter on the flat. What times/speeds are you both getting?I'm 6ft 7 and 22 stone, he's 5ft6 and 10 stone, he should by rights be much quicker, but my best times have been wind assisted, early morning so no random obstacles and I have better cardio.
He says for me to improve my times I need to fit a bigger front ring and I'm not convinced.
I currently have a 36t on the front, but I very rarely spin it out, so I don't believe a bigger ring will help me at all. I believe I'd struggle to turn a bigger ring due to my power to weight/leg strength etc.
Who's correct?
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