double or triple crank?

<[email hidden]> wrote in message > Hi,

Quoted message said:

I'm a newbie at triathlons and have bike related 2 questions. I have
been using a 1999 Trek 500 Mountain bike that I put road tires on. It
has a triple crank. It's very hilly near me and I use all the gears,
and on the worst hills, I use granny gear. The best speed I can
average over an hour long bike ride is 14 MPH. On flat ground, I can
easily maintain 16 MPH.

I found a used 2002 Quintana Roo Kilo that has a double crankset.

My 2 questions are:

#1) will a double crankset be adequate for my hilly riding conditions?

Maybe. You can only go out and tri it (Oooo a pun). If whatever gearing on
the Roo doesn't cut it on the steeper sections, have an LBS swap to a
cassette with better gearing for hills, and maybe the rings as well. I'm
assuming a 650c wheeled bike ?, which usually has chainrings that are larger
then the typical road bike (54/42 vs. 53/39). You can get some lower
gearing here as well, that might be better suited for you.

Quoted message said:

#2) how much difference in my AVS can I expect by upgrading my bike?
I mean, is my slowness due to my lack of ability, or is it due to the
crappy bike I'm using.

The Roo is certainly going to be a lot lighter and you should notice that
right away on a hill. I'm certain it's going to be a night and day
difference between the bikes; weight, efficiency, position, aerodynamics,
etc... though it may take a few weeks of training before your body adapts
and gets stronger on the new bike.

Remember though that it's the same engine and you have to improve the engine
as well as the ride.

SB

[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

#1) will a double crankset be adequate for my hilly riding conditions?

You didn't give specifics about which double the Roo has. If it is a 110mm bolt
circle, you can fit a 34 tooth ring on it. More typical is a 130mm, which will
accept a 39 (or maybe a 38 if you can find one, but they are more fragile). You
can also retrofit the bike with a 110mm crank like the FSA Gossamer for less
then $200. I'm not a strong climber, but with a 34 on the front and a 25 the
back, I can easily survive some fairly steep hills, like 16 to 18 percent, which
are the steepest paved roads I know of around here.

So, to get closer, count the teeth on your smallest chainrings and the largest
freehub sprocket (MTB and the Roo). Figure out the bolt circle diameter on the
Roo double. While you're at it, you might want to figure out how do calculate
your gear ratios. Take the front gear, divide it by the back gear. That gives
you a ratio. If you multiply the ratio by pi (3.14) and multiply that by the
tire diameter, you will get the number of inches the bike will move with one
revolution of the crank. Calculate all of those numbers and plot them up for
the two bikes and you'll get an idea of how the gear sets compare. Then realize
that you can carry taller gears on the road bike than the MTB because the wheels
are lighter on the road bike (typically, quite a bit lighter).

Quoted message said:

#2) how much difference in my AVS can I expect by upgrading my bike?
I mean, is my slowness due to my lack of ability, or is it due to the
crappy bike I'm using.

Average speed increase depends on too many details that you didn't specify to
make an educated guess, but I can go ~5 MPH faster on my road bike then my MTB
on a flat, smooth paved road. Your slowness? Probably parts of both bike and
ability. The bike matters, but fitness probably matters more. Hard to tell
without knowing you and your bike. Valverde could toast me even if he was
riding a unicycle. But both bike and fitness can be improved if you want it bad
enough. Good luck!

email hidden said:

Hi,

I'm a newbie at triathlons and have bike related 2 questions. I have
been using a 1999 Trek 500 Mountain bike that I put road tires on. It
has a triple crank. It's very hilly near me and I use all the gears,
and on the worst hills, I use granny gear. The best speed I can
average over an hour long bike ride is 14 MPH. On flat ground, I can
easily maintain 16 MPH.

Being a newbie myself, I can comment a little. If you're riding very
hilly terrain, especially if it's dirt or packed sand, then 14mph over
an hour is about where you should be. I'm assuming you'd just like to
complete a sprint triathlon.

Give yourself about 16 months to start to see if you have any talent.
It takes some time to develop the body system, legs and lungs. For
youngsters, I think 2-3 years of base building is not unreasonable.
For mature riders (like me), it's more like 3-5 years of base-building
is common particularly if there's fat to lose.

Quoted message said:

I found a used 2002 Quintana Roo Kilo that has a double crankset.

My 2 questions are:

#1) will a double crankset be adequate for my hilly riding conditions?

Unlikely - you've said you're using granny gear now (30x25?). Give it
another year before you decide to go to a double. You'll know when
you're ready!

Quoted message said:

#2) how much difference in my AVS can I expect by upgrading my bike?
I mean, is my slowness due to my lack of ability, or is it due to the
crappy bike I'm using.

