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Deleted member 1258
Guest
I find I start to bounce around 25 mph, once I get above that I smooth out. I'm on 46 X 18 and tend to max out around 30-35mph.
KneesUp
Guru
Have a like for this bit, which made me spit out a bit of Bounty.
rogerzilla
Legendary Member
Three tips (the first one is cheating):
1. Don't descend on the drops of the handlebars, but sit up straight and use the brake hoods. You want as much air resistance as possible.
2. Use your ankles. There is less reciprocating weight if you can accommodate some of the pedal movement down there rather than at your knees.
3. For really high cadence you have to actively pedal, not just let your feet be dragged round. You can't do this for very long.
The roller racing guys can do 250rpm under no-load conditions, although they're not coping with bumpy roads.
1. Don't descend on the drops of the handlebars, but sit up straight and use the brake hoods. You want as much air resistance as possible.
2. Use your ankles. There is less reciprocating weight if you can accommodate some of the pedal movement down there rather than at your knees.
3. For really high cadence you have to actively pedal, not just let your feet be dragged round. You can't do this for very long.
The roller racing guys can do 250rpm under no-load conditions, although they're not coping with bumpy roads.
1. I'm doing that. I'm considering putting bullhorns on my commuter as I'm not using the drops at the moment. The second I make the switch will be headwinds the whole day though.
2. Do you mean tip toes at 6 o'clock and heel dragging at 12?
3. I realised that early on. I can't get over 130/140 without bouncing like a mad man unless I push/pull the pedals. Doesn't need to be much force but it does help.
rogerzilla
Legendary Member
Yes, more ankling than in normal pedalling. Try to minimise how much your upper legs move. Feet are a lot lighter than thighs.
rogerzilla
Legendary Member
I've been trying on the way home but the only hill is rather bumpy due to poor repairs. I got up to 156rpm a few weeks ago, and was trying for 170rpm, but then had to brake for the queue of cars at the bottom, which was longer than usual. A 1 mile hill gives a lot of scope for playing!
Not to be overlooked is the benefit of a fixed or single speed in improving your low cadence. With gears and hills, there is a tendency to change down and down until you run out of gears and then struggle. With no option to change down, you develop the technique of riding at a very low cadence and still able to climb up hills without falling off.
KneesUp
Guru
Not with my knees you don't!
Yes. I sometimes question am I lucky or unlucky with the terrain around me.
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
It is easy to do with Sheldon Brown's Gear Calculator.
I can pedal my singlespeed bike comfortably to 35 km/hr. It has a 52/19 gear so I can see from the calculator that I am doing just over 100 rpm. I can do short bursts at 40 km/hr so that would be just under 120 rpm.
No, trucks have just got faster.
