The Bikes

The Bike. It is the central tool in pursuit of our craft. A Velominatus meticulously maintains their bicycles and adorns them with the essential, yet minimal, accoutrement. The Rules specify the principles of good taste in configuration and setup of our machines, but within those principles lies almost infinite room for personal taste.

It seems in some ways like a kind of Stockholm Syndrome, the way we honor our machines. We love them to a point that lies well beyond obsession. Upon these machines upon we endure endless suffering, but also find an unending pleasure. The rhythm, the harmony between rider and machine, the outdoors, the wind in our faces and air in our lungs.

The Bikes is devoted entirely to our machines. Ours, The Keepers, and yours, the Community. It features articles devoted to our bikes, and proves a forum for uploading photos of your own machines for discussion. We will be harsh, but fair; this is a place to enforce and enhance our observation of The Rules.

If you’d like to submit an article about your own beloved bike, please feel free to send it to us and we’ll do our best to work with you to include it.

  • Rule #12 and the Cascade EffectRule #12 and the Cascade Effect
    That is a very reasonable opening salvo for the Rule about bike ownership. Three is good and certainly a minimum, and we are talking road bikes here, if there was any doubt. They naturally become ordered: the #1 is ichi-ban, top dog, go-to bike for every and all rides. #2 was the old #1, ...
  • Guest Article: Black Is Not The New BlackGuest Article: Black Is Not The New Black
     @kogalover is singing my song here. Bikes are beautiful. ’nuff said. VLVV, Gianni With all those posts on riding in winter and being visible, either by putting Eyes of Sauron or other car melting devices on one’s steed, or by even considering a YJA instead of donning plain black kit, it was about time to finally get ...
  • Dialing in the StableDialing in the Stable
    This was going to be an article about Rule #45. It is amazing how much time is wasted and matches burned when professionals stop for that second bike change to get back on their #1. With all the jigs available to team mechanics it would seem they could set up five bikes exactly the same. And ...
  • Matching the drapes to the rugMatching the drapes to the rug
    As a longtime titanium bike owner, I’ve always been jealous of a beautiful painted frame but Ti and carbon frames don’t need paint like a steel frame needs paint. But I want some painted beauty. It’s like buying a white car; I can’t do white, need some color. So between a Ti frame and a ...
  • Festum Prophetae: Waiting for the HourFestum Prophetae: Waiting for the Hour
    Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth. – Mike Tyson The one thing everyone should always plan for is that however well-conceived a program might be, things will never go to plan. The high level plan for my Festum Prophetae Hour Ride was as follows: Have a custom Hour Bike built by Don Walker. Because reasons. Reasons like custom ...

15,871 Replies to “The Bikes”

  1. @KogaLover

    @RobSandy

    Just hoping my 15t and my 100mm stem arrive in time to fit before Friday’s session.

    So what cogs do you ride now? I have 50 front and 16 rear, with optional 15 so I get 90” per rotation.

    I rode with 50×16 (82/83″) on Friday, and it wasn’t big enough. I was spinning at 120rpm doing 42-45 kph, which wasn’t comfortable, and spinning out at 145rpm when sprinting. The 15t (which should give 88″) should solve that, think I’ll be much more within my comfortable cadence limits.

    If it’s not I’ll probably need another chainring as the jump up to 50x14t is pretty big. You can put a lot of thought into this…

  2. @RobSandy

    @KogaLover

    @RobSandy

    Just hoping my 15t and my 100mm stem arrive in time to fit before Friday’s session.

    So what cogs do you ride now? I have 50 front and 16 rear, with optional 15 so I get 90” per rotation.

    I rode with 50×16 (82/83″) on Friday, and it wasn’t big enough. I was spinning at 120rpm doing 42-45 kph, which wasn’t comfortable, and spinning out at 145rpm when sprinting. The 15t (which should give 88″) should solve that, think I’ll be much more within my comfortable cadence limits.

    If it’s not I’ll probably need another chainring as the jump up to 50x14t is pretty big. You can put a lot of thought into this…

    Holy crap, those are some crazy rpms! Yep, the 15t definitely sounds a lot more reasonable.

    I started track riding not so long ago too. At my first session we were doing out-of-the-saddle drills, and about 1.5 laps around the second drill my trusty old knee started giving me guff and my mind momentarily lapsed. I was swiftly reminded that I was riding fixed when I was thrusted so violently forwards that the rear wheel lifted off the track surface so much so that I found myself in a near horizontal position and staring into the abyss. Not an ideal situation, but I somehow managed to stay upright. At the end of the day though, some of the most fun I’ve ever had on a bicycle.