Very little. If you're riding a 20lb bike at 14mph avg, upgrading
anything is unlikely to do anything for you this soon. According to
the link I found to your bike type, it -is- a Triathlon bike.
Upgrading from this bike, if it's fitting you isn't worth it, imo.

What's your training schedule like (for the bike)?

jj

Quoted message said:

Thanks for any advice, Carol

Thanks for all the helpful advice!

Quoted message said:

If whatever gearing on
the Roo doesn't cut it on the steeper sections, have an LBS swap to a
cassette with better gearing for hills, and maybe the rings as well.

Well, I don't want to spend $650 on a used bike and have to spend
another $300 upgrading the components. I'd rather keep looking for the
right thing.

Quoted message said:

For mature riders (like me), it's more like 3-5 years of
base-building is common particularly if there's fat to lose.

That's really good to know. I've only been riding about 9 months, and
I'm 42. I've lost 25 lbs and have about 20 more to lose. I realize
my own weight is a factor in my bike performance, and is getting a bike
that is 10 lbs lighter really going to help when I am 20 lbs
overweight?

Quoted message said:

You didn't give specifics about which double the Roo has.

I haven't seen the actual bike. It's listed on ebay, but is a local
seller, so I could go look at it. I think I will pass on this bike,
tho, after reading everybody's comments.

Quoted message said:

Unlikely - you've said you're using granny gear now (30x25?).
Give it another year before you decide to go to a double.

Thanks, I think I will take your advice and keep looking for a bike
with a triple. Not sure of the gear ratios on my current bike. The
smallest back gear has 13 teeth.

Quoted message said:

Very little. If you're riding a 20lb bike at 14mph avg, upgrading
anything is unlikely to do anything for you this soon. According to
the link I found to your bike type, it -is- a Triathlon bike.
Upgrading from this bike, if it's fitting you isn't worth it, imo.

I'm currently riding the Trek 500, which is definitely a mountain bike,
and weighs 30 lbs. I didn't buy the Roo Kilo tri bike, was just
thinking about it. I took the Trek 500 to a bike shop and paid $120
to get it tuned up. Still, the gears are very grindy, the chain
frequently falls off and I feel the rear wheel wobbling under my butt.
I feel like I can't get anything more out of this bike!

Quoted message said:

What's your training schedule like (for the bike)?

Being frustrated with my bike, I am only riding 3x per week, 12-20
miles at a time...really just maintaining my current bike level. I'm
more focused on improving my running time.

Thanks again! Carol

<[email hidden]> wrote in message >

Quoted message said:

I'm currently riding the Trek 500, which is definitely a mountain bike,
and weighs 30 lbs. I didn't buy the Roo Kilo tri bike, was just
thinking about it. I took the Trek 500 to a bike shop and paid $120
to get it tuned up. Still, the gears are very grindy, the chain
frequently falls off and I feel the rear wheel wobbling under my butt.
I feel like I can't get anything more out of this bike!

For all serious cyclists (at least those who are not rich or sponsored), I
think it's really important to be able to fix your own bikes. Especially if
you have more than one or two.

All of those symptoms are repairable by yourself - you just have to learn
how.

I've probably saved thousands of dollars over my lifetime doing my own work.
The wheels I've built myself are the best ones I have (except for the
crossmax mtb wheels). My brakes and shifters are always bang on. I've been
able to give away lots of old parts and even built up a bike for a friend.

I've never bought a brand new bike. My current road bike, with a carbon fork
and ultegra/105 parts cost me 150 bucks (ebay) once I sold the wheels it
came with.

That's what I think,
Paul

"[email hidden]" <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

I haven't seen the actual bike. It's listed on ebay, but is a local
seller, so I could go look at it. I think I will pass on this bike,
tho, after reading everybody's comments.

http://tinyurl.com/9xdt9

Is that your bike? Let's take a moment here and get in touch with reality.
You don't know if you need a double or triple, but you're thinking of buying
a bike you've never actually seen off of eBay? Not a good idea. Not that
that's a bad bike--it's not. But the most important thing to consider when
buying a bike is that it fits you properly. Do you know how to size a bike?
Logic says that if you don't know whether you need a double or triple, you
probably can't. You could quite easily find yourself with a bike you can't
ride. Do yourself a favor and go to a good local bike shop with multisport
experience and a knowledge of fitting. And don't go back to the shop that
took $120 bucks and gave you back a bike in the condition you described.

email hidden said:

I took the Trek 500 to a bike shop and paid $120
to get it tuned up. Still, the gears are very grindy, the chain
frequently falls off and I feel the rear wheel wobbling under my butt.
I feel like I can't get anything more out of this bike!

