$1.79's Mentor Group FULL of fast people (Page 3)

Hi Andrew, thanks for letting me join.

Name: Jessica Rodriguez
Location: Corona, CA
Story: I have been wanting to do something for me for awhile now and I especially have wanted to get into better shape.  I have a hard time making time for myself between work and my two kids, but I know that I need/want to really do this.  Once I get into a routine, I do pretty well, but its just getting it started.
Family Status: Married with 2 daughters: 3 yr. old (4 next month) and a 17 mo. old
Current Training: I was doing about a 20 min. workout combining aerobics, strenght, and abs.  Quit doing that about a month ago.  During that time I was also jogging 3 miles in about 30 min.  Now I can barely do 2 miles   I am going to sign up for the Bronze membership to get started on the right training program (any recommendations?).
2009 Races: Currently, I have not signed up for any.  Would like to compete/complete in a few this summer.  There are a couple sprints that I am looking at, but I am hesitant to sign up (one is in mid-May).  Some of it is because I don't know if I will be ready or not, and the other part is just plain fear.  Deep down I know that I can do it.
Weightloss: I would like to lose about 10-15 pounds.  I am addicted to junk food and I know that my nutrition choices are horrible.  I have not eaten meat in about 20 years and have a hard time (still) finding and making good meal choices.  I really want to tone up.  I miss my toned legs (I used to be a softball catcher)!

I am new to this sport and have a lot to learn, but I am so excited to be doing be doing this.  I will have lots of questions (I was trying to hang in there with all the gear talk!)

Jessica

Checking in! Hope everybody had an awesome monday!

Hey Dan, any luck making one of those Training Log Table things for our group?

Yep, I think so.  Cut and paste the text out of this.  It *should* work.

What year is your P2?  A compact crank would make a big difference for climbing, probably more so than a different cassette.

Nice!  Those are very good looking bikes.

ADollar79 - 2009-04-28 10:35 AM

Lisa B - 2009-04-28 10:10 AM

Andrew - not sure if you've done the Roswell 45 miler, but it is very hilly.  When I did it on Sunday (granted it was the day after a race) I found myself having to stand quite a few times on the big hills.  I rarely have to or had to do this on my road bike.  And I yes, I am a strong cyclist, it's my best discipline.  So this, and riding it up till now and having trouble on the hills leads me to wanting another climbing gear.

This is the point I am trying to make.  Of course you don't have to do this on your road bike...you have MUCH easier gears (ie Crank).  You would be in a 34-27.  Some of us could spin up Hogpen in that   Jumping to a 39-25 is a big step.  You are pushing bigger gears.  I am just not certain that a 39-27 will be all that much easier.  I have a feeling you will still be out of the saddle. 

I am trying to recall how to look at gear ratios.  Dan might be able to chime in here.  For instance, I would be curious to know that if you are pushing your 39-25 what gear that equates to on your road bike.  Most likely it will be something like your 34-21.  So if you went and did the Roswell route on your road bike and limited yourself to 34-21, ideally you will have the same struggle.  Make sense? 

I don't want to discourage you from buying the 12-27 if that is what you want.  I personally don't think you will feel the extra 2 teeth all that much.  And not for the money.  The only difference between the cassettes are the last two rings.  On the 12-25 they are 23-25 and on the 12-27 they are 24-27. 

FWIW, when I got my Lucero a few years ago I was shocked at how much trouble I had riding Stone Mountain.  I couldn't climb for crap.  I was always in my granny gears.  The strength built up with time.  This weekend's race was pretty hilly.  I would say it was like Roswell....nothing long...mostly short and steep.  I rode it with an 11-23.  I never got into the 23 but I was out of the saddle on nearly all the hills.   In retrospect, I wouldn't have chosen a different cassette.  I don't think it would have changed much...hills would be easier...but I would be slower.  That is the trade off


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Just as a caveat to our other participants....Lisa B and I know each other so I give her a bit more of a ribbing than I do typical beginners.  Don't think I will be argumentative if you ask questions.  I enjoy giving her a hard time.   

Throw in a cadence and I can figure it out using the gearing calculator.

Gear chart using MPH @ 60 RPM

With 10-speed 12-13-14-15-16-17-19-21-24-27 Cassette

Gear chart using MPH @ 60 RPM

With 10-speed 12-13-14-15-16-17-19-21-24-27 Cassette

So that's keeping Cadence the same, but with the smaller gears you'll probably be able to increase cadence to look more like this:

Gear chart using MPH @ 80 RPM

With 10-speed 12-13-14-15-16-17-19-21-24-27 Cassette

So, if you're having to grind up the hill (60rpm) in 39-27 you'll be doing 6.3 mph, if you try to go up the same hill in 39-25 at 60rpm you'd be going 6.8 mph.  So you can see there isn't a big difference there. However, if you can spin up the hill (80rpm) in 34-27 you'll be doing 7.9.   I figure you'd be able to see an increase in rpm because you're driving a much smaller chainring.

Edited to reorganize and try to compile my thoughts.

Gear chart using MPH @ 60 RPM

For 650 x 23C / 23-571 / 26" road/tri tire with 170 mm cranks

With 10-speed 12-13-14-15-16-17-19-21-23-25 Cassette

What will make the bigger difference is your front gearing.  *I have no idea if this translates to cycling.* In motorcycling changing the front sprocket by 1 tooth makes a difference of 2 teeth in the rear.  So in this case going from 34T in the front to 39T you're seeing a huge difference in the level of effort you have to use to see the same speed.  This is the same at high speeds.  However, as you go up in size in the front you're going to be able to go faster on the top end.   The thing that makes this comparisson more difficult is that you're using two different sizes of wheels between the bikes.  That means even at the same cadence and with the same gearing, you're going to be going two different speeds. 

Gear chart using Gain Ratios

With 10-speed 12-13-14-15-16-17-19-21-23-25 Cassette

Gear chart using Gain Ratios

With 10-speed 12-13-14-15-16-17-19-21-24-27 Cassette

The last set may actually be what ADollar was talking about.  The ratio for you 39-25 on your tri bike is pretty equivalent to 34-24 on your road bike.