twogears

First let me start with my New Guy Card. I'm a little overwhelmed with finding things on this forum, so if there is a thread for this already, sorry.

I'm looking for more top-end speed, and want to see what some of you guys are using.

I'm not racing or anything, I just want to improve the top end a little. On flat land, I can turn about 25 mph on this setup fairly easily.

Also, are you using the factory drivetrain, or is it upgraded?

Anything else you'd like share, have at it, so long as it is related to the drivetrain.

urbanknight

If you want to go faster, shift into a smaller cog (rear gear) and pedal harder. Simple as that.

My drivetrain is "upgraded" to have an easier gear (larger cog) for climbing because I can't turn about 25mph fairly easily.

Lots more you can do to go faster, but you only want things related to the drivetrain.

maddog34

1... install toe clips and straps... or add "clipless" pedals and shoes.

2... install thinner, lighter, higher pressure tires.

3... train for faster muscle response, not strength.

4... Ride More, Type Less.

shelbyfv

Pedal faster. You can go 35.4 mph in your 52-11 with a 90 cadence. You would have been 2 mph slower with the 50t.

Lombard

Fixed.

GamblerGORD53

52/11 only gets 35.4 mph?? LOL hahahaha
My SA 5w does 46 mph with 117 GI I think.

maddog34

whimp.

Bill Kapaun

For how long?
You can probably do 2mph less for a lot longer.

tFUnK

50/34 has worked well for me. I mostly ride solo; if I was still doing fast group rides I can see the 52 or 53 big ring being nice to have. I still remember when a 28t was considered an easy climbing gear; now it's 30 or 32t on the low end of all my cassettes (40t for gravel). Really have no need for the 11t cog on any of my cassettes. Wish more cassettes started with a 12t so that I could have the 16t cog instead (I'm still on 10 speed).

Eric F 

1. Clips and straps are antiquated, but current clipless pedals, paired rigid-soled shoes, are an effective way to transmit power to the pedals, and - unlike clips and straps - you can get out of clipless pedals easily, when you need to.

2. Thinner and higher pressure compared to what? The days of thinking 21-23mm tires, pumped to 110+psi, being fastest are gone. Science/testing has proven that wider and lower pressure (to a point) is actually faster. Light is still good, but not always at the expense of other factors.

3. Train both. Be fast AND strong. They are not mutually exclusive.

4. Agreed. However, I have more time available for typing than riding, so when I’m not riding, I’m often typing. I do other things, too.

Germany_chris

None of my bikes came with a factory drivetrain.

I like to use my big ring as the ring I’ll use the most then add a small ring (if on a double), so right now my biggest ring is a 44

Lombard

Precisely my point in my correction in post #5.

What is this about?

cyccommute 

If you are riding the 52/11 combination, you should be able to do closer to 35 mph at 90 rpm. You are likely spinning at close to 70 rpm which give a speed of about 25 in that combination. You don’t need higher gears, you need to spin your feet around faster. In bicycle parlance, you are mashing.

Iride01 

You might have to slow down to train yourself to speed up.

If you can't sustain a 90 - 100 rpm cadence for very long, then you need to work on that. And you won't be able to to do that in a high ratio gear. So shift to the lower gears and get use to pedaling very fast in a gear ratio that will feel ridiculously easy and even uncomfortable. Once you have that ability, you'll be able to work your way up to higher ratio gears that you'll be able to spin fast to get more speed. You also should work on accelerating briefly with even faster cadences of 100 - 130 RPM or better.

It might take a season or two or three, but eventually your leg muscles will adapt and be able to push higher gears at faster cadences.

twogears

I am truly sorry you thots have a small ... gear ratio.That is no excuse to tangent my thread. Be proud, share your small (or large) setup, and move on.

cyccommute 

Getting in before the lock. Calling people ***** isn’t the best way interact with others.No one has tangented your thread. You asked

and others answered with solid advice. A 52/11 gear combination is perfectly capable helping you gain 10mph if you are bright enough to use it properly. Somehow I doubt you’ll understand.

Lombard

If this is your attempt at poetry, don't give up your day job.

shelbyfv

I don't know what you are going on about in the second post, but your initial question was answered early and often. You are not being held back by your gearing. You weren't held back by the gearing you had before you changed it. Your speed is limited by your inability to hold a normal cadence. You don't need to worry about your gearing, much less anyone else's.

Germany_chris

But I like my small gear ratio, people say it's cute!

Eric F 

This is not your thread. All threads posted in BF are open to responses by members of the forum, within the rules established by the Admin/Mods. Treads taking a turn away from the original topic is pretty common.

Eric F 

I'm not sure how this helps you get more speed out of your bike (gearing is not your issue), but I'll humor you...

53/39 x 11-29 (11-speed)


53/39 x 11-23 (9-speed)


52/42 x 12-21 (6-speed)


38T x 11-42 (11-speed)


32T x 10-52 (12-speed)


32T x 19 (1-speed automatic)

twogears

Woah! Those are awesome bikes, but that Storck looks amazing! Did you customize these? Thank you for humoring me.

esasjl

Gitane 3x7 51-41-30 / 12-34


Roberts 3x6 55-43-30 / 13-34


Verago 3x10 48-36-24 / 11-40

Eric F 

None of these were bought by me as a complete new bike, from a bike shop. Some were bought as complete bikes, but from previous owners. Every one of them has been tweaked in some way to suit my preferences.

The Stork was bought used as a complete bike, but I don't know how it was configured when the original owner bought it. The only things I've changed since I got it is the tires, handlebar, pedals, and bottle cages. The drivetrain is 11-speed Campagnolo Record. This is my #1 road bike.

The Colnago was originally purchased new as just a frame, and built with 9-speed Shimano Dura-Ace. This was one of my race bikes from '02-'04. I sold the frame to a friend not long after I stopped racing in early '05. A couple of years ago, I got a chance to buy it back, and I rebuilt with the same parts as before. This is the bike I was riding when I won the 2004 Cat 3 California State Criterium Championship, beating Justin Williams (if you don't know who he is, look him up) by about a wheel. It doesn't get ridden very much, but has a lot of sentimental value to me.

The Nishiki frame was originally purchased new by my father in 1977, and was his daily commuter for many years. After he passed in '94, the bike joined my stable, but was largely neglected. In early 2020, I stripped it down to the frame, and rebuilt it with 6-speed Suntour Superbe. It's a very nice ride, but gets ridden even less than the Colnago.

The Bear gravel bike was purchased used as a complete bike, was built with 2x11-speed Shimano Ultegra, and had all of its original parts when I bought it. I have replaced everything except the right crankarm, bottom bracket, wheels, brake calipers, and levers. This bike gets ridden frequently.

The red Trek was purchased used as a complete bike, and had been modified/upgraded from its stock build by its previous owner. The original SRAM brakes and levers were replaced with Shimano XTR. The original wheels were replaced with Stan's Podium SRD (very light) wheels. The original SRAM 12-speed cassette was replaced with lightweight Garbaruk cassette. Since I've had it, I've replaced the bottom bracket (twice), crankset, stem, seat, bottle cages, rotors, and tires. This bike gets ridden frequently, too.

The blue Trek (which is white on the left side of the frame) was purchased new by me in 1999, and was my XC race bike for a few years. It was originally built with a mish-mash of (mostly) Shimano parts, including an 3x8-speed XT drivetrain. After collecting dust for a long time, a couple of years ago, I tore it down to a singlespeed, and set up the rims to take tubeless tires. This was my only MTB until I bought the red one about a year ago.

Koyote

This is a discussion forum. People will discuss.