Gearing for Calshot?
Comments
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The optimum may not be the same for you as othersfnb1 wrote:anyone with experience of Calshot advise on optimum gearing for Sprint and or pursuits?
82" to 92" I would think, depends on your strength and style.0 -
please ignore the previous reply & don't ever use 92 at Calshot! 80-82 are fine, maybe 86 if you really know what you're doing on that track0
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Why ignore reply?
Not everyone is the same.
I know it is a tight track but as on road people have different gearing requirements.
Personally I find little difference between 86 and 92".
"Use 86 if you really know what your doing" ? Urm, cycling round a track is hardly that complicated is it?0 -
82 seems to be the standard recommendation for Calshot.0
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Thanks for replies, I do know roughly what I am doing around the boards, never ridden Calshot (or even seen it) though hence the request.
With repsect OldWelsh I did think 92 was high (don't have a 48 or 51 t chaninring to hand in anycase) and had already plumped for something around 86
thanks for the feedbackfay ce que voudres0 -
Hi OldWelshman, if we're talking about any track of 250m or longer, then totally agree with you that everyone is different & the gears chosen will be in a widish range depending on the event. but Calshot is different, unless you know that track pretty well, you need to ride a gear that suits the track, not you. Cycling round Calshot is very different to other tracks, despite being very tight, it's actually easier than Newport/Manchester if you get the gearing right.
I've been riding Calshot on & off for over 20 years & for a training session i ride 80-82 there, when they have had some races on in the past I'd stretch that to 84. What I race on elsewhere is irelevant.
if you look at something like Gent, for the madisons the pro's will gear down from what they'd use on larger tracks. Granted there's an element of gearing down so they pedal quicker & therefore look like they're going even faster than they are & looks better for the crowds, but it's still a case of choosing a gear suitable for the track.0 -
If it wasn't in such a far out place I would come down to have a go
Newport is easier to get to from Dunstable believe it or not 0 -
B-B-M is right, go between 80 to 86 Max on Calshot.
It is a really fun track - the banking is quite tight and when you get used to it you can get a really good slingshot out of the turns.
You will also notice the G-force effect more at Calshot because of the tight turns. So, make sure you have a comfy shorts/saddle combination.0 -
been and Calshot is a hoot! Quite tight and a bit unusual (if you have ridden other tracks) until you get the feel of it but a great beginners track as it will teach you discipline.
lows 80s is an ideal gear too! Thanks for the infofay ce que voudres0 -
I was told 81"... by our club Olympic track medalist and that was back in the 70's.
So thats what i've always used 42x14, 48x16 or 51x17 all the same gear ratio but some people reckon that the bigger chainwheels/sprockets are better.
Another think i was told was to raise your bars a bit... and use 36 spoke wheels, but that was when the banking was really steep, some say 60 degrees.0 -
81" (48x16) is the perfect gear for both training and racing. Me and bro won the league on 81" so all this talk of bigger gears is pretty mad really. We tried 82.8" once and it did not give you the flexibility of 81".
As an aside: Some coaches (inc me) would not even let you on the track with bigger than 84".
a.0 -
Not sure how relevant the following is but i found it useful when starting out track riding in ireland bear in mind this info was originally created for an outdoor shallow banked track.
As a rule of thumb changing the back sprocket by one tooth makes a difference of approx 4 inches, while added a tooth to the front chainring increases your gearing by 2 inches.
It is usually advisable to have at least 2 front rings and a few back sprockets.
So say for example if you have a 48 & 49 front and a 14/15/16 for the back you would have a good choice of gears for most occasions.
* 48x16=81 inches (good warm up gear)
* 49x16=82.748x15=86.4 Race gear
* 49x15=88.2 Race gear (not windy)
* 48x14=92.6 Very fit & strong
* 49x14=94.5 Too high
A full chart below and based on that and what is on your bike already you may choose different array of sprockets & chainrings
If you also had a 50 front ring then with those back sprockets you would also have 84.4, 90 (useful) & 96.4
Remember that track chains are thicker and any old front ring wont do!
Also track rings can be changed quite quickly -5 allen keys that screw straight into the armiture.
Rear sprockets come in two basic types.
