Comparing two bikes - slower bike wins!
05-18-24, 08:50 PM
#26
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05-18-24, 10:09 PM
#27
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AFAIK, what I read only pertains to 110 BCD with 5 chain ring bolts. Marginal as in the chain may contact the chain ring bolts which lead to unexpected wear over the long run.
05-19-24, 10:04 AM
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I'd probably swap out the crank set of a 46-30 if I was going to be riding a lot of gravel .... or climbing a lot of hills. I( am not as strong as I used to be, and not every day will be "one of those amazing days" when the body and mind combine to carry me beyond past limits.
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05-19-24, 01:59 PM
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Another variable is the Roubaix has 175mm crank arms and Terra has 172.5. Could that make any difference?
05-19-24, 02:24 PM
#30
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I pereonally don't care about 2.5mm difference in frank arm length and have multiple bikes with both lengths.
Others might hate it.
05-19-24, 04:32 PM
#31
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I can find big differences in daily performance on the same bike. Some days I am stronger and faster, other days I’m not, it depends on what I have eaten on the previous day, and how well I rested the night before. I have also found that minor adjustments in a bike’s fit (like stem length and/or saddle position) can make significant performance differences.
05-19-24, 04:44 PM
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If it was a first ride with a new bike, than in itself could create a little extra excitement which might translate into slightly better physical performance.
Go do the ride six or eight times, see what you think.
Maybe the added stress of trying to climb in higher gears unlocked your mutant abilities?
Go do the ride six or eight times, see what you think.
Maybe the added stress of trying to climb in higher gears unlocked your mutant abilities?
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05-20-24, 04:58 AM
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My CX bike is "faster" than my Emonda simply because of body position. The Emonda has a higher stack/front end, the CX bike has a lower stack and I can get down out of the wind more.
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05-20-24, 05:07 AM
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Not significantly. You might well prefer shorter crank arms, but the benefits are more long term comfort/fatigue rather than performance over a single ride. Also 2.5 mm is a relatively small change. I ride bikes with both 172.5 and 175 cranks and would struggle to identify them in a blind test.
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05-20-24, 09:24 AM
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I ran a noob calculator if I swap cassettes around to balance both bikes. Does it make sense to anyone:
Current gear setup
Cassettes switched.
Current gear setup
Cassettes switched.
05-20-24, 09:40 AM
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I think you're finding out why the trend in gravel bikes is for fatter tires. (although not with bigger lugs)
05-21-24, 05:06 PM
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I recall when you did that - you apparently dropped the bike from the commercial airliner
the bike dropped perilously close to me as I walked the wire between the twin towers
I was not thrilled to say the least
06-01-24, 08:14 AM
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I was able to replicate the ride and seems to even improve it. It was much windier today and I beat time by about a minute. Also, noticed 26 cog wasn't used as much as I thought.
I did sell Roubaix and bought a similar Sram groupset for something to do in the winter.
I did sell Roubaix and bought a similar Sram groupset for something to do in the winter.
06-02-24, 04:28 AM
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Different days, different results. Plus there is an interesting phenomenon that sometimes occurs where can is greater than want.
I imagine most people have experienced a climb where they are in the wrong gear and realize it at the top, but they don’t feel any more worn out. Can’t say if it is adrenaline, a strong day, or didn’t mentally succumb to too low a gear.
I do know too low a gear can cause someone to turn the cranks a lot more and just wear out going nowhere. Sometimes the faster you go up, the less you actually work.
John
I imagine most people have experienced a climb where they are in the wrong gear and realize it at the top, but they don’t feel any more worn out. Can’t say if it is adrenaline, a strong day, or didn’t mentally succumb to too low a gear.
I do know too low a gear can cause someone to turn the cranks a lot more and just wear out going nowhere. Sometimes the faster you go up, the less you actually work.
John