  3. @RobSandy

    @KogaLover

    @RobSandy

    Just hoping my 15t and my 100mm stem arrive in time to fit before Friday’s session.

    So what cogs do you ride now? I have 50 front and 16 rear, with optional 15 so I get 90” per rotation.

    I rode with 50×16 (82/83″) on Friday, and it wasn’t big enough. I was spinning at 120rpm doing 42-45 kph, which wasn’t comfortable, and spinning out at 145rpm when sprinting. The 15t (which should give 88″) should solve that, think I’ll be much more within my comfortable cadence limits.

    If it’s not I’ll probably need another chainring as the jump up to 50x14t is pretty big. You can put a lot of thought into this…

    what size cranks are you running?  for 165s, these cadences aren’t outrageous.

  4. @Cary

     

    @KogaLover

    what size cranks are you running? for 165s, these cadences aren’t outrageous.

    I must admit I don’t know. I probably should.

    They are probably fairly normal cadences for an experienced trackie – I’m not, I’m pretty new to it. I think a couple of extra gear inches would reduce my typical cadence by say 10 revs, and would be a lot more comfortable.

    Plus, it’d increase my top speed. Which is a good thing.

    My 15t hasn’t arrive yet so I might ride on Friday with the 50×14 (94″) and see how I get on. My leg strength isn’t normally a limiter for me although as one of my cycling mates pointed out a bigger gear also makes the bike harder to slow down. Worth bearing in mind!

  5. @RobSandy

     a bigger gear also makes the bike harder to slow down. Worth bearing in mind!

    Doesn’t that comment sort itself?

  6. @KogaLover

    We’ve been talking track bikes a bit but now I have a genuine and troubling query:

    I’ve just found a set of track bars I really like on clearance and have bought them (the bike had been retro fitted with some horrible ergo bars that seemed to be designed not to fit my hand in any way).

    Do I go for bar tape (Fizik, white, obvs) or track grips (white, obvs).

    Any thoughts from the class? Blue bike, black stem and bars. Bike may become white at some point.

  7. For anyone building up vintage rigs these folk are worth tracking as the have some great stuff at reasonable prices.  Particularly if you are US based but they do ship Internationally too.

  8. Photo’s up? Can’t help but post this snapshot of the Bianchi I described above. All these years just seeing pic’s of the celeste and yellow combo and thinking ugghhh… but then I saw this cool bike in person. I dig it. But I’m a sucker too for alloy frame sets:

     

     

     

     

  9. @KogaLover

    @RobSandy

    Tape and for the rest, Rule #8

    I’ve ignored this and gone for track grips – they were cheap.I’ll see how I get on with them. I’d like a new seatpost and saddle too. And some deep section track wheels.

  10. @RobSandy

    @KogaLover

    @RobSandy

    Tape and for the rest, Rule #8

    I’ve ignored this and gone for track grips – they were cheap.I’ll see how I get on with them. I’d like a new seatpost and saddle too. And some deep section track wheels.

    Thanks for ignoring MY advice as well as the advice from the Keepers and this whole community because you are cheap. (sounds like a narcistic orange-tanned recently elected someone)

    You should be able to get used deep section track wheels for less than 200 EUR.

  11. And to show that I have nothing against Orange, I finally am able to post a picture of my latest track bike-addition (thanks @Frank). Those that like to adhere to the Rules -like me- will have a ball trying to identify the violations, but rest assured: these are all attributable to the LBS who built it up. The pic was made by them and I haven’t even got this new steed in my possession. (First thing I do when I pick it up is to remove valve-stem caps and washer-nuts,& slam the stem)

  12. Oh man. So now I can speak from experience…having a newborn child puts a serious damper on saying, “Hey honey, I’m gonna go ride my bike for four hours, see ya!”

    Being very careful with intake, so not much Blimping yet, but damn. My form and fitness are horrible. I can’t even look down at my cassette because the damn chain is always way too far inboard. Ugh.

  13. @KogaLover

    . (First thing I do when I pick it up is to remove valve-stem caps and washer-nuts,& slam the stem)

     

    Re rule violations. Yes to first two.

    But when it comes to ‘slam the stem’ I’m conflicted. On the bike shown, with said stem, yes. Do it. Looks far better. But on a classic steel bike a Cinelli A1 stem shouldn’t be slammed. Would look ridiculous.

    So KogaLover could replace his stacked stem with a Cinelli and all is right with the world. Except it won’t be, as that stem on such a steed would look wrong.

