What gear do you use to "blast" off?

Manc33
Manc33 Posts: 2,157
edited October 2014 in Road general
I like to accelerate on my bike when I set off. Make people in cars think "He's fast".

If everyone posts the gear they use (front and rear teeth) we could get an idea.

Its just your "setting off gear". I'm fantastically weak though.

39F/21R (1.86 wheel turns)

No lying!
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Comments

  • slowmart
    slowmart Posts: 4,474
    Manc33 wrote:
    I like to accelerate on my bike when I set off. Make people in cars think "He's fast".


    Its just your "setting off gear". I'm fantastically weak though.


    It sounds more like pump, pump squirt…….. :shock:
    “Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime. Teach a man to cycle and he will realize fishing is stupid and boring”

    Desmond Tutu
  • Manc33
    Manc33 Posts: 2,157
    They only think I'm fast when I first set off, I'm knackered in 15 seconds lol. Then again that still fits in with what you said.

    You didn't put your gearing!
  • seanoconn
    seanoconn Posts: 11,318
    Manc33 wrote:
    I like to accelerate on my bike when I set off. Make people in cars think "He's fast".

    If everyone posts the gear they use (front and rear teeth) we could get an idea.

    Its just your "setting off gear". I'm fantastically weak though.

    39F/21R (1.86 wheel turns)

    No lying!
    You'll get a better response to your question if you post this in road general.
    Pinno, מלך אידיוט וחרא מכונאי
  • marcusjb
    marcusjb Posts: 2,412
    48:17 most of the time. Except the odd Monday, where I might flip to 48:19.

    I couldn't give a monkeys whether cars think "he's fast", which is a good job as it takes a little bit to get going.
  • DavidJB
    DavidJB Posts: 2,019
    56 - 11 ... up hill.
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,196
    I don't know. Big ring up front on the compact and somewhere in the middle of the range at the back normally.
  • navrig2
    navrig2 Posts: 1,833
    I go for the very quick acceleration using thye small ring of a a triple on the front and a 28 on the back. I can out accelerate a Porsche 911 for the first 2.3642 seconds after which I am spinning and have to stop and change the triple back to my compact.

    My rides tend to be quite short and often result in the stem rising to hit me in the face. I don't understand why!!
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    Manc33 wrote:
    I like to accelerate on my bike when I set off. Make people in cars think "He's fast".

    To be honest, I think it's pretty difficult not to out accelerate cars across a junction whatever gear you are in. 99 times out of a hundred they seem glacially slow to me even if they don't take what seems like half a minute to react to the lights changing.

    No idea what I start in - varies a lot as most junctions aren't on the flat. Usually small front and middle-ish at the back. 34-17 maybe??
    Faster than a tent.......
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    What does it matter what gear different people are in?
    Surely its just the acceleration that counts and how long its sustained for maybe.

    People will have different preferences based on their ability/strengths.
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    Whatever gear I had it in when I stopped...
  • What are we getting an idea of? Who's fastest? Who's slowest?

    I use big ring for 95% of my riding, and normally middle of the rear cassette.
  • seanoconn
    seanoconn Posts: 11,318
    Rolf F wrote:
    Manc33 wrote:
    I like to accelerate on my bike when I set off. Make people in cars think "He's fast".

    To be honest, I think it's pretty difficult not to out accelerate cars across a junction whatever gear you are in. 99 times out of a hundred they seem glacially slow to me even if they don't take what seems like half a minute to react to the lights changing.

    No idea what I start in - varies a lot as most junctions aren't on the flat. Usually small front and middle-ish at the back. 34-17 maybe??
    This ^^ No matter how fast you think you're going, the perception of your speed from a car drivers perspective differs, namely slow. You'll only get away quicker if you react quicker and I find most drivers let me go first if its a bit of a squeeze at the junction. I tend to use one of the smaller spiny gears.
    Pinno, מלך אידיוט וחרא מכונאי
  • navrig2
    navrig2 Posts: 1,833
    The chances are that the time lost whilst you clip in completely negates any impression of speed/acceleration.
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    Navrig2 wrote:
    The chances are that the time lost whilst you clip in completely negates any impression of speed/acceleration.

    On the commute no time is lost - I use SPDs during the week. I'm genuinely usually surprised if I get overtaken by the car behind me before I've cleared the junction.
    Faster than a tent.......
  • jordan_217
    jordan_217 Posts: 2,580
    53-11, after spending a few minutes track standing and I don't actually 'blast off' - it's usually a one handed wheelie of sorts (a move I taught to a young Slovakian kid, who used to clean cars in my local Tesco some years ago. Not sure what he's doing these days).
    “Training is like fighting with a gorilla. You don’t stop when you’re tired. You stop when the gorilla is tired.”
  • bianchimoon
    bianchimoon Posts: 3,942
    Manc33 wrote:
    I like to accelerate on my bike when I set off. Make people in cars think "He's fast".

    If everyone posts the gear they use (front and rear teeth) we could get an idea.

    Its just your "setting off gear". I'm fantastically weak though.

    39F/21R (1.86 wheel turns)

    No lying!
    what an incredibly strange post/subject :|
    All lies and jest..still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest....
  • seanoconn
    seanoconn Posts: 11,318
    seanoconn wrote:
    Rolf F wrote:
    Manc33 wrote:
    I like to accelerate on my bike when I set off. Make people in cars think "He's fast".

    To be honest, I think it's pretty difficult not to out accelerate cars across a junction whatever gear you are in. 99 times out of a hundred they seem glacially slow to me even if they don't take what seems like half a minute to react to the lights changing.

