Originally Posted by
carleton
Here's how one conversation went:
[customer] "Could you please add a 65T chainring to the time trial simulator :-) "
[me] (thinking that he was full of it) "Show me a photo of a 65t chainring on a bike and I’ll add it
"
[customer] (promptly emails me a pic of his BT Edge with a dinner plate on the side of it) "Haha hey mate, that's a 65T chainring on my bike right now on my rollers. I only own 55-57-58-60-65T chainrings ;-) "
[me]
I think I know who you are talking about here, and if it is that person, he has unfortunately had to retire due to injury.
Originally Posted by
Koogar
And I at least can't think of anything productive I'd do on the track with 130+ gear inches, which wouldn't be better accomplished with a squat rack. If he's on the track, he's doing over 71kph with a pretty mediocre sprint cadence of 130rpm using his SMALLEST chainring and a 13T in back. You really took this guy seriously?!
You can ignore emerging trends at your peril. If you put your ear to the ground you may hear of such training methods that are firmly grounded in science and evidence taking track sprinters to the fastest times ever (both masters and elite). Strength training on a bike is a real thing, and more and more people are doing it because it works! Never neglect the fact that you don't necessarily race on a gear that you train on.
Originally Posted by
Koogar
You highlight an important distinction. It was a trivial addition for you and costs other customers nothing. But on a production frame, it could require more deformation of a chainstay, which compromises the frame to some greater extent than necessary for the vast majority of the potential population. If it was common, accepted training practice, I'd find a way to make it work well. Weaken every frame to accommodate a few super edge cases using a chainring size that's not even in regular production? No. And I'm happy for people who can afford to buy expensive gear, but that doesn't on its face make their judgment carry any more weight with me.
For me personally, I specified my new Duratec frame to be able to accommodate a 65t chainring. I don't have one, but for reasons of on bike strength training, I would like to have the option in the future. Why do you think that you need to accommodate every frame with an indented chainstay. I would attempt to accommodate anything up to 55T, and from there perhaps have some modified stays for those that request it. It is also possible to space out a chainring to make it fit. I have a friend who does that with a 65T.