JimiMimni

For what it's worth: I've been racing most of the winter on a 92" (51x15) in the 3/4 field in Colorado Springs. I'm the smallest gear in the field by A LOT. One of my friends was talking about gearing down to a 98" for a points race.

In the P,1,2,3 races, I've used a 92" (fine) and a 94" (SHELLED). Depends on who shows up, and how froggy the field feels.

Huskey

Last season I used 96", 98", 102" for race meets

So far for the last 2 months the smallest I've used is 104" and the biggest 114", it's our off season over here so I'm just working on big gears and heavy weights

VanceMac

I have the opposite approach. I lift year round, but offseason it's the priority so that's where I'm working on power, and my saddle time is spent spinning smaller gears. I'm an enduro though... move along, nothing to see here.

bitingduck

I haven't raced in a couple years, but this is pretty close to the gearing I was using and for the same reasons. I'd also often drop a tooth in front for racing at Encino vs. Carson a lot of the time (because of wind, track surface and style of racing). Bigger faster field I'd gear up a couple inches.

Quinn8it

weights all year?
doesnt that make you feel sluggish on the bike?

JimiMimni

I lift all year as well. Some of my best nights of racing came after HEAVY lifting the night before.

There is evidence for high-force movements potentiating high-velocity movements. I've not read a decisive position stand on the matter, but there is reasoning behind it. From my colleagues:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26544089

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26712510

thesmoothdome

So given the fact that my off season was spent injuring myself from lifting, what gears would you suggest I use to beat you this season Vance? . You know I'm kidding. It's a bummer that we won't get to race until States, but as always it'll be fun!

Off season and early season is about small gears and spinning. The season is about knowing what works for you. I see plenty of guys a lot stronger than I am pushing a huge gear. It works if they can control the pace and keep it consistent. It works until the race goes from 28-33 in a heartbeat and they're gapped off. A lot of these guys can just TT until the next lull, but it has to be draining.

It doesn't do anyone any good to ride a gear so big that they can't get on top of it multiple times during a race. I'd rather be an inch too low than an inch too high any day of the week.

Quinn8it

Don't ask Vance how to beat Vance! Ask the one guy who consistently beats him in the last 2 series- Giddeon Massie

carleton

I've seen Team GB athletes tweet about PBs in the gym days before major events (world cup, world championships, etc...)

Quinn8it

So wait-
Are you telling me that when you use weight training to go fast on a bike- that when you are your strongest you will also be your fastest?
Crazy

Baby Puke

Hey, I think I detect sarcasm.

Quinn8it

I'm famous for my subtlety

carleton

I'm agreeing with the "lift heavy throughout the season" way of thinking.

"Traditional" track programs will have the riders lift heavy in the winter then do maintenance lifting though the season and even decline in poundage as the season progresses.

But, my post was about lifting heavy as hell the day before a big event. Conventional wisdom has people stop lifting 2-3 weeks before the big event of the year to allow for tapering (AKA: Supercompensation).

SprintzNKiloz

I did a double of rollers and heavy lifts Saturday and then was doing standing starts and flying 200s for 3 hours yesterday at the track and I was expected to see puny watts and no snap, but the opposite happened.

skysurfer

I just started playing with this since I'm new and have a limited selection.
Started with an 82.8 (46x15) as per recommendation to be in the 80-85 range for new riders.
Pitched that heavy crank with non 144 rings once the season started and have been on an 86.4 (48x15).
Was doing jumps earlier this week on a 92.6 (48x14) but wearing out a bit too quick for a 1K on flat ground.
Changed to a 90.0 (50x15) for the races last night and dropped ~4.5 seconds on my 1K. There were some other factors like being in the lane, fitness I don't think was one having just been out sick for a week.
Keep in mind almost all of my training is on flat ground given my distance from the velodrome and sprinting is my direction.
Current thoughts are jumping back up to the 92.6 (48x14) or maybe even 96.4 (50x14) for the upcoming sprints.
Am I all wet or sound like a reasonable plan?

SprintzNKiloz

I think a lot of folks will say it depends. That said, it's good to experiment. I'm three years in and still trying to figure out gearing.

carleton

This sounds reasonable.

I have a free app in the Apple App Store called "Track Cycling Gear Calculator". It will help you keep track of the gears you can make.

Pay close attention to your cadences. Learn to feel the 3 sensations:

1) Gear is too big: This is often called, "Under the gear", "Bogged down", or "Couldn't get on top of it.". This is because you can't get up to your optimal cadence range.

2) Gear is too small: This is often called, "Spinning out", "Spinning like a hamster", "Revving out". This is where the gear is so small/light that you are capable of going past your optimal cadence range.

3) Gear is perfect: This is called, "On top of the gear."

...just like Goldilocks!



You will find that your gearing will evolve with your rest, fitness, and as the season progresses. What feels good one week may feel awful the next. Feel is important in gearing....and cadence

gycho77

I'm not sure this is going to help you, so if I'm wrong please understand me.
I read this in upupup, so it's for sprinters
To find your gear, you have to check your cadence.
If you hit 145rpm(male) in 80", you have enough power to push that gear.
So you basically you could gear up to 85".
and repeat this progress and find your limit
This might help you find your gearing.

Please tell me if I'm wrong

queerpunk

the tricky thing about gearing - and about experimenting if you don't have a power meter or a stopwatch handy, or some way of objectively looking at what happens - is that sometimes your legs feel awful when they're performing well.

so you might think, "ugh, that gear felt terrible, i couldn't really lock in to it" - but it's possible that you did 4k faster than you ever had before.

carleton

True. I think that a bike computer with speed and cadence are enough to start getting handle on it all.

queerpunk

for sure. it's like having a friend with a stopwatch who never ever forgets to press start.

unless you forget to press start.

skysurfer

In the wild my track bike is not well instrumented if at all, part of coming up in a time that compukers were a luxury. The bike I train on is a bit better keep track of cadence, heart rate speed and I tend to pick a gear and stay in it, but lest I'm doing max intervals I'm gearing for the task at hand not close to anything I'd run on the track. Really just need to get to the track and do some test and tune. Been trying to not get caught up in equipment rolling and just concentrate on training. Only thing I've regularly played with is pedals because I've killed 2 pairs of Keo's in the last 6 months, Look gets the one finger up on those POS plastic things.

Getting on top of a gear hasn't been a problem it's staying on top of it. I pushed a comparatively big gear way ahead of some other people quickly from a standing start and held that lead for as long as I needed to. But that's the topic for another post when I get my thoughts together on it.

skysurfer

I'm about 80/20 bike and weights right now. Current is near max efforts on a 4,3,3,2,2,1 set and told not to worry about it if I can't finish. Only ill effect I feel is if my form is a mess and end up a bit sore in the back.

Quinn8it

sarcasm Baby!

i lift 48 weeks a year

skysurfer

I just love asking are you using those 45's and start stacking them up. 3 more months and I can get out of the pseudo gym and on real weights.