Seeking information on the relationship of drop bar width to crank set/pedal width:
60 is at my door. Over the last two years I've been examining the climbing differences of two of my road bikes. One has 40 cm drops (measured center to center at the bar ends) with 26 cm between the center lines of the road pedals (13 cm from seat post center to the center of the cleat anchor). The other bike has 38 cm drops and 30 cm cleat foot prints (measured as described previously).
I prefer to climb the steeps rather than ride the flats due to traffic dimwits. With a wide variety of crank sets, chain rings and clusters, I can duplicate many drive line combinations with both bikes. It seems to me that the strain of a climb greater than 10% is easier with the narrow bars and wide crank set. The acceleration on grades less than 8 % is better with the wide bars and narrower crank set.
Has any thing been written regarding this topic?
Please provide thoughts. Keith
60 is at my door. Over the last two years I've been examining the climbing differences of two of my road bikes. One has 40 cm drops (measured center to center at the bar ends) with 26 cm between the center lines of the road pedals (13 cm from seat post center to the center of the cleat anchor). The other bike has 38 cm drops and 30 cm cleat foot prints (measured as described previously).
I prefer to climb the steeps rather than ride the flats due to traffic dimwits. With a wide variety of crank sets, chain rings and clusters, I can duplicate many drive line combinations with both bikes. It seems to me that the strain of a climb greater than 10% is easier with the narrow bars and wide crank set. The acceleration on grades less than 8 % is better with the wide bars and narrower crank set.
Has any thing been written regarding this topic?
Please provide thoughts. Keith
