Originally Posted by
queerpunk
By all means, experiment with the 49. But:
Hitting 130rpm in a 92.5" gear (48x14) is some respectable speed for a Cat 5. 130rpm is a completely respectable sprint cadence. You might not have the power to get 10 more RPM out. And - you're winning races! Why change?
Don't underestimate the difference 1 tooth in the front can make - but don't overestimate it, either.
Personally, I don't think I used anything bigger than a 92" until I became a Cat 2. As a Cat 1 I've won plenty of races on a little old 92.5" gear.
That's what I was thinking as well...why change? I have a race tonight so I'll run the 48x14 as I don't really want to tinker with my set up the day of the race. I come from a road sprinting background so hitting high rpms to sprint is definitely new to me. One more quick question on race strategy and scoring: in a points race I understand that if you lap the field you score 20 points. Does anyone just attack from the gun in order to get the 20 and not worry about the actual finish?