Question: I’m a 6-foot-tall big-gear masher with a 34-inch inseam. I use 175-mm crankarms. But I wonder if shorter would be better. Here’s my theory: Because the hub travels slower (a shorter distance) than the tire (which goes a longer distance) it seems logical to go to a shorter crank. Higher gear, slower cadence = shorter…
Question: I’m 5-foot-4 and like to push a big gear. I’m getting ready for a time trial. My coach had me change my crank length to 165 mm because I rock on 170s and therefore lose some momentum. Since I’ve been riding with the shorter cranks, my left knee hurts. What could be causing this?…
Q: I moved to Colorado from Indiana and the climbs are killing me! My flatland bike had a low gear of 39×23-teeth and it was fine. It’s not fine in the mountains. However, I don’t want to get a triple. I’d feel like a weenie and a rich one at that because the conversion is…
Question: My bike has a triple crankset and a 12-23 cassette. Recently, I’ve been having problems on climbs. Should I keep the triple and change to a cassette with easier gearing, or should I buy a double crankset and put a really low gear on the back? — Brenda T. Coach Fred Matheny Replies: The most effective…
Q: I’m a recreational rider living near Madison, WI. My road bike has an 8-speed cassette that ranges from 12 to 21 teeth. I’ve had some knee pain, so I think I may need to spin a higher cadence on hills. Would you recommend increasing my largest cog to a 25 or 26? Or would…
