I want to ride faster

[DebW]

Rotating weight means weight that is related to movement, i.e. wheels, tires, crank set, pedals.

To be more specific, rotating weight is the product of mass and distance from the center of rotation. On a wheel, the axle is not rotating mass. The hub flanges are, but they are so close to the center of rotation that they have little rotating weight. Likewise the cassette. The rim and tire constitute most of the rotating weight. A crank and pedals do rotate, but the radius is not very large.

For you folks who are taking or have taken calculus, try integrating r*M over a crankset (assume uniform density from r=0 to r=R) or over a wheel (assume all weight is either in the hub (r=~0) or in the rim r=~R). This exercise may make you want to use a compact crankset and 650C wheels (if rotating weight were the only concern). I'm getting an r-cubed dependence in the crankset and an r-squared dependence in the wheel. Can anyone confirm or deny my solution of the simplified problem?

[Grog]

May I just volunteer...

isn't that 23mm???

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

May I just volunteer...

isn't that 23mm???

I guess they are, but my Pasela tires are listed as "23c" or "28c" width so I guess I tend to read it as cm's which is probably incorrect:
http://www.panaracer.com/eng/products/index_ur.html
Surely they mean mm in any case!

[CR400]

Ok, I kind of feel your pain now. I have started my off season training about a month ago and started riding a mountain bike on the road instead of my road bike. Boy have I slowed down. I can hit 20 to 21mph for a few seconds to about 3 minuets at best but after that I slow down, if I want to or not. So I'd work on getting much thinner tires and less tread on them. Also a more aerodynamic position helps the most. I go faster even on the moutain bike if I get closer to the handlebar and lower my profile.

[lauraelmore1033]

Boy, this whole getting hybrids to go faster issue has been driving me crazy! I know that a chunky person on a chunky bike will quite naturally go slower than a sleek person on a sleek bike, and I had been quite contented to average about 12.5 mph riding at a more or less comfortable pace with hubby snapping at the heels a bit, but the discontent of the OP with an average speed of 14 mph got me thinking (and discontented too)...

well, to cut a long story short, I had been trying everything in my power (without going to skinny tires) to even touch an AVERAGE speed of 14 mph; flatter course, shorter distance, bigger gears, greater effort, and the best I could do was 13.33 mph over 20 miles of the flattest trail in the state. And that was giving it all I had. I was so wiped out after my last attempt I felt my driving skills were a bit impared as I navagated home in the car. Hubby was alarmed. I've been told just to drop the issue and my knees have warned me not to try that again. So I'll just have to be satisfied with the knowledge that I'm doing the best that I can as I watch the parade of sleek behinds on sleek bikes cruising effortlessly past me and disappearing in the far distance ahead. Humph!

[Geonz]

Ah, but also KNOW in your smug heart that you are getting STRONGER than they are 'cause you have to work harder

[lauraelmore1033]

yeah, I suppose it is nice being freakishly strong, but it would be so COOL to blow past people effortlessly...