Time Trial / Time Trialling / TT

But with a geared bike you set-off with a lower ratio than you would fixed

Doesn't matter, you're still going to be pushing down on the pedals just as hard. The sprocket size has no effect on chain tension, only the chainring does.

Use shorter valves and remove bottle cage bolts. You can thank me when you win. #closetweightweenie

People think that a long climb effort (5 minute) has a bigger peak watt effort, than a smaller humb (1 minute effort) - but it's the other way around. You can power your way through a 1 minute effort, but you need to dose that 5 minute effort and hold back the horses.

Eh? Of course a shorter ride will have a higher peak power.

Interesting.

So in what circumstances is 1/8" preferable over 3/32"?

Your surname is Hoy.

So in what circumstances is 1/8" preferable over 3/32"?

It's entirely plausible that there are no human-powered circumstances which truly favour ⅛" over 3/32". ⅛" is a legacy size, and was likely picked out of an engineering catalogue (along with the ½" pitch) by early cycle manufacturers as being the smallest readily available roller chain (#410 in non-cycling parlance) , without any real regard to optimising it for cycle use. It's one of those cost driven compromises (like threaded sprockets) which track cyclists have stuck with for no good reason other than inertia. Inertia is a tremendously powerful thing at the velodrome, where you're likely to want to nick bits off your mates and individual bikes can easily last decades.

It was a reply to this statement

HC have got to be more demanding than, eg, regular road use.

HC is not more demanding (mechanical chain strength wise) than regular road use, since regular road use has higher peak power.

That's not my quote.

How can you suggest regular road use uses more power? A sprint might use more power but that's not exactly 'regular' road use and a short hill climb requires a standing start sprint effort anyway.

Having 1/8" kit so you can borrow a wheel/sprocket at the track is one of the best reasons for using it, yeah!

In terms of power output the most I've done at the start of a hillclimb is 1250w, but on the road ~1600w. For a HC you do want to minimise the peaks as you generally have zero recovery time, so if I'm doing ~500w for a 5min hill the peaks are typically <800w. Tension is high when you're on fixed and <40rpm though.

@hippy I'll be grinding off the rear brake cable guides too, got to be worth a gram :D

~1600W is not 'regular road use'.

I'm riding the Tarmac tomorrow. I never bother to take anything off it. I do have skinnier tyres fitted I think so there's my few grams. In my case it's all pretty irrelevant when you're 80kg+ and riding for a laugh.

Captain Obvious is in the house...

Isn't the willesden hc more of a drag than a climb anyway?

I don't think I classify as a typical road rider either. Exemplified when I turned up at sign on for an open hillclimb last Sunday: the sign on lady took one look at me and said: "Are you an actual rider?"

I was surprised at how light my HC bike got when I started adding bits from the garage, eg. the rear rim I've had for about 7 years hanging up unused, and it built into an 845g wheel with Rev spokes and a chunky Novatec track hub, which isn't bad for a track wheel.

Windsor Hill is most certainly not a 'drag'.

Look out Willesden, I've taken BOTH bottle cages off! #hardcore #extreme #weightweenie #lol

28% .. yuk

It's proper nasty. Did it with two other hillclimbs in my legs the other weekend, luckily it's short enough that you can just blast it.

I was just trolling hippy but that does look bad.

I'm in!

[insert "Suffolk" and "hill" gags here]

I know.

I eat trolls for breakfast. #fat

~1600W is not 'regular road use'.

Speak for yourself, for the rest of us it's when we're having a little nap in between efforts.

We're not talking about the microwave you use to heat your lentils.

Don't you know it's a bit of a trial to soak them for 24 hours?

I've got a 25t rear 3/32" sprocket... ...ordered one each from Aus off eBay!

Was this recently and do you have a link?