    No idea what I start in - varies a lot as most junctions aren't on the flat. Usually small front and middle-ish at the back. 34-17 maybe??
    This ^^ No matter how fast you think you're going, the perception of your speed from a car drivers perspective differs, namely slow. You'll only get away quicker if you react quicker and I find most drivers let me go first if its a bit of a squeeze at the junction. I tend to use one of the smaller spiny gears.
    I completely misread your post Rolf, speed reading is not all its cracked up to be :oops: not "This^^" at all!
    Pinno, מלך אידיוט וחרא מכונאי
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    Manc33 wrote:
    I like to accelerate on my bike when I set off. Make people in cars think "He's fast".

    If everyone posts the gear they use (front and rear teeth) we could get an idea.

    Its just your "setting off gear". I'm fantastically weak though.

    39F/21R (1.86 wheel turns)

    No lying!
    what an incredibly strange post/subject :|

    Feel free to post another 'what tyres should I buy?' thread if you like!
    Faster than a tent.......
  • arran77
    arran77 Posts: 9,260
    Navrig2 wrote:
    The chances are that the time lost whilst you clip in completely negates any impression of speed/acceleration.

    Clip in, pah, track stand all the way for me :lol:
    "Arran, you are like the Tony Benn of smut. You have never diluted your depravity and always stand by your beliefs. You have my respect sir and your wife my pity" :lol:

    seanoconn
  • bianchimoon
    bianchimoon Posts: 3,942
    Rolf F wrote:
    Manc33 wrote:
    I like to accelerate on my bike when I set off. Make people in cars think "He's fast".

    If everyone posts the gear they use (front and rear teeth) we could get an idea.

    Its just your "setting off gear". I'm fantastically weak though.

    39F/21R (1.86 wheel turns)

    No lying!
    what an incredibly strange post/subject :|

    Feel free to post another 'what tyres should I buy?' thread if you like!

    not sure what you mean Rolf?
    "I like to accelerate on my bike when I set off. Make people in cars think "He's fast".
    if that sounds normal to you then hey -ho :|
    All lies and jest..still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest....
  • seanoconn
    seanoconn Posts: 11,318
    arran77 wrote:
    Navrig2 wrote:
    The chances are that the time lost whilst you clip in completely negates any impression of speed/acceleration.

    Clip in, pah, track stand all the way for me :lol:
    Cough b****cks
    Pinno, מלך אידיוט וחרא מכונאי
  • cougie wrote:
    Whatever gear I had it in when I stopped...

    This^^

    Isn't that what everyone does? If it happens to be 50-11, so beit, just grind a bit until you speed up.
  • arran77
    arran77 Posts: 9,260
    seanoconn wrote:
    arran77 wrote:
    Navrig2 wrote:
    The chances are that the time lost whilst you clip in completely negates any impression of speed/acceleration.

    Clip in, pah, track stand all the way for me :lol:
    Cough b****cks

    :P
    "Arran, you are like the Tony Benn of smut. You have never diluted your depravity and always stand by your beliefs. You have my respect sir and your wife my pity" :lol:

    seanoconn
  • ai_1
    ai_1 Posts: 3,060
    Odd topic indeed...mostly because of the ambition of the OP to impress car drivers!
    As both a cyclist and a driver, it's pretty obvious to me that cyclists almost never look like they're going fast when you're calibrated in car driving mode. So don't expect admiring looks from the passing cars!
    cougie wrote:
    Whatever gear I had it in when I stopped...

    This^^

    Isn't that what everyone does? If it happens to be 50-11, so beit, just grind a bit until you speed up.
    Kinda. If I'm in a very big gear I'll change down a few before stopping. Otherwise I don't worry about it much. On a high intensity ride the gear will usually be a little higher than ideal and I'll grind the first few pedal strokes out of the saddle to get up to speed again. If I'm cruising I'll change down enough for a comfortable re-start.
    I reckon starting in a different gear each time gives my legs some variety!
  • bompington
    bompington Posts: 7,674
    I usually use shorts & short sleeved top, anything more and I start to overheat if I'm blasting off.
  • Manc33 wrote:
    They only think I'm fast when I first set off, I'm knackered in 15 seconds lol. Then again that still fits in with what you said.

    You didn't put your gearing!

    Are you sure they think you are fast and not something else? :wink:
    left the forum March 2023
  • bianchimoon
    bianchimoon Posts: 3,942
    Manc33 wrote:
    They only think I'm fast when I first set off, I'm knackered in 15 seconds lol. Then again that still fits in with what you said.

    You didn't put your gearing!

    Are you sure they think you are fast and not something else? :wink:
    :D
    All lies and jest..still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest....
  • 53/21 but I don't sprint off
    Just build back up again.
  • Cygnus
    Cygnus Posts: 1,879
    I usually start off in 53/19 and then quickly change up to 53/17 once I've picked up speed, that's usually within a few seconds.
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    Rolf F wrote:
    Manc33 wrote:
    I like to accelerate on my bike when I set off. Make people in cars think "He's fast".

    If everyone posts the gear they use (front and rear teeth) we could get an idea.

    Its just your "setting off gear". I'm fantastically weak though.

    39F/21R (1.86 wheel turns)

    No lying!
    what an incredibly strange post/subject :|

    Feel free to post another 'what tyres should I buy?' thread if you like!

    not sure what you mean Rolf?
    "I like to accelerate on my bike when I set off. Make people in cars think "He's fast".
    if that sounds normal to you then hey -ho :|

    I didn't say it sounds normal. Maybe it is a mildly demented thread topic but surely it is less boring than most on here? I'm just saying I'd rather something a bit different than yet another tyre thread; I suspect you'd prefer the tyres! At least here we don't know what the outcome will be!
    Faster than a tent.......
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