    Or would it?

     

  14. @davidlhill

    So KogaLover could replace his stacked stem with a Cinelli and all is right with the world. Except it won’t be, as that stem on such a steed would look wrong.

    Or would it?

    It would definitely look wrong. Would not match with the saddle-stem. This is not a classic steel bike though.

     

  15. @KogaLover

    @RobSandy

    @KogaLover

    @RobSandy

    Tape and for the rest, Rule #8

    I’ve ignored this and gone for track grips – they were cheap.I’ll see how I get on with them. I’d like a new seatpost and saddle too. And some deep section track wheels.

    Thanks for ignoring MY advice as well as the advice from the Keepers and this whole community because you are cheap. (sounds like a narcistic orange-tanned recently elected someone)

    You should be able to get used deep section track wheels for less than 200 EUR.

    Yes.

    Actually, there’s no rule saying bars HAVE to be taped. I think track bars are exempt from certain rules anyway. There is only the big ring.

    Stop posting pictures of your bike it makes me jealous.

  16. @KogaLover

    And to show that I have nothing against Orange, I finally am able to post a picture of my latest track bike-addition (thanks @Frank). Those that like to adhere to the Rules -like me- will have a ball trying to identify the violations, but rest assured: these are all attributable to the LBS who built it up. The pic was made by them and I haven’t even got this new steed in my possession. (First thing I do when I pick it up is to remove valve-stem caps and washer-nuts,& slam the stem)

    Your wheels are on upside down!

  17. @KogaLover

    I’m really glad the pics are back because I’ve been waiting to see this build. But why on earth would you go through the trouble of having your LBS set it up wrong and have to fix it at home? Stem caps are one thing,  but they should deliver it with a properly cut steer tube.  Just MHO.  Beautiful bike!

  18. @RobSandy

    Kogalover- very nice build up there.

     

    First of all- glad to have PICS back!

    20 seconds after you get the bike home the stem caps will be gone….whatever. In a few weeks you will have another set of wheels just for pursuits, then another for “warming up”….that and a collection of cogs and chain rings that you swear by the time you get everything into the infield and set up you could have gone to the moon with less equipment.

     

    The steer tube, just me but I wouldn’t be too quick with the saw, slam the stem all you wish, but I would leave a bit of wiggle room for different bars and set ups. You might want to try TTs and pursuits and you will be changing your whole cockpit out and you might need to raise it a few spacers.

    For the bar tape- I have seen on the track everything from grip-tape to medical tape used…or no tape.

     

    This winter I’ll be taking my TT bars, taping them off except for where I put my hands and take them to one of those places where spray-on truckbed liners are done and have them spray the ends of my bars.

     

    take care

     

     

  19. @Ron

    Oh man. So now I can speak from experience…having a newborn child puts a serious damper on saying, “Hey honey, I’m gonna go ride my bike for four hours, see ya!”

    Being very careful with intake, so not much Blimping yet, but damn. My form and fitness are horrible. I can’t even look down at my cassette because the damn chain is always way too far inboard. Ugh.

    Oh yeah.  Definitely.

    I found inside trainers and rollers during my kiddos younger years to be one of the only ways that I could get some guilt-free riding in.  Set them up in the room next to the kiddos and ride during their nap time.

  20. @Dean C

     

    20 seconds after you get the bike home the stem caps will be gone….whatever. In a few weeks you will have another set of wheels just for pursuits, then another for “warming up”….that and a collection of cogs and chain rings that you swear by the time you get everything into the infield and set up you could have gone to the moon with less equipment.

     

    I can understand how this happens. I’ve already got a collection of sprockets and now I’m pondering chainrings. I’m thinking that 50×14 (94″) is a bit heavy, and I should something easier. 50×15 (88″) is too light – so I need another chainring. Do I go 49×14 to get 92″ or I could go up to 52×15 to get 91″.

    The obvious advantage of 52×15 is that I’d be obviously running a much bigger chainring and could start crushing souls as soon as people looked at my bike.

  21. @Dean C

    Thanks for advice! I did that with my previous bike as well: lower the bars and keep a stack of spacers on top and only then cut the steer tube.

    @MangoDave

    Note that the LBS is not really local… I live in Switzerland and the bike was built in the Netherlands, hence the stemlenght or saddle post (I ain’t no Dutch Monkey) are not measured.


    @RobSandy

    50×15 should be 90 inch? http://www.velodromeshop.net/gearchart3.jpg

  22. @Buck Rogers

    @Ron

    Oh man. So now I can speak from experience…having a newborn child puts a serious damper on saying, “Hey honey, I’m gonna go ride my bike for four hours, see ya!”