You need to change your bike shop before you change your bike, I
think. For $120 yo should have a nice running machine.

Robert

email hidden said:

Quoted message said:

Very little. If you're riding a 20lb bike at 14mph avg, upgrading
anything is unlikely to do anything for you this soon. According to
the link I found to your bike type, it -is- a Triathlon bike.
Upgrading from this bike, if it's fitting you isn't worth it, imo.

I'm currently riding the Trek 500, which is definitely a mountain bike,
and weighs 30 lbs. I didn't buy the Roo Kilo tri bike, was just
thinking about it. I took the Trek 500 to a bike shop and paid $120
to get it tuned up. Still, the gears are very grindy, the chain
frequently falls off and I feel the rear wheel wobbling under my butt.
I feel like I can't get anything more out of this bike!

Well you totally fooled me with your post - I took it to mean you were
riding the Roo Kilo. If you're planning to ride Triathlons and finish
in the front of the pack, if not the podium that's a good enough bike.

The Trek 500 is -not- the bike you should be riding, then. A road bike
such as the Trek 1000 is the minimum if you want to learn to ride a
bike in a race - drop bars, no suspension, road tires, better aero
position.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

What's your training schedule like (for the bike)?

Being frustrated with my bike, I am only riding 3x per week, 12-20
miles at a time...really just maintaining my current bike level. I'm
more focused on improving my running time.

Then you need a new bike IMMEDIATELY if you're riding less because
you're frustrated with your bike. You're not getting any younger this
way! Go out this weekend and get a road bike. THe Trek 1000 is
available for about $600 bucks and will do you for the next two years
while you get in shape.

You should be riding at least 5 times a week, one rest day (or easy
recovery riding). One or two of those days should be hill work, one or
two of those days should be working on form (holding an aero
position), one or two of those days should be working on intervals -
riding at 85-90% of your top speed for as long as you can hold it -
rest 5 min, spinning slowly, repeat four times. Aim for about 100mile
per week. Riding in an upright position, with straight bars, 12 miles
three times a week at 14mph is a waste of time after 9 months, imo,
-for your purposes- (completing a triathlon).

You don't mention your current swimming and running regimes. How are
they going?

jj

Quoted message said:

Thanks again! Carol

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I took the Trek 500 to a bike shop and paid $120
to get it tuned up. Still, the gears are very grindy,
the chain frequently falls off and I feel the rear wheel
wobbling under my butt. I feel like I can't get anything
more out of this bike!

You paid $120 for a tune-up and you can feel that your rear wheel is
not true? I hate to say it but you need to find another bike shop.
And the chain keeps falling off?

Now, if there are parts that need replacing, such as your rear wheel or
chain or derailluers, your bike shop should have told you that and
shown you why it was needed. To take $120 and send you out with a bike
that is having some serious emotional issues is just thievery in my
opinion.

Quoted message said:

Well you totally fooled me with your post - I took it to mean you
were riding the Roo Kilo.

Sorry for the confusion!

Quoted message said:

Go out this weekend and get a road bike. THe Trek 1000 is
available for about $600 bucks and will do you for the next two years

Any other starter bike recommendations? I am a bit turned off by Treks
at the moment.

Quoted message said:

paid $120 for a tune-up and you can feel that your rear wheel is
not true? I hate to say it but you need to find another bike shop.

Seems to be the general consensus - point well taken.

Quoted message said:

Riding in an upright position, with straight bars, 12 miles
three times a week at 14mph is a waste of time after 9 months, imo,
-for your purposes- (completing a triathlon).

Actually, it burns a ton of calories and allows me to workout on the
days I cannot run, so that makes it worth it. My whole point in
signing up for triathlons is to motivate myself to stay on a workout
schedule. The only prize I will ever win is the physical fitness I
am attaining. That's the best prize in my book. Luckily for you more
serious triathletes, my state has a whole series of beginner events so
I won't ever be in your way :-)
Also, it's really fun in the back of the pack!

Quoted message said:

You don't mention your current swimming and running regimes.
How are they going?

Well, this is a bike racing group, but since you asked....I've been
following Hal Higdon's 1/2 marathon training plan (doing the VA Beach
1/2 in sept), so my workouts are really run focused right now. Where
ever the plan says to do cross training, I do biking. I also add
swimming or biking here and there to a run in order to make it a brick.
I am not improving in my swim or bike. But my running has improved
from a 15 M mile to a 12 M mile. (still slow, I know)

Well, thanks again! Carol

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Well you totally fooled me with your post - I took it to mean you
were riding the Roo Kilo.

Sorry for the confusion!

