Triple Crank

Quoted message said:

I can't imagine what a third crank on a bicycle would do.

That's me on the seat, you got a problem with that?

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by John Thurston

BJobst Brandt said:

...I can't imagine what a third crank on a bicycle would do.

In our case, it allows the second stoker to pedal 🙂

John Thurston Juneau, Alaska [/B]

If you've got a second stoker than you certainly have a triple (or greater) but even if there's a chainwheel on each side it's only one crank per rider (possible exception for a child stoker conversion).

Quoted message said:

I can't imagine what a third crank on a bicycle would do.

=v= Why, it's for your third leg. HTH, HAND, <_Jym_

Bob said:

Plus, the real benefit of a triple occurs when you're tired. You might be able to crank up a hill
(I use a 39 front chainring and a pretty large rear cog) in the beginning of your ride that you
won't be able to get up at the end.

Hi Bob

I haven't visited this NG for quite some time and I've just downloaded some 10,000 messages.
Naturally, reading all of them would take rather a lot of thime. Nevertheless, this "Triple Crank"
thread caught my eye.

Last Saturday (12 July 2003) I had intended to cycle a short distance from my home in Worthing on
the South coast of England to Brighton - only some 15 miles in each direction - to visit a local
kiting festival.

I had been reasonably ill for the previous few days but thought I'd recovered enough to be able to
trundle along the mainly flat roads. Sadly, this was not the case. Having ridden only a handful of
miles, I coughed once or twice and then vomited all over the place. Not very nice at all. No, sir.
T'was rather like a cat doing its furball stuff.

As soon as I'd finished my wretched retching I turned around and started to head back home.

Even though I'd been eating and drinking as well as I'd been able for the previous few days I still
felt absolutely exhausted. Fortunately I had my granny ring and a big cog availble. Even though the
roads around here are flat I struggled to manage to maintain a speed above walking pace. Eventually,
I arrived back home and went straight to bed.

So, Bob, IMO, three rings are definitely the way to go. You never know when they'll come in handy.
In addition to their post-vomiting use, they're pretty handy for climbing the occasional
far-too-lumpy bits one comes now and again.

BTW, my cheapo road bike is the tripple ring version of the cycle seen in my sig.

Regards James

--
homepage.ntlworld.comLarrau.jpgOpen ↗

James Hodson said:

I haven't visited this NG for quite some time and I've just downloaded some 10,000 messages.
Naturally, reading all of them would take rather a lot of thime. Nevertheless, this "Triple Crank"
thread caught my eye.

Similar situation here...I'm new to this NG, just started reading it a week or two ago. I must have
missed this thread, it's definately something I am interested in.

Quoted message said:

So, Bob, IMO, three rings are definitely the way to go. You never know when they'll come in handy.
In addition to their post-vomiting use, they're pretty handy for climbing the occasional
far-too-lumpy bits one comes now and again.

Additionally...

When I bought my Giant TCR2, last fall, I was strong from mountain biking all year. Then we had a
long, tough winter here in Rhode Island, and a monsoon-style spring, and I was busy with work and
school on the rare occasion the weather was tolerable (or even when I considered riding in opaque
rain / lung-burning cold).

When I finally got a chance to start riding again, I wanted to enjoy my pretty, new, barely ridden
TCR2. Unfortunately, I got out-of-shape from all of the above concerns, and now I am unable to make
it far without hitting a hill and walking the bike up it.

Now I really have to bust my balls to get in shape enough to _enjoy_ this bike. I rescued an older
Peugeot (the whole reason I came to this NG!) and just took it on it's first ride (first with me,
anyway) the other day -- and the triple-ring crank made it possible for me to ride an old [probably
steel] bike casually on the local roads where I can't ride my sub-20lb two- chainring speed demon.

So, get the triple. Nothing to lose, and if you find yourself out of shape from sickness, weather,
work, whatever, you'll be able to ride when you otherwise couldn't; and even strong and in good
shape, you'll be able to ride _any_ grade.

--
Rick Onanian