    Being very careful with intake, so not much Blimping yet, but damn. My form and fitness are horrible. I can’t even look down at my cassette because the damn chain is always way too far inboard. Ugh.

    Oh yeah. Definitely.

    I found inside trainers and rollers during my kiddos younger years to be one of the only ways that I could get some guilt-free riding in. Set them up in the room next to the kiddos and ride during their nap time.

    I went out Sunday morning with a pal, was gone 8:30-11:00. I thought before well before noon, I’d done a great job. Nope, got home and was immediately put in the dog house by the better half.

    I’ll set my rollers up tonight. See how that goes.

  23. @Ron

    @Buck Rogers

    I went out Sunday morning with a pal, was gone 8:30-11:00. I thought before well before noon, I’d done a great job. Nope, got home and was immediately put in the dog house by the better half.

    Now Imagine the shit I was in when I went out for a morning ride while on holiday in France having promised to be back by 11:30 and didn’t roll in until 17:30….

     

  24. @RobSandy

    The obvious advantage of 52×15 is that I’d be obviously running a much bigger chainring and could start crushing souls as soon as people looked at my bike.

    +1 superb logic there.

  25. @Ron

    Oh man. So now I can speak from experience…having a newborn child puts a serious damper on saying, “Hey honey, I’m gonna go ride my bike for four hours, see ya!”

    Being very careful with intake, so not much Blimping yet, but damn. My form and fitness are horrible. I can’t even look down at my cassette because the damn chain is always way too far inboard. Ugh.

    I found the first 6 months or so aren’t too bad, but the next 12 are a nightmare.

  26. @RobSandy

    @Dean C

    20 seconds after you get the bike home the stem caps will be gone….whatever. In a few weeks you will have another set of wheels just for pursuits, then another for “warming up”….that and a collection of cogs and chain rings that you swear by the time you get everything into the infield and set up you could have gone to the moon with less equipment.

    I can understand how this happens. I’ve already got a collection of sprockets and now I’m pondering chainrings. I’m thinking that 50×14 (94″) is a bit heavy, and I should something easier. 50×15 (88″) is too light – so I need another chainring. Do I go 49×14 to get 92″ or I could go up to 52×15 to get 91″.

    The obvious advantage of 52×15 is that I’d be obviously running a much bigger chainring and could start crushing souls as soon as people looked at my bike.

    Hahaha- now it becomes even more of a slippery slope.

    Start changing out the chain ring AND cogs and go too small/large of a combo and you will find you have either way too short or long of a chain…..now you will need a chain tool and another chain for those combos in your kit bag.

    Luckily I did that at home and NOT on a infield at the velodrome so all I had to do was retrace my steps and go back a gear and still use my original chain until I bought a new one and made that one a few links longer with a quick-link and put that in my bag with my cogs and chainrings along with all the other shit I need to drag into the infield.

     

    I found that I just kept the stock 48 tooth chain ring off and now run 99% of the time a 51 up front and change out the cogs from 16,15 and 14 for my 1 and 2K TTs/Pursuits and been messing about for my 3K so I wont post those yet- but I am thinking about buying a 49 tooth chainring for when I dive into the 4K pursuit (pukefest). It does zero good if you are not able to be “on top of your gear” and if you can get on top of that huge gear but it takes you 300 meters to get it up to top speed and your racing a 500 meter sprint, you will be on the bottom 9 times out of ten. But take that same gear and use it in a 2K pursuit and as long as you can stay on top of it after using your 300 meters to come up to top speed then you will crush souls.

    But then you have to take into consideration different track conditions each time you go, so what worked last time may not work again…….about half way through your first 3K pursuit you will really wish for a gear cluster(just sayin’).

    I am NO expert, but I will say this, have someone take a few pictures of you riding by in the velodrome at speed- you will be thinking to yourself “man-I am one streamlined mother-F’er, totally aerodynamic” then you will look at your pictures….and they will not lie.  My best advise, talk to yourself like a crazy person about keeping as small and low as you can for only the few minutes you will be suffering.

  27. @KogaLover

    @Dean C

    Thanks for advice! I did that with my previous bike as well: lower the bars and keep a stack of spacers on top and only then cut the steer tube.

    @MangoDave

    Note that the LBS is not really local… I live in Switzerland and the bike was built in the Netherlands, hence the stemlenght or saddle post (I ain’t no Dutch Monkey) are not measured.


