Pardon my lack of knowledge and vernacular. I am obv a noob to cycling.
I have a couple questions:
(1) What are the shortest sprints? Are they 200m?
(2) What is generally considered the "best" gear for a short sprint? I have a 21 speed road bike and the highest gear is NOT the fastest for me in short sprints. (I don't know how far I'm going but I'm only going all out for about 25 seconds...I can't sustain much more). Anyway I found a few gears down form the highest (3, 3 on the gear shifters---i.e. biggest cog on front, medium cog on rear) gets me going the fastest. I accelerate MUCH better in this gear than on the highest (3, 7).
And would one ever shift within such a short sprint? I can see perhaps starting low to accelerate then gearing up when topped out. But I don't know, for me just sticking with the (3, 3) seems best.
Appreciate any input. I am getting so hooked to cycling!!!
Oh yeah, last night my friends said Lance Armstrong used to climb hills in lower gears than other rival cyclists did...that he liked pedaling at high RPMs. Is this true? And do pro cyclists ever use the smallest front cog? I can't tell by watching TV but it looks like they don't?? So much for my "couple questions" :O
I have a couple questions:
(1) What are the shortest sprints? Are they 200m?
(2) What is generally considered the "best" gear for a short sprint? I have a 21 speed road bike and the highest gear is NOT the fastest for me in short sprints. (I don't know how far I'm going but I'm only going all out for about 25 seconds...I can't sustain much more). Anyway I found a few gears down form the highest (3, 3 on the gear shifters---i.e. biggest cog on front, medium cog on rear) gets me going the fastest. I accelerate MUCH better in this gear than on the highest (3, 7).
And would one ever shift within such a short sprint? I can see perhaps starting low to accelerate then gearing up when topped out. But I don't know, for me just sticking with the (3, 3) seems best.
Appreciate any input. I am getting so hooked to cycling!!!
Oh yeah, last night my friends said Lance Armstrong used to climb hills in lower gears than other rival cyclists did...that he liked pedaling at high RPMs. Is this true? And do pro cyclists ever use the smallest front cog? I can't tell by watching TV but it looks like they don't?? So much for my "couple questions" :O