Tried going to work on the road bike for the first time. A substantial difference to the folder. Firstly there is substantially less wind resistance. Secondly for some reason I can get up hills a lot better on it in that I can use a higher gear and go faster than either the folder or the mountain bike. I am guessing the clipless pedals helped here but I was surprised at just how much easier it was to climb hills. When I replaced the cassette on the road bike I worked out the gearing needed by computing the lowest gear required on the mountain bike to get up the hills en route to work but today I managed to get up all the hills without even dropping into the granny ring. There is something else about that bike that makes it more efficient but I can't put my finger on it at the moment.
"Adam Lea" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Tried going to work on the road bike for the first time. A substantial difference to the folder. Firstly there is substantially less wind resistance. Secondly for some reason I can get up hills a lot better on it in that I can use a higher gear and go faster than either the folder or the mountain bike. I am guessing the clipless pedals helped here but I was surprised at just how much easier it was to climb hills. When I replaced the cassette on the road bike I worked out the gearing needed by computing the lowest gear required on the mountain bike to get up the hills en route to work but today I managed to get up all the hills without even dropping into the granny ring. There is something else about that bike that makes it more efficient but I can't put my finger on it at the moment.
Tyres? Less weight? I have commuted on road bikes for two years now and when I get my hybrid out it's like having lead boots on. That said, having no car at the moment my hybrid is seeing a lot of action going to the supermarket and back. It does a better job there than the road bikes do.
Secondly for some reason I can get up hills a lot better on it in that I can use a higher gear and go faster than either the folder or the mountain bike. I am guessing the clipless pedals helped here but I was surprised at just how much easier it was to climb hills.
Clipless pedals give up to 30% more power. 'Cos you can also pull up on the pedals they encourage a good circular pedalling technique too. Oh, and the aggressive riding position makes it almost impossible to ride slowly.
On 11 Jul, 19:34, Mark <pleasegivegenerously@warmail*turn_up_the_heat_to_reply*.com.invalid>
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Clipless pedals give up to 30% more power. 'Cos you can also pull up on the pedals they encourage a good circular pedalling technique too. Oh, and the aggressive riding position makes it almost impossible to ride slowly.
Plus the "I'm on The Beast, I must ride faster than everyone else" ego effect! Putting aero bars on my road bike increased my cruising speed by a couple of mph, and that had nothing to do with reduced air resistance!
In addition to all the other reasons, if it's a small hill, just hitting the base at a higher speed on your road bike will make for less work as you're going up.
"Simon Mason" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
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"Adam Lea" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Tried going to work on the road bike for the first time. A substantial difference to the folder. Firstly there is substantially less wind resistance. Secondly for some reason I can get up hills a lot better on it in that I can use a higher gear and go faster than either the folder or the mountain bike. I am guessing the clipless pedals helped here but I was surprised at just how much easier it was to climb hills. When I replaced the cassette on the road bike I worked out the gearing needed by computing the lowest gear required on the mountain bike to get up the hills en route to work but today I managed to get up all the hills without even dropping into the granny ring. There is something else about that bike that makes it more efficient but I can't put my finger on it at the moment.
Tyres? Less weight? I have commuted on road bikes for two years now and when I get my hybrid out it's like having lead boots on. That said, having no car at the moment my hybrid is seeing a lot of action going to the supermarket and back. It does a better job there than the road bikes do.
I thought that but my birdy has narrow tyres and weighs about the same but that requires a lower gear to get up a given hill than the road bike. I'm wondering if it is a mental thing (a more aerodynamic position encourages more power).
I've been doing my commute using just one gear (highest gear/middle chainring) for the last week or so. Hills are tough but rewarding and it's not spinning too much on the flat.
I didn't think it would be feasible but it's made the journey more fun and more of a workout.
I've been doing my commute using just one gear (highest gear/middle chainring) for the last week or so. Hills are tough but rewarding and it's not spinning too much on the flat.
I didn't think it would be feasible but it's made the journey more fun and more of a workout.
I've been doing my commute using just one gear (highest gear/middle chainring) for the last week or so. Hills are tough but rewarding and it's not spinning too much on the flat.
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I didn't think it would be feasible but it's made the journey more fun and more of a workout.
fixed next then :-)
you know it makes sense.
T
:-) Single-speed for sure, just need to find an old racer somewhere that's ripe for a British Racing Green paint job and I'm away. 🙂
Quoting Mark <pleasegivegenerously@warmail*turn_up_the_heat_to_reply*.com.invalid>:
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Secondly for some reason I can get up hills a lot better on it in that I can use a higher gear and go faster than either the folder or the mountain bike. I am guessing the clipless pedals helped here but I was surprised at just how much easier it was to climb hills.
Clipless pedals give up to 30% more power.
Complete bunk for anything but sprinting. The limit's cardiovascular, and funky pedals won't make your lungs any bigger.
Adam: crank length? -- David Damerell <[email hidden]> flcl? Today is Leicesterday, Presuary.
Secondly for some reason I can get up hills a lot better on it in that I can use a higher gear and go faster than either the folder or the mountain bike. I am guessing the clipless pedals helped here but I was surprised at just how much easier it was to climb hills.
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Clipless pedals give up to 30% more power.
Complete bunk for anything but sprinting.
To clarify, complete bunk for anything where you're not putting lots of power through the pedals. So not complete bunk for many climbs.
Quoting Mark <pleasegivegenerously@warmail*turn_up_the_heat_to_reply*.com.invalid>:
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David Damerell wrote but someone deletes attribution lines:
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Mark wrote but he still deletes attribution lines:
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Adam Lea wrote but he _still_ deletes attribution lines: >Secondly for some reason I can get up hills a lot better on it >in that I can use a higher gear and go faster than either the folder >or the mountain bike. I am guessing the clipless pedals helped here >but I was surprised at just how much easier it was to climb hills. Clipless pedals give up to 30% more power.
Complete bunk for anything but sprinting.
To clarify, complete bunk for anything where you're not putting lots of power through the pedals.
No, this is just the clipless fantasy. If the high power section isn't so very short that the limits of the cardiovascular system don't come into play, pulling up isn't going to make a blind bit of difference; the heart and lungs are what governs you.
And, frankly, if it is that short, it's not a hill, it's a bump. -- David Damerell <[email hidden]> flcl? Today is Leicesterday, Presuary.
Quoting Mark <pleasegivegenerously@warmail*turn_up_the_heat_to_reply*.com.invalid>:
Quoted message said:
David Damerell wrote but someone deletes attribution lines:
Quoted message said:
Mark wrote but he still deletes attribution lines: >Adam Lea wrote but he _still_ deletes attribution lines: >>Secondly for some reason I can get up hills a lot better on it >>in that I can use a higher gear and go faster than either the folder >>or the mountain bike. I am guessing the clipless pedals helped here >>but I was surprised at just how much easier it was to climb hills. >Clipless pedals give up to 30% more power. Complete bunk for anything but sprinting.
To clarify, complete bunk for anything where you're not putting lots of power through the pedals.
No, this is just the clipless fantasy. If the high power section isn't so very short that the limits of the cardiovascular system don't come into play, pulling up isn't going to make a blind bit of difference; the heart and lungs are what governs you.
And, frankly, if it is that short, it's not a hill, it's a bump.
true though i guess might help to make a smoother pedling style. i personally i'm fairly sure that i'd end not getting out of clipless.