    @RobSandy

    50×15 should be 90 inch? http://www.velodromeshop.net/gearchart3.jpg

    You live in Switzerland?  Man, what a beautiful country.  I just spent three days there over the last weekend in Zurich (by the way–if you are planning on spending three days in Zurich with your VMH and five kiddos, be ready to shell out A LOT of money–E-GAD that city is expensive!).  But, such a wonderful trip!  We did an amazing woods rope course on the way home that was unbelievable!

  28. @Buck Rogers

    You live in Switzerland? Man, what a beautiful country. I just spent three days there over the last weekend in Zurich (by the way–if you are planning on spending three days in Zurich with your VMH and five kiddos, be ready to shell out A LOT of money–E-GAD that city is expensive!). But, such a wonderful trip! We did an amazing woods rope course on the way home that was unbelievable!

    Guess what, I have been living in Canton Zurich for 11 years with 4 kids (youngest was born here) so I know what you mean. There’s even an expression for it: “You’ve been Switzerlanded”.

  29. @KogaLover

    @Buck Rogers

    You live in Switzerland? Man, what a beautiful country. I just spent three days there over the last weekend in Zurich (by the way–if you are planning on spending three days in Zurich with your VMH and five kiddos, be ready to shell out A LOT of money–E-GAD that city is expensive!). But, such a wonderful trip! We did an amazing woods rope course on the way home that was unbelievable!

    Guess what, I have been living in Canton Zurich for 11 years with 4 kids (youngest was born here) so I know what you mean. There’s even an expression for it: “You’ve been Switzerlanded”.

    Interesting, seems there’s something of a pattern among the velominati for large collections of offspring…3 little liddys in our residence.

  30. @KogaLover

    @Buck Rogers

    You live in Switzerland? Man, what a beautiful country. I just spent three days there over the last weekend in Zurich (by the way–if you are planning on spending three days in Zurich with your VMH and five kiddos, be ready to shell out A LOT of money–E-GAD that city is expensive!). But, such a wonderful trip! We did an amazing woods rope course on the way home that was unbelievable!

    Guess what, I have been living in Canton Zurich for 11 years with 4 kids (youngest was born here) so I know what you mean. There’s even an expression for it: “You’ve been Switzerlanded”.

    We just LOVED it!  So beautiful and amazing!  Man, if I had a few million, I would be trying to find a way to live there permanently.

    Wished I’d known that you lived there.  Would have tried to link up for a espresso or drink or something!

    Maybe next time!

     

  31. @Mikael Liddy

    @KogaLover

    @Buck Rogers

    You live in Switzerland? Man, what a beautiful country. I just spent three days there over the last weekend in Zurich (by the way–if you are planning on spending three days in Zurich with your VMH and five kiddos, be ready to shell out A LOT of money–E-GAD that city is expensive!). But, such a wonderful trip! We did an amazing woods rope course on the way home that was unbelievable!

    Guess what, I have been living in Canton Zurich for 11 years with 4 kids (youngest was born here) so I know what you mean. There’s even an expression for it: “You’ve been Switzerlanded”.

    Interesting, seems there’s something of a pattern among the velominati for large collections of offspring…3 little liddys in our residence.

    We don’t do anything “small” around here on the V site!

    Go big or don’t bother showing up is my motto!

  32. @Buck Rogers

    @Mikael Liddy

    @KogaLover

    @Buck Rogers

    You live in Switzerland? Man, what a beautiful country. I just spent three days there over the last weekend in Zurich (by the way–if you are planning on spending three days in Zurich with your VMH and five kiddos, be ready to shell out A LOT of money–E-GAD that city is expensive!). But, such a wonderful trip! We did an amazing woods rope course on the way home that was unbelievable!

    Guess what, I have been living in Canton Zurich for 11 years with 4 kids (youngest was born here) so I know what you mean. There’s even an expression for it: “You’ve been Switzerlanded”.

    Interesting, seems there’s something of a pattern among the velominati for large collections of offspring…3 little liddys in our residence.

    We don’t do anything “small” around here on the V site!

    Go big or don’t bother showing up is my motto!

     

    With the (alledged) mileage of the average Velominatus that scotches the other rumour about the impact of cycling.

  33. @Teocalli

    @Buck Rogers

    @Mikael Liddy

    @KogaLover

    @Buck Rogers

    You live in Switzerland? Man, what a beautiful country. I just spent three days there over the last weekend in Zurich (by the way–if you are planning on spending three days in Zurich with your VMH and five kiddos, be ready to shell out A LOT of money–E-GAD that city is expensive!). But, such a wonderful trip! We did an amazing woods rope course on the way home that was unbelievable!

