Single Speed question: How do you balance your gear?

Lobo Tommy said:

I finally just purchased a Redline Monocog. While the
gearing (32x16) is perfect for riding on flat and uphill;
if the land starts to decend at all I can't torque it at
all - I just coast. What would be a more appropriate gear
for my situation? I'd say I ride 20% hills, 40% flat, and
40% descents.

The irony is I can catch up to people on hills and flats -
but on decents I just watch them disappear as I try to
pedal but nothing happens!

I run 32x17 and just try to get a big enough gap on climbs
that they don't catch me on the way down. Spinning really
fast (picture a hamster running in it's wheel) also helps -
it's an acquired skill and I'm still working on it myself.

Matt

MattB said:

Lobo Tommy said:

I finally just purchased a Redline Monocog. While the
gearing (32x16) is perfect for riding on flat and uphill;
if the land starts to decend at all I can't torque it at
all - I just coast. What would be a more appropriate gear
for my situation? I'd say I ride 20% hills, 40% flat, and
40% descents.

The irony is I can catch up to people on hills and flats -
but on decents I just watch them disappear as I try to
pedal but nothing happens!

I run 32x17 and just try to get a big enough gap on
climbs that they don't catch me on the way down. Spinning
really fast (picture a hamster running in it's wheel)
also helps - it's an acquired skill and I'm still working
on it myself.

Matt

See, that's why I don't do SS. Walking up the hills and
spinning like a hamster on a wheel on the way down. I'm
fairly humble but even my ego couldn't take that.
:-)

Shawn

Lobo Tommy said:

I finally just purchased a Redline Monocog. While the
gearing (32x16) is perfect for riding on flat and uphill;
if the land starts to decend at all I can't torque it at
all - I just coast. What would be a more appropriate gear
for my situation? I'd say I ride 20% hills, 40% flat, and
40% descents.

The irony is I can catch up to people on hills and flats -
but on decents I just watch them disappear as I try to
pedal but nothing happens!

How can 20% of your riding be uphill and 40% down, certainly
not by time.

I'd say pick more technical decents where pedaling in not
necessary.

--
Craig Brossman, Durango Colorado (remove ".nospam" to reply)

Craig Brossman <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Lobo Tommy said:

I finally just purchased a Redline Monocog. While the
gearing (32x16) is perfect for riding on flat and
uphill; if the land starts to decend at all I can't
torque it at all - I just coast. What would be a more
appropriate gear for my situation? I'd say I ride 20%
hills, 40% flat, and 40% descents.

The irony is I can catch up to people on hills and flats
- but on decents I just watch them disappear as I try to
pedal but nothing happens!

How can 20% of your riding be uphill and 40% down,
certainly not by time.

I'd say pick more technical decents where pedaling in not
necessary.

Let me rephrase that, if the land is not perfectly flat - I
consider that a part of the descent category -- in my
situation. When this happens I get frustrated and feel lazy
because all I can do is coast. What would help me out?
32x14 or 32x15?

Hey Lobo,

I have a monocog as well and soon realized how I had to
coast on any (even relatively minor) downhill. I ride
mine back and forth to work, and at first I just got into
the groove and mellowed out on the downhills. Then I
learned what another gentleman wrote - every now and then
I would peddle like a madman and get a workout and a
little more speed.

I still do this on my commute, but when I go out riding I
usually start with a big gnarly hill and then am soooo
glad to coast at the end of the ride, that I don't miss
moving my legs.

SSing is a different kind of thing, IMHO. I like being
forced to "cruise" a bit. Take a little time to look around
and don't worry about competing with geared brethren, just
riiiiiide.

(Lobo Tommy) said:

The irony is I can catch up to people on hills and flats -
but on decents I just watch them disappear as I try to
pedal but nothing happens!

....that's irony?

Peace, Bill The mind serves properly as a window glass
rather than as a reflector, that is, the mind should give an
immediate view instead of an interpretation of the world.
:-]

(Lobo Tommy) said:

I finally just purchased a Redline Monocog. While the
gearing (32x16) is perfect for riding on flat and uphill;
if the land starts to decend at all I can't torque it at
all - I just coast. What would be a more appropriate gear
for my situation? I'd say I ride 20% hills, 40% flat, and
40% descents.

What you've got to do is decide what your priority is given
the fact (duh) that you've only got one speed.

Mine is that I don't want to dismount on climbs very often,
so I gear for that and live with the fact of spinning out
and/or coasting on descents and flats (32:17).

If you're more inclined to go fast, go for it and gear up
accordingly. Experiment with gear combos on your geared
bike, buy a couple of extra freewheels for different
conditions. I've got an 18 and a 16, but I'm so used to the
17 that it stays on the bike all of the time.

If you can't find a gear combo you like as a compromise
between grinding and spinning, go back to riding a geared
bike because SS is not for you.

Lobo Tommy said:

I finally just purchased a Redline Monocog. While the
gearing (32x16) is perfect for riding on flat and uphill;

I ride a 32:18, but I like to spin, I guess I'm silly like
that I do have a second wheel laced up with a 32:16 for
"hilly" rides

Quoted message said:

if the land starts to decend at all I can't torque it at
all - I just coast.

Yeah, so just sit back and enjoy the ride, you earned it on
the way up.

Quoted message said:

The irony is I can catch up to people on hills and flats -
but on decents I just watch them disappear as I try to
pedal but nothing happens!

Are you racing for profit or riding for your personal
pleasure

--
--
John G. in Memphis, TN Have a nice......... night.
shavings.netreflect john.jpgOpen ↗

Andy said:

SSing is a different kind of thing, IMHO. I like being
forced to "cruise" a bit. Take a little time to look
around and don't worry about competing with geared
brethren, just riiiiiide.

what him say

--
Tonto

Bill Wheeler said:

On 28 May 2004 07:58:49 -0700, [email hidden] (Lobo

Tommy) said:

The irony is I can catch up to people on hills and flats
- but on decents I just watch them disappear as I try to
pedal but nothing happens!

....that's irony?

Peace, Bill The mind serves properly as a window glass
rather than as a reflector, that is, the mind should
give an immediate view instead of an interpretation of
the world.
:-]

Like black fly in my chardonnay.

Matt (isn't it?)

On Mon, 31 May 2004 21:16:25 -0600, "MattB" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Bill Wheeler said:

On 28 May 2004 07:58:49 -0700, [email hidden] (Lobo

Tommy) said:

The irony is I can catch up to people on hills and flats
- but on decents I just watch them disappear as I try to
pedal but nothing happens!

....that's irony?

Peace, Bill The mind serves properly as a window glass
rather than as a reflector, that is, the mind should
give an immediate view instead of an interpretation of
the world.
:-]

Like black fly in my chardonnay.

Matt (isn't it?)

...rain on my wedding day...

D'oh!

Bill

The mind serves properly as a window glass rather than as a
reflector, that is, the mind should give an immediate view
instead of an interpretation of the world.
:-]