1. screw on -which will require a chain whip to remove, and
2 a handier version where the body screws on and the sproCket just sits on this and is held by a lock ring which requires that head set open ring type tool .
As recommended by UK outdoor track......
* 81" for novices and if you're not fit
* 84" if reasonably fit and experienced....also intermediate riders if it is windy
* 88" entry level race gear for FIT riders or super-fit riders on a windy day
* 90.6" Race gear for very fit or experienced riders ....will be too high for anybody if windy.
Ring Cog Gear
56 13 116.3
55 13 114.2
54 13 112.2
53 13 110.1
52 13 108.0
56 14 108.0
55 14 106.1
51 13 105.9
54 14 104.1
50 13 103.8
53 14 102.2
49 13 101.8
56 15 100.8
52 14 100.3
48 13 99.7
55 15 99.0
51 14 98.4
47 13 97.6
54 15 97.2
50 14 96.4
46 13 95.5
53 15 95.4
49 14 94.5
56 16 94.5
52 15 93.6
45 13 93.5
55 16 92.8
48 14 92.6
51 15 91.8
44 13 91.4
54 16 91.1
47 14 90.6
50 15 90.0
53 16 89.4
46 14 88.7
49 15 88.2
52 16 87.8
45 14 86.8
48 15 86.4
51 16 86.1
44 14 84.9
47 15 84.6
50 16 84.4
46 15 82.8
49 16 82.7
45 15 81.0
48 16 81.0
47 16 79.3
44 15 79.2
46 16 77.6
45 16 75.9
44 16 74.30 -
cunavalos wrote:Not sure how relevant the following is but i found it useful when starting out track riding in ireland bear in mind this info was originally created for an outdoor shallow banked track.
As a rule of thumb changing the back sprocket by one tooth makes a difference of approx 4 inches, while added a tooth to the front chainring increases your gearing by 2 inches.
It is usually advisable to have at least 2 front rings and a few back sprockets.
So say for example if you have a 48 & 49 front and a 14/15/16 for the back you would have a good choice of gears for most occasions.
* 48x16=81 inches (good warm up gear)
* 49x16=82.748x15=86.4 Race gear
* 49x15=88.2 Race gear (not windy)
* 48x14=92.6 Very fit & strong
* 49x14=94.5 Too high
A full chart below and based on that and what is on your bike already you may choose different array of sprockets & chainrings
If you also had a 50 front ring then with those back sprockets you would also have 84.4, 90 (useful) & 96.4
Remember that track chains are thicker and any old front ring wont do!
Also track rings can be changed quite quickly -5 allen keys that screw straight into the armiture.
Rear sprockets come in two basic types.
1. screw on -which will require a chain whip to remove, and
2 a handier version where the body screws on and the sproCket just sits on this and is held by a lock ring which requires that head set open ring type tool .
As recommended by UK outdoor track......
* 81" for novices and if you're not fit
* 84" if reasonably fit and experienced....also intermediate riders if it is windy
* 88" entry level race gear for FIT riders or super-fit riders on a windy day
* 90.6" Race gear for very fit or experienced riders ....will be too high for anybody if windy.
Ring Cog Gear
56 13 116.3
55 13 114.2
54 13 112.2
53 13 110.1
52 13 108.0
56 14 108.0
55 14 106.1
51 13 105.9
54 14 104.1
50 13 103.8
53 14 102.2
49 13 101.8
56 15 100.8
52 14 100.3
48 13 99.7
55 15 99.0
51 14 98.4
47 13 97.6
54 15 97.2
50 14 96.4
46 13 95.5
53 15 95.4
49 14 94.5
56 16 94.5
52 15 93.6
45 13 93.5
55 16 92.8
48 14 92.6
51 15 91.8
44 13 91.4
54 16 91.1
47 14 90.6
50 15 90.0
53 16 89.4
46 14 88.7
49 15 88.2
52 16 87.8
45 14 86.8
48 15 86.4
51 16 86.1
44 14 84.9
47 15 84.6
50 16 84.4
46 15 82.8
49 16 82.7
45 15 81.0
48 16 81.0
47 16 79.3
44 15 79.2
46 16 77.6
45 16 75.9
44 16 74.3
Nice post.. ? But i've got some Suntour 12t and 17t (NJS) sprockets... LOL0