    Guess what, I have been living in Canton Zurich for 11 years with 4 kids (youngest was born here) so I know what you mean. There’s even an expression for it: “You’ve been Switzerlanded”.

    Interesting, seems there’s something of a pattern among the velominati for large collections of offspring…3 little liddys in our residence.

    We don’t do anything “small” around here on the V site!

    Go big or don’t bother showing up is my motto!

    With the (alledged) mileage of the average Velominatus that scotches the other rumour about the impact of cycling.

    Ha!  Yes!  I think that is why my VMH encourages me to ride so much, hoping against hope that I will eventually leave her alone!

    When we lived in Korea, one time my wife went into a local store with our five young kiddos and the store owner, a sweet older Korean woman, asked her if all the kids were hers.  My wife said yes and the Korean woman said, “Ohhhh, you lay down too much!” and went back about her store business!

    Got to love older Koreans, they’ll flat out tell you what they think and they do not give a damn!

  34. Dang.  Idly browsing while on a long conference call and stumbled across a NOS Bianchi Scandium frame like the one I regret selling in the right size.

    Not telling you buggers where it is in case it fits one of you.

    Dang, dang, dang where can I find the budget for that………….

  35. @Dean C

    @RobSandy

    @Dean C

    20 seconds after you get the bike home the stem caps will be gone….whatever. In a few weeks you will have another set of wheels just for pursuits, then another for “warming up”….that and a collection of cogs and chain rings that you swear by the time you get everything into the infield and set up you could have gone to the moon with less equipment.

    I can understand how this happens. I’ve already got a collection of sprockets and now I’m pondering chainrings. I’m thinking that 50×14 (94″) is a bit heavy, and I should something easier. 50×15 (88″) is too light – so I need another chainring. Do I go 49×14 to get 92″ or I could go up to 52×15 to get 91″.

    The obvious advantage of 52×15 is that I’d be obviously running a much bigger chainring and could start crushing souls as soon as people looked at my bike.

    Hahaha- now it becomes even more of a slippery slope.

     

    I am NO expert, but I will say this, have someone take a few pictures of you riding by in the velodrome at speed- you will be thinking to yourself “man-I am one streamlined mother-F’er, totally aerodynamic” then you will look at your pictures….and they will not lie. My best advise, talk to yourself like a crazy person about keeping as small and low as you can for only the few minutes you will be suffering.

    I can totally imagine that. I have no idea what my event will be, still too early days, so I think I’m best keeping a mid-range gear on to learn with. Trouble is, to find a mid-range gear (I’m thinking 92″) I’d need to swap my current chainring, probably for a 49. And I’ve spent enough money on it this month!

    So I’ll keep my 50×14 for the moment, just think 50×15 would have me spinning uncomfortably.

    I’ve fitted my new bars with keirin grips, slammed the stem which is now 100mm rather than 90mm, so my position should be lower, more stretched and hopefully nice and stable and powerful.

    On the boards again tonight so I’ll report back!

  36.  

    Hahaha- now it becomes even more of a slippery slope.

    I am NO expert, but I will say this, have someone take a few pictures of you riding by in the velodrome at speed- you will be thinking to yourself “man-I am one streamlined mother-F’er, totally aerodynamic” then you will look at your pictures….and they will not lie. My best advise, talk to yourself like a crazy person about keeping as small and low as you can for only the few minutes you will be suffering.

    I can totally imagine that. I have no idea what my event will be, still too early days, so I think I’m best keeping a mid-range gear on to learn with.

    Tell me if this sounds ridiculous – the Welsh Track Championships are in January and I’m thinking of entering the sprint events. My coach mentioned it on Friday. What do I have to lose?

  37. @RobSandy

    Hahaha- now it becomes even more of a slippery slope.

    I am NO expert, but I will say this, have someone take a few pictures of you riding by in the velodrome at speed- you will be thinking to yourself “man-I am one streamlined mother-F’er, totally aerodynamic” then you will look at your pictures….and they will not lie. My best advise, talk to yourself like a crazy person about keeping as small and low as you can for only the few minutes you will be suffering.

    I can totally imagine that. I have no idea what my event will be, still too early days, so I think I’m best keeping a mid-range gear on to learn with.

    Tell me if this sounds ridiculous – the Welsh Track Championships are in January and I’m thinking of entering the sprint events. My coach mentioned it on Friday. What do I have to lose?

    Dude- you have NOTHING to lose and EVERYTHING to gain.

    Go for it!

