ECCA 12 hour tt

[quote="John G"][quote="Andrew G"]Nik is one of the best time triallists in the country famed for using massive gears. His team mate in 3rd rode fixed wheel.

[Andrew G]

He runs a 77 tooth chainring with 165mm cranks. He's a very intelligent guy and a bit of a modern day Obree in that he does what he believes in and tests and not what others say work.

His theory behind it is that walking is more natural than cycling for your body to do so the large gear slows the cadence and the short cranks make the leg movement smaller which reduces the dead spot at top dead centre and acts as more of a walking stride than a big lope of using longer cranks.

He is a bit unique and no-one else uses gears like he does but it works for him and you can't argue with the results he has. He pays a lot of attention to every aspect that he feels matters and is very aerodynamic on a bike, and despite the huge gearing looks very smooth and effortless while travelling at stunning speeds.

[John G]

[quote="Andrew G"]He runs a 77 tooth chainring with 165mm cranks. He's a very intelligent guy and a bit of a modern day Obree in that he does what he believes in and tests and not what others say work.

His theory behind it is that walking is more natural than cycling for your body to do so the large gear slows the cadence and the short cranks make the leg movement smaller which reduces the dead spot at top dead centre and acts as more of a walking stride than a big lope of using longer cranks.

He is a bit unique and no-one else uses gears like he does but it works for him and you can't argue with the results he has. He pays a lot of attention to every aspect that he feels matters and is very aerodynamic on a bike, and despite the huge gearing looks very smooth and effortless while travelling at stunning speeds.

[Andrew G]

It is very specialised, I think he's said (on the TT Forum) his normal chainring on his commuting bike is a 56 or something. He's built up to that size over a period of time and the 'rings are custom made carbon ones, I think he said he gears down, or has in the past, for a 12 hr and only uses a 74 or 76.
His tri-bars are heavily modified/homemade ones to get him in exactly the position he wants and he made his own behind the saddle bottle holders for long events so it was what he wanted and not just the best thing he could find to buy.

With the short cranks, well apart from the "walking stride", they are also stiffer and more aerodynamic as they keep the amount of space that contains spinning feet and legs about in the air smaller so punches a smaller hole in the air.

He's explained or answered some questions in the past about it on the TT Forum so I'll see if I can dig up any old answers or comments he's posted about the gears and his philosophy behind using them.

I do remember seeing something he'd written in reply to someone asking a question about cadence and the best tactics for riding up drags/in to wind.

"If your lungs hurts change up a gear, if your legs hurt change down a gear, repeat until everything hurts the same amount".

[Sylv]

His wattage wouldn't be different to someone with a "normal" setup travelling at the same speed, his torque however ..

[Andrew G]

John, a quick search threw up this which has a few comments re cadence/the big gear... he is "NikB".

[url]http://www.timetriallingforum.co.uk/lofiversion/index.php?t30142-0.html[/url]

[Marcus]

Is somewhat Obree-esk riding with such a huge chainset and no smaller ring. Man of steel

Congratulations George, did you complete more miles in 12 hours than Graham completed in 24?