Question: I’ve set up fixed-gear bike with a 48-tooth chainring and 16-tooth cog. This gear seems too big. What ratio would you recommend, and what cadence should I maintain? — Larry M. Coach Fred Matheny Replies: There isn’t an exact recommendation. The best ratio depends on your terrain, fitness and goals. But in general, start with a…
Question: A couple of my friends want to try the new Rotor cranks. Apparently, they help eliminate the “dead spot” at the top of the pedal stroke. What do you think? — Mandy P. Coach Fred Matheny Replies: Rotor cranks have a cam device that makes them turn “out of phase.” When one crank is at dead…
Q: I have an ’87 Peugeot with old Shimano BioPace chainrings. Low gear is 42×24-tooth. My buddies with triples are killing me on climbs! Should I ditch the BioPace and install 53/39-tooth rings? — Byron M. COACH FRED: Ditching BioPace chainrings is an excellent idea. That out-of-round design was an experiment that failed. No studies…
Question: Standard theory says that most riders should use crankarms of 170, 172.5 or 175 mm. I’m 6-foot-6 and use 196-mm cranks from Roger Durham at Bullseye. (My frame has a raised bottom bracket for clearance and a steeper seat tube.) I can’t say I’m a dramatically better cyclist using the 196s compared to 180s. What’s…
Question: I’m a 36 and a competitive triathlete, usually placing top-5 in my age group. I use 170-mm crankarms but have heard that for time trialing, longer is better. Is that true? — Harold F. Coach Fred Matheny Replies: There have been studies of crankarm length, but the results aren’t consistent. Some show that longer cranks…