    My first race was the US Masters Track Nationals….I still think my ass hurts from the kicking it took, I did “ok”, but the most important part was I had fun, learned a shit-ton; about racing, myself, the bike, gearing how races are held…the whole 9 yards. Oh and somehow I survived and didn’t cause a wreck.

    You have a few months to work out your gears and what events you are going to focus on- go and have fun and use it as a learning experience, you will have a great time.

  38. @Dean C

    @RobSandy

    Hahaha- now it becomes even more of a slippery slope.

    I am NO expert, but I will say this, have someone take a few pictures of you riding by in the velodrome at speed- you will be thinking to yourself “man-I am one streamlined mother-F’er, totally aerodynamic” then you will look at your pictures….and they will not lie. My best advise, talk to yourself like a crazy person about keeping as small and low as you can for only the few minutes you will be suffering.

    I can totally imagine that. I have no idea what my event will be, still too early days, so I think I’m best keeping a mid-range gear on to learn with.

    Tell me if this sounds ridiculous – the Welsh Track Championships are in January and I’m thinking of entering the sprint events. My coach mentioned it on Friday. What do I have to lose?

    Dude- you have NOTHING to lose and EVERYTHING to gain.

    Go for it!

    My first race was the US Masters Track Nationals….I still think my ass hurts from the kicking it took, I did “ok”, but the most important part was I had fun, learned a shit-ton; about racing, myself, the bike, gearing how races are held…the whole 9 yards. Oh and somehow I survived and didn’t cause a wreck.

    You have a few months to work out your gears and what events you are going to focus on- go and have fun and use it as a learning experience, you will have a great time.

    i could not agree more with this whole assessment.  if you’re already debating 88 vs 92 inch gears, you are familiar enough to step up and take your licks.  or dish some out!

  39. @KogaLover

     


    @RobSandy

    50×15 should be 90 inch? http://www.velodromeshop.net/gearchart3.jpg

    I’ve had a look around and I think that chart on velodrome shop is wrong. Every other calculator (and my own calculations bearing in mind I’m a QS and know my shit when it comes to excel) puts 50×14 at 94″ and 49×14 at 92″.

    I’m picking up a 49t chainring this week, I think as an all-round gear for me 92″ is probably about right.

  40. @Dean C

    @Cary

     

    Dude- you have NOTHING to lose and EVERYTHING to gain.

    Go for it!

    You have a few months to work out your gears and what events you are going to focus on- go and have fun and use it as a learning experience, you will have a great time.

    i could not agree more with this whole assessment. if you’re already debating 88 vs 92 inch gears, you are familiar enough to step up and take your licks. or dish some out!

    I’ve got a couple of weeks to decide, and my coach says he’ll give me a chance to ride a Kilo in training to see what I’m capable of. He also said the ‘good’ times at the meet are likely to be sub 1:10. Gulp.

    I’d like to think I could go under 1:15. But 1:10 is super fast.

  41. @RobSandy

    @KogaLover


    @RobSandy

    50×15 should be 90 inch? http://www.velodromeshop.net/gearchart3.jpg

    I’ve had a look around and I think that chart on velodrome shop is wrong. Every other calculator (and my own calculations bearing in mind I’m a QS and know my shit when it comes to excel) puts 50×14 at 94″ and 49×14 at 92″.

    I’m picking up a 49t chainring this week, I think as an all-round gear for me 92″ is probably about right.

    90 inch for 50×15.

    http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gear-calc.html

    You could be right, and Sheldon Brown could be wrong I suppose…

  42. @ChrisO

    @RobSandy

    @KogaLover


    @RobSandy

    50×15 should be 90 inch? http://www.velodromeshop.net/gearchart3.jpg

    I’ve had a look around and I think that chart on velodrome shop is wrong. Every other calculator (and my own calculations bearing in mind I’m a QS and know my shit when it comes to excel) puts 50×14 at 94″ and 49×14 at 92″.

    I’m picking up a 49t chainring this week, I think as an all-round gear for me 92″ is probably about right.

    90 inch for 50×15.

    http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gear-calc.html

    You could be right, and Sheldon Brown could be wrong I suppose…

    Mmmmm, I have a MSc in applied maths, so thought this would be easy one:

    size 23-622 has a circumference of

    2125mm

    212.5cm*50/15=708cm per full pedal rotation which equals 7.487036108e-16 lightyears=278.8700787inches.

    And that’s where I got stuck! I am missing somewhere a factor of around 3… (278/90). Can’t be Pi???

    I have to admit though that if you try several calculators on the omniscientic interwebs that not all come up with 90 inch.

