07-08-2025, 03:54 PM
Anyone can attest to things that legitimately feel like you're cutting down energy expensure?
For me, narrower tires is one of them, a lighter bike, and radial front and dish wheel. Uphill and against the wind, I can really feel myself slicing through the resistance. Opposed to heavier, bulkier, and less aero bikes that I've ridden. I can't say that oval chainrings contributes here, as much as I love them, but larger chainrings I feel do contribute. Larger chainrings have less contact surface with the chain, and thus offer greater efficiency in the lower gears. You'll get so much more out of your 50:14 ratio than you will the same ratio on a 46t ring.
I don't find the same to be true conversely though. I feel there's a step-up for running in the higher gears with larger chainrings. There's a stretch where I was riding a 52T ring and easily peaked 27.9 MPH, but on a lighter bike with narrower tires, using a 54T ring and top gear 11t I kinda peaked at 25 MPH. On another stretch, I was able to easily peak 27 MPH on the same bike. But lag in the attacking force for that particular stretch proves to me that there's a step-up to efficiency with higher rings pushing the higher gears. I say all this because I know a lot of people like to underclass their rings for "comfort", but I'd like to say that if you intend on using your lower spinning gears anyways, you can get more out of them by running a larger chainring in the front.
One aspect I have not been able to test but would like to on road is an oversized hangar. I have used on single speed an oversized cog chain tensioner, and I feel like it makes the pedal stroke a lot more buttery. I mean, it feels incredibly smoother. I would imagine an oversized hangar does the same, and the wattage difference will be exponential for entire stages.
Just some positive encouragement that all these aspect do contribute and can improve the riding experience for those unaware or skeptical. Adding them all up with what really makes the difference. Even if you're not a powermeter person, the feel of the biking experience will tell and prove and pay itself off entirely by itself.
If anyone knows any other tricks for this, I'd love to hear them.
For me, narrower tires is one of them, a lighter bike, and radial front and dish wheel. Uphill and against the wind, I can really feel myself slicing through the resistance. Opposed to heavier, bulkier, and less aero bikes that I've ridden. I can't say that oval chainrings contributes here, as much as I love them, but larger chainrings I feel do contribute. Larger chainrings have less contact surface with the chain, and thus offer greater efficiency in the lower gears. You'll get so much more out of your 50:14 ratio than you will the same ratio on a 46t ring.
I don't find the same to be true conversely though. I feel there's a step-up for running in the higher gears with larger chainrings. There's a stretch where I was riding a 52T ring and easily peaked 27.9 MPH, but on a lighter bike with narrower tires, using a 54T ring and top gear 11t I kinda peaked at 25 MPH. On another stretch, I was able to easily peak 27 MPH on the same bike. But lag in the attacking force for that particular stretch proves to me that there's a step-up to efficiency with higher rings pushing the higher gears. I say all this because I know a lot of people like to underclass their rings for "comfort", but I'd like to say that if you intend on using your lower spinning gears anyways, you can get more out of them by running a larger chainring in the front.
One aspect I have not been able to test but would like to on road is an oversized hangar. I have used on single speed an oversized cog chain tensioner, and I feel like it makes the pedal stroke a lot more buttery. I mean, it feels incredibly smoother. I would imagine an oversized hangar does the same, and the wattage difference will be exponential for entire stages.
Just some positive encouragement that all these aspect do contribute and can improve the riding experience for those unaware or skeptical. Adding them all up with what really makes the difference. Even if you're not a powermeter person, the feel of the biking experience will tell and prove and pay itself off entirely by itself.
If anyone knows any other tricks for this, I'd love to hear them.
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