speed, wheels, and inline skaters

I believe it has more to do with "impedance matching" than wheel size.
The concept is this. Your body has speeds with which it is naturally
able to move. You can't really extract power from biking at a cadence
above 150 rpm, for example, and you aren't going to extract much at 15
rpm either. Your muscles and bones and such have natural speeds with
which they can effectively expend power. This is one reason you can bike
much faster than you can walk or run, too: you just can't move your legs
all that fast when running, even if you were suspended in the air by a
rope, for example, how fast could you move your legs back and forth
pushing on nothing? Bicycles "gear up", giving you something to push
against even when you are already moving fast, without having your legs
move faster than their natural power region.

Similarly, skaters "gear up," but in a way that may not be so obvious.
They mostly push sideways, angling their skates out a bit so that a
sideways thrust becomes forward motion. Now if they have their skates at
a large angle, they accelerate quickly but don't go very far (low gear).
If their skates are nearly parallel to the direction of motion then they
go a long way on one thrust, but don't accelerate much (high gear). So
until losses set in from the air, rolling resistance, etc., skaters and
cyclists have the same sort of force/acceleration abilities. Wheel size
changes rolling resistance, but it's not a huge factor at lower speeds.
Of course, different muscles are used, and skaters probably do have much
higher rolling resistance from those small wheels, but they sure can go
fast on smooth pavement, same as you.

Alan Weiss
NJ Gold Rush, E2 tandem, and Leitra rider
and ex-physics major

skott wrote:

I have been enjoying my new Corsa and am able to cruise in the low to
mid 20's but I am always amazed when I encounter inline skaters on the
trails. They can move right along in the hi teens and low twenty's
(mph) without the mechanical advantage of a gear system. The top
racers run at 27 mph. How do they do that? Many people on this forum
think bigger wheels are faster but these guys are on micro wheels. I
can't believe their bearings are that much better and they certainly
are not more aerodynamic in their body position. So, does the answer
lie in hard wheels or is their some incredible power in their leg
stroke? I wonder how fast a fully suspended recumbent would be if it
rode on hard,ie.,noncompliant, wheels?. Perhaps that is why the more
psi the faster. Any thoughts?

Skott

"Tom Blum" wrote in
ink.net:

I see skaters on the Van Fleet trail, in central florida, who easily
cruise at 15.

One racer, when my friend and I passed him with malice, at about 20 (
Hey!! I didn't say WE were faster!!) , accellerated, quickly caught
us, skated alongside and said "Trying a breakaway, huh?"

Believe it, my friend.
--
Miles of Smiles,

Tom Blum
Winter Haven, Florida
Homebuilts: SWB
Tour Easy Clone
Speed Machine Clone
High Racer Clone
www.gate.net/~teblum




There is a skater guy on my regular ride. I have a hard time reeling him
in, he's usually around 17-18mph, for most of the 12 mile trail.
Believe it is right!

"Tom Blum" wrote in
ink.net:

I see skaters on the Van Fleet trail, in central florida, who easily
cruise at 15.

One racer, when my friend and I passed him with malice, at about 20 (
Hey!! I didn't say WE were faster!!) , accellerated, quickly caught
us, skated alongside and said "Trying a breakaway, huh?"

Believe it, my friend.
--
Miles of Smiles,

Tom Blum
Winter Haven, Florida
Homebuilts: SWB
Tour Easy Clone
Speed Machine Clone
High Racer Clone
www.gate.net/~teblum




There is a skater guy on my regular ride. I have a hard time reeling him
in, he's usually around 17-18mph, for most of the 12 mile trail.
Believe it is right!

I was doing 19 in my low racer last week and was scared half to death when a
girl rollerblading was a foot behind me.

I don't know how they can do that either but they can

"Mike" wrote in message
...
I think you should check your speedometer, I have never seen a roller
blader
moving that fast.

"skott" wrote in message
om...
I have been enjoying my new Corsa and am able to cruise in the low to
mid 20's but I am always amazed when I encounter inline skaters on the
trails. They can move right along in the hi teens and low twenty's
(mph) without the mechanical advantage of a gear system. The top
racers run at 27 mph. How do they do that? Many people on this forum
think bigger wheels are faster but these guys are on micro wheels. I
can't believe their bearings are that much better and they certainly
are not more aerodynamic in their body position. So, does the answer
lie in hard wheels or is their some incredible power in their leg
stroke? I wonder how fast a fully suspended recumbent would be if it
rode on hard,ie.,noncompliant, wheels?. Perhaps that is why the more
psi the faster. Any thoughts?