     

  43. @KogaLover

    @ChrisO

    @RobSandy

    @KogaLover


    @RobSandy

    50×15 should be 90 inch? http://www.velodromeshop.net/gearchart3.jpg

    I’ve had a look around and I think that chart on velodrome shop is wrong. Every other calculator (and my own calculations bearing in mind I’m a QS and know my shit when it comes to excel) puts 50×14 at 94″ and 49×14 at 92″.

    I’m picking up a 49t chainring this week, I think as an all-round gear for me 92″ is probably about right.

    90 inch for 50×15.

    http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gear-calc.html

    You could be right, and Sheldon Brown could be wrong I suppose…

    Mmmmm, I have a MSc in applied maths, so thought this would be easy one:

    size 23-622 has a circumference of

    2125mm

    212.5cm*50/15=708cm per full pedal rotation which equals 7.487036108e-16 lightyears=278.8700787inches.

    And that’s where I got stuck! I am missing somewhere a factor of around 3… (278/90). Can’t be Pi???

    I have to admit though that if you try several calculators on the omniscientic interwebs that not all come up with 90 inch.

    Mornington Crescent?

    Off the top of my head, and not at all looking it up on the aforesaid Mr Brown’s website, I believe the formula is:  drive wheel diameter x size of chainring / size of rear sprocket.

    But I have an idea that crank length comes into it somewhere, and that may be why the various calculators disagree.

     

  44. @ChrisO

    @KogaLover

    Mornington Crescent?

    Off the top of my head, and not at all looking it up on the aforesaid Mr Brown’s website, I believe the formula is: drive wheel diameter x size of chainring / size of rear sprocket.

    But I have an idea that crank length comes into it somewhere, and that may be why the various calculators disagree.

    These are the one I’ve used. Which match 100% with my own mad maths skillz.

    http://www.bikecalc.com/gear_inches

    https://www.momnium.com/track-cycling-gearing/

    50x15t is about 88″.

    *starts the countdown to someone pointing out what I’ve missed…*

  45. I would have posted this in the recent discussion about electronic gears but IIRC photos weren’t uploading, so it might as well go in the Bikes.

    My daughter, Lillian, has been doing a bit of track cycling (her school is near Herne Hill velodrome) but she had to take a break because she had some joint problems, basically just hyper-mobility or growing pains as I believe we used to call them. She’s just turned 14.

    Anyway to help her get back into it we bought her a road bike so she can build up a bit before getting back into track work.

    It’s a 2012 Ridley Excalibur, fit to be seen now I’ve corrected the stem angle from the previous owner, complete with Di2. Pretty good deal for 700 quid I thought.

    She tried it a couple of times on the turbo to get used to it (plus having gears and clipless pedals). This was our first real outing, to Richmond Park last weekend. I was trying to teach her the meaning of tranquilo.

    And while she hasn’t got the stamina yet she sure as hell as the power-to-weight ratio nailed. I was having to do 400 watts to stay with her on the short climbs.

    Actually, now that I think about it, I’m not sure if my winter Roberts has been seen on these pages, probably because it stayed in London while I was in Dubai. So, double bike post.

  46. @RobSandy

    @KogaLover


    @RobSandy

    50×15 should be 90 inch? http://www.velodromeshop.net/gearchart3.jpg

    I’ve had a look around and I think that chart on velodrome shop is wrong. Every other calculator (and my own calculations bearing in mind I’m a QS and know my shit when it comes to excel) puts 50×14 at 94″ and 49×14 at 92″.

    I’m picking up a 49t chainring this week, I think as an all-round gear for me 92″ is probably about right.

    I’m a QS as well and know that when it comes to maths we’re often lost beyond the comfort zone of the preprogrammed excel formulas. I get 96 inches…

     

     

  47. @chris

     

    I’m a QS as well and know that when it comes to maths we’re often lost beyond the comfort zone of the preprogrammed excel formulas. I get 96 inches…

    What’s a QS? Quick Start? Quick Setup Quick Start Quiet Storm Quadrupole Splittling Quasi Synchronous Quad Shield Quartet Singing?

    What’s QS?

  48. @KogaLover

    Quantity Surveyor. We manage the cost on construction projects. Or in other words tell you how much the architect has blown your budget by.

    Except that I don’t, I try to avoid all of that and wait till you want to take the architect to court for blowing the budget at which point I’ll give the court my unbiased, independent view on how badly it was blown.

    In the states there isn’t such a role. The Architect blows the budget then tells the client that it was the contractor’s fault.

     

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