Quoted message said:

Go out this weekend and get a road bike. THe Trek 1000 is
available for about $600 bucks and will do you for the next two years

Any other starter bike recommendations? I am a bit turned off by Treks
at the moment.

Quoted message said:

paid $120 for a tune-up and you can feel that your rear wheel is
not true? I hate to say it but you need to find another bike shop.

Seems to be the general consensus - point well taken.

Where are you located? Hopefully someone can give you a recommendation for
a good LBS. If you find one and develop a good relationship you will get
great equipment advice. They can also hook you up with local training rides
that will really help with your speed.

email hidden said:

Quoted message said:

You don't mention your current swimming and running regimes.
How are they going?

Well, this is a bike racing group, but since you asked....I've been
following Hal Higdon's 1/2 marathon training plan (doing the VA Beach
1/2 in sept), so my workouts are really run focused right now. Where
ever the plan says to do cross training, I do biking. I also add
swimming or biking here and there to a run in order to make it a brick.
I am not improving in my swim or bike. But my running has improved
from a 15 M mile to a 12 M mile. (still slow, I know)

Well, thanks again! Carol

Interesting. You currently training in Va Beach? I'm down for some
flatland riding right now about a mile from the ocean.

BTW what I said about the bike still holds. You're riding a bike that
keeps you from getting more mileage and you're not learning the skills
you need on a road bike, grooving in your position learning to ride in
the drops. OTOH, if you're planning to ride the Tri like a Fred,
sitting straight up in a big pair of high-top Keds, then that's your
perogative. <g>

jj

Quoted message said:

Interesting. You currently training in Va Beach? I'm down for some
flatland riding right now about a mile from the ocean

I'm in Chapel Hill, NC. I'm training for the VA Beach 1/2 marathon,
which is in Sept. I do want a good bike. If only I didn't have 2 kids
in braces, one teenager about to get a driver's liscence, and then
there's college looming....

email hidden said:

Hi,

I'm a newbie at triathlons and have bike related 2 questions. I have
been using a 1999 Trek 500 Mountain bike that I put road tires on. It
has a triple crank. It's very hilly near me and I use all the gears,
and on the worst hills, I use granny gear. The best speed I can
average over an hour long bike ride is 14 MPH. On flat ground, I can
easily maintain 16 MPH.

I found a used 2002 Quintana Roo Kilo that has a double crankset.

My 2 questions are:

#1) will a double crankset be adequate for my hilly riding conditions?

#2) how much difference in my AVS can I expect by upgrading my bike?
I mean, is my slowness due to my lack of ability, or is it due to the
crappy bike I'm using.

Thanks for any advice, Carol

After reading all of the posts--

#1) 3

#2) not as much as you'd hope.

Quoted message said:

After reading all of the posts--
#1) 3
#2) not as much as you'd hope.

Thanks for such a short to the point answer. I think you are probably
right on #2, sadly. However, based on Jet's point that my current
bike is holding me back, I am going to go look at bikes today. BTW,
the place I went to that charged me $120 for the "bad" tune-up was
Franklin Street Bicyles in Chapel Hill, NC.

email hidden said:

Quoted message said:

After reading all of the posts--
#1) 3
#2) not as much as you'd hope.

Thanks for such a short to the point answer. I think you are probably
right on #2, sadly. However, based on Jet's point that my current
bike is holding me back, I am going to go look at bikes today. BTW,
the place I went to that charged me $120 for the "bad" tune-up was
Franklin Street Bicyles in Chapel Hill, NC.

Take some time to test ride - get a good fit. Pick the bike that makes
you smile! (Fuji is good if you don't like Trek).

jj

email hidden said:

Quoted message said:

After reading all of the posts--
#1) 3
#2) not as much as you'd hope.

Thanks for such a short to the point answer. I think you are probably
right on #2, sadly. However, based on Jet's point that my current
bike is holding me back, I am going to go look at bikes today. BTW,
the place I went to that charged me $120 for the "bad" tune-up was
Franklin Street Bicyles in Chapel Hill, NC.

Sounds good. I certainly wouldn't want #2 to give you the idea I don't
think you should get a new bike. A new bike is always a good idea.

I think everyone should have equipment that is 10 X better than they
are. It's somehow more fun that way.

D

[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Any other starter bike recommendations? I am a bit turned off by Treks
at the moment.

Check out the Giant TCR bikes. Nice mix of performance per dollar. They have a
thousand dollar bike with a compact crank and decent components. Did you
mention a price range?

David Ferguson says...

Quoted message said:

Sounds good. I certainly wouldn't want #2 to give you the idea I don't
think you should get a new bike. A new bike is always a good idea.

Quoted message said:

I think everyone should have equipment that is 10 X better than they
are. It's somehow more fun that way.

Absatively! Posalutely!