Skott

I was doing 19 in my low racer last week and was scared half to death when a
girl rollerblading was a foot behind me.

I don't know how they can do that either but they can

"Mike" wrote in message
...
I think you should check your speedometer, I have never seen a roller
blader
moving that fast.

"skott" wrote in message
om...
I have been enjoying my new Corsa and am able to cruise in the low to
mid 20's but I am always amazed when I encounter inline skaters on the
trails. They can move right along in the hi teens and low twenty's
(mph) without the mechanical advantage of a gear system. The top
racers run at 27 mph. How do they do that? Many people on this forum
think bigger wheels are faster but these guys are on micro wheels. I
can't believe their bearings are that much better and they certainly
are not more aerodynamic in their body position. So, does the answer
lie in hard wheels or is their some incredible power in their leg
stroke? I wonder how fast a fully suspended recumbent would be if it
rode on hard,ie.,noncompliant, wheels?. Perhaps that is why the more
psi the faster. Any thoughts?

Skott

They have bigger balls

skott wrote:

I have been enjoying my new Corsa and am able to cruise in the low to
mid 20's but I am always amazed when I encounter inline skaters on the
trails. They can move right along in the hi teens and low twenty's
(mph) without the mechanical advantage of a gear system. The top
racers run at 27 mph. How do they do that? Many people on this forum
think bigger wheels are faster but these guys are on micro wheels. I
can't believe their bearings are that much better and they certainly
are not more aerodynamic in their body position. So, does the answer
lie in hard wheels or is their some incredible power in their leg
stroke? I wonder how fast a fully suspended recumbent would be if it
rode on hard,ie.,noncompliant, wheels?. Perhaps that is why the more
psi the faster. Any thoughts?

Skott

They have bigger balls

skott wrote:

I have been enjoying my new Corsa and am able to cruise in the low to
mid 20's but I am always amazed when I encounter inline skaters on the
trails. They can move right along in the hi teens and low twenty's
(mph) without the mechanical advantage of a gear system. The top
racers run at 27 mph. How do they do that? Many people on this forum
think bigger wheels are faster but these guys are on micro wheels. I
can't believe their bearings are that much better and they certainly
are not more aerodynamic in their body position. So, does the answer
lie in hard wheels or is their some incredible power in their leg
stroke? I wonder how fast a fully suspended recumbent would be if it
rode on hard,ie.,noncompliant, wheels?. Perhaps that is why the more
psi the faster. Any thoughts?

Skott

Tom Blum wrote:

I see skaters on the Van Fleet trail, in central florida, who easily cruise
at 15.

One racer, when my friend and I passed him with malice, at about 20 ( Hey!!
I didn't say WE were faster!!) , accellerated, quickly caught us, skated
alongside and said "Trying a breakaway, huh?"

Believe it, my friend.

Just find some good chip seal or freshly milled asphalt concrete [1],
and the inline skaters will be out of luck.

[1] I need to check all the fasteners on my Sunset after riding on a lot
of both this past weekend.

Tom Sherman - Near the confluence of the Mississippi and Rock Rivers

Tom Blum wrote:

I see skaters on the Van Fleet trail, in central florida, who easily cruise
at 15.

One racer, when my friend and I passed him with malice, at about 20 ( Hey!!
I didn't say WE were faster!!) , accellerated, quickly caught us, skated
alongside and said "Trying a breakaway, huh?"

Believe it, my friend.

Just find some good chip seal or freshly milled asphalt concrete [1],
and the inline skaters will be out of luck.

[1] I need to check all the fasteners on my Sunset after riding on a lot
of both this past weekend.

Tom Sherman - Near the confluence of the Mississippi and Rock Rivers

wrote:

Tom Sherman wrote:

: Tom Blum wrote:

: One racer, when my friend and I passed him with malice, at about 20 ( Hey!!
: I didn't say WE were faster!!) , accellerated, quickly caught us, skated
: alongside and said "Trying a breakaway, huh?"
:
: Believe it, my friend.

: Just find some good chip seal or freshly milled asphalt concrete [1],
: and the inline skaters will be out of luck.

Isn't it unsporting to attack on the chipseal sections?

As always, ask yourself, WWFD? [1]

On a more serious note, when passing through a small East-Central
Illinois town on a club ride, a group of teenaged inline skaters decided
to give chase to our group. A girl in the group went flat on her face
trying to traverse a rough spot in the pavement. Fortunately, her
injuries were minor enough to not require medical attention.

[1] What Would Fabrizio Do?

Tom Sherman - Near the confluence of the Mississippi and Rock Rivers