jsk

Just out of curiosity, what do you guys consider a big gear for a 500 or kilo? Baby Puke mentioned 48x13, that doesn't sound particularly huge to me but I'm still pretty new to this.

taras0000

99.7UOTE=jsk;20381057]Just out of curiosity, what do you guys consider a big gear for a 500 or kilo? Baby Puke mentioned 48x13, that doesn't sound particularly huge to me but I'm still pretty new to this.[/QUOTE]


48x13 is 99.7". Chris Hoy used to Kilo in a 51x14 before gearing was creeping up, and that is a 98.4" gear. Back then, a lot of guys at the national level would use 51x15 (91.8") if they were spinners, or 48/49x14 (92.6/94.5") if they were competing internationally.

Baby Puke

It's not huge, but my go-to gear for kilo and 200 was 49x14 (94") for years, so it's relatively big for me. Some people are riding seriously monster gears these days (60+x13??) but that's just too big for this mid-sized dude (5'10"x175lbs) to handle. Gearing is intensely personal. It really requires experimentation, and to make big changes it can require a really different approach to training.

carleton

2 laps on a 250?

I would gear up and try to finish strong. If I gear too low, I have a tendency to fade hard on the home straight.

For a flying 200M, I'd pick a 96 - 98" gear.
For a standing 500M, I'd pick a 101 - 104" gear.

Baby Puke

Agree with what Spartan Kid said above. Basically the smaller the gear, the quicker you get to your max cadence, and hence the more time (over the length of your race) you spend trying to maintain that max cadence. This hurts a lot. I've personally found with bigger gears it takes you longer to get to max cadence, but that doesn't necessarily make that first lap slower. You will spend a little less time trying to maintain and you'll be maintaining a lower cadence which is easier. The trick is you have to then train to be able to start that bigger gear quicker, and that means more on-bike strength training. I now do blocks of 100, 200 and 400 meter accelerations on 53x12 when beginning a training cycle to help with this.

Morelock

I know a few of you guys are in the South... who all is going to be at Dick Lane for States? Thinking about jumping into the endurance omnium to get some racing days in.

southernfox

While it's good to have a smaller chainring...because of physics of starts...a 13 is really small for the back in terms of friction. Better to have 51x14 than 48x13.

Generally, people have 90-96" for a 500m gear. I ride really big gears because I have cadence issues, and I run 98-102" as my 500 gear.

Kilo gears are even bigger.

You need to balance top end speed with getting up to that speed asap. ...so whatever combo is faster for you is better. But you also have to consider your legs over the day or week. Smaller gears earlier, bigger gears later. So I might do qualifying on 96, but a final on 100, depending on conditions.

southernfox

No...

But for your thought: why not?? There's so little racing at RH, that it's a great idea to go to DLV for race days.

Morelock

yeah, no real good reason other than having to take a Friday off work and having to drive through Atlanta

carleton

Geez. I just learned that State Championships are at my home track next weekend.

lol. OK.

Whelp. I won't be ready. Work and family obligations have had me busy for weeks now.

jsk

Good info on the 500/kilo gearing, looks like it really is a pretty broad range for different riders. I've always favored larger gears, I tend to ride a fairly low cadence even by roadie standards. Sustained high cadence is something I recognize I need to work on for the track, but for the time being I'm still faster on bigger gears. I'm going to be running 55/14 for pursuit this weekend at Master's Regionals (my main event), still trying to decide if I want to stick with that or drop to 54/14 for the kilo. I know I'll lose some time on the first lap, but even if I dropped the gearing down I'm not going to have the jump/top-speed of the true sprinters, I think my best shot is using a bigger gear to hold speed and finish strong.

southernfox

Does anyone know whether 22mm Conti Sprinters would work on these wheels?

710-0022007031

I ask because they say to use minimum 23mm tires, but that seems really wide as a minimum for a track wheel!

taras0000

Call them. It looks like the description wss lifted from their road wheels. But then again, I don't see them altering or having a different mold for the two different wheels.

Minion1

Hi,

I recently picked up a Pro Vibe Sprint stem with the super wide faceplate, I was wondering if anyone had any experience using one with non - carbon bars? Currently have Nitto steel sprint bars on the bike that I really like, does anyone know if the 31.8 Nitto bars have any issues with this stem? I got a bit caught out with the Thomson 4x/Nitto combo, just want to check and see if there are any recommendations. If not, carbon it is! TIA

pierrej

I can't see why there would be any issues?

But if it's a 135 it'll have heaps of issues and you should just sell it to me...

Minion1

Not quite, 125 which is a little long for my current set up....

southernfox

What's the best approach to a 200m at Alpenrose?

carleton

Follow a local.

There are at least 2 best ways.

southernfox

I won't have a chance. I get there two days before racing, and just have the Thursday to do some openers flying 50s and 100s. ...that's why I'm asking.

gycho77

Morelock

I made one that works with fizik saddles. (a PCV, not sure if the PC7 mounts the same way) I can send you a link when I get back from Rock Hill this weekend.

Honestly though, you could probably make one to your own spec (tinkercad is free if you don't have a more powerful software) in about 20 minutes.

gycho77

Thank you that will really helpful.
I think PC7 is same as PCV mount.
I have some 3d softwares like rhino 5, maya, and other, but I wanted some reference to work on.

southernfox

While perhaps this is well-meant, it's super not helpful. This is probably worse than no answer at all. At best it's a platitude because all tracks are different, but more often this is an empty answer.

There usually aren't locals who go as fast as I do. And those who are fast enough often aren't super interested in helping me go faster. So 'asking a local' who would be willing to give me info on the fastest line just isn't going to work.

Now, as it happens, there just happened to be someone there who knew me from Instagram and gave me some good advice. ...and I set two track records (200m and the flying lap). But...your advice wasn't helpful.

If anyone wants to know how to ride that track fast, I have a more specific answer I can give, now.

taras0000

Of course it's not going to work if you never intend to ask. Advice isn't going to be helpful if you don't implement it. For a rider new to a track it's actually the best advice you can give someone. Literally every sprinter who is new to a track asks/follows/watches riders practice their 200 lines. You can see athletes at international events watching in the stands during the allotted track times of other nations to see what other riders are doing. Some of them will even have stopwatches. You can bet your ass that the stands are at their fullest when the best or host teams are practicing.

You got advice from someone who was present at the track. Sounds exactly like what someone suggested you do.

When undertaking a technical task where small variables can mean the difference between success and failure, it's best to watch or be shown how to do it correctly, vs. giving written instructions, hence why that's the default advice to give. The fact that it's the only advice you got and you chose to discard it is totally on you. I could give someone written instructions on how to perform a tracheostomy, but that person would be better off watching one done, or being assisted in doing it, but, the written instructions are better when the other options aren't available. Just because you are looking for diamonds, doesn't make free gold worthless.

southernfox

...sigh...

When you can only get to a new track the day before an event, you're then hoping that others will be there and that those who will be there will 1. know anything about the best 200m line and 2. be willing to tell you.