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Will I fall over by going too slow



 
 
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  #1  
Old March 24th 04, 10:12 PM
Willy Smallboy
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Will I fall over by going too slow

I am handicapped and I want a very low gear to use when going up a
mountain with loaded bags. I have used a 20t front and a 34t rear and
it is NOT low enough for me. I think this would be low enough:


a Schlumpf Mountain-Drive front (40% reduction) with a 17t front gear
and a SRAM Dual Speed Drive (73% reduction) rear with a 34t rear gear.
I figured this would go about 10 inches per one pedal revolution.
(Using Schlumpf's Excel spreadsheet)

BUT it seems this cannot be done. SRAM seems not recommended for
loaded touring (they say no tandems or delivery bikes). I think
Mountain-Drive's lowest gear is 27t. So now I think I can do this:


Front 27t with a Moutain-Drive (Schlumpf said this is equal to a 11t
gear) and a 34 rear. Schlumpf says that this is too low and I would
fall off the bike. I think I can pedal about 40 rpm. Does anyone
know in MPH how fast this is (I know it might be slower than walking
but walking and pushing my bike is harder on my bad leg than
pedalling). And with low center of gravity and heavy bags would I
fall over? My gut feeling is I would not. I have gone very slow with
my old set up.

Does anyone have this setup?

If you ever see someone pedalling like crazy and going very slow that
might be me.
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  #2  
Old March 24th 04, 11:05 PM
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Will I fall over by going too slow

In article ,
Willy Smallboy wrote:
I am handicapped and I want a very low gear to use when going up a
mountain with loaded bags. I have used a 20t front and a 34t rear and
it is NOT low enough for me. I think this would be low enough:


a Schlumpf Mountain-Drive front (40% reduction) with a 17t front gear
and a SRAM Dual Speed Drive (73% reduction) rear with a 34t rear gear.
I figured this would go about 10 inches per one pedal revolution.
(Using Schlumpf's Excel spreadsheet)

BUT it seems this cannot be done. SRAM seems not recommended for
loaded touring (they say no tandems or delivery bikes). I think
Mountain-Drive's lowest gear is 27t. So now I think I can do this:


Front 27t with a Moutain-Drive (Schlumpf said this is equal to a 11t
gear) and a 34 rear. Schlumpf says that this is too low and I would
fall off the bike. I think I can pedal about 40 rpm. Does anyone
know in MPH how fast this is (I know it might be slower than walking
but walking and pushing my bike is harder on my bad leg than
pedalling). And with low center of gravity and heavy bags would I
fall over? My gut feeling is I would not. I have gone very slow with
my old set up.


_ You can input gears and rpm and get mph out at this site.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gears/

_ Booker C. Bense
  #3  
Old March 24th 04, 11:05 PM
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Will I fall over by going too slow

In article ,
Willy Smallboy wrote:
I am handicapped and I want a very low gear to use when going up a
mountain with loaded bags. I have used a 20t front and a 34t rear and
it is NOT low enough for me. I think this would be low enough:


a Schlumpf Mountain-Drive front (40% reduction) with a 17t front gear
and a SRAM Dual Speed Drive (73% reduction) rear with a 34t rear gear.
I figured this would go about 10 inches per one pedal revolution.
(Using Schlumpf's Excel spreadsheet)

BUT it seems this cannot be done. SRAM seems not recommended for
loaded touring (they say no tandems or delivery bikes). I think
Mountain-Drive's lowest gear is 27t. So now I think I can do this:


Front 27t with a Moutain-Drive (Schlumpf said this is equal to a 11t
gear) and a 34 rear. Schlumpf says that this is too low and I would
fall off the bike. I think I can pedal about 40 rpm. Does anyone
know in MPH how fast this is (I know it might be slower than walking
but walking and pushing my bike is harder on my bad leg than
pedalling). And with low center of gravity and heavy bags would I
fall over? My gut feeling is I would not. I have gone very slow with
my old set up.


_ You can input gears and rpm and get mph out at this site.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gears/

_ Booker C. Bense
  #4  
Old March 24th 04, 11:25 PM
Bob Flumere
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Will I fall over by going too slow

On Wed, 24 Mar 2004 22:05:52 +0000 (UTC),
. stanford.edu

In article ,
Willy Smallboy wrote:
I am handicapped and I want a very low gear to use when going up a
mountain with loaded bags. I have used a 20t front and a 34t rear and
it is NOT low enough for me. I think this would be low enough:




I ride a 20 - 34 low gear combination on my Fisher Sugar Mtn bike (26"
wheels) all of the time..

I can' t recollect having fallen over from going too slowly, and I
certainly have sometimes wished for an even lower gear..
I'm probably turning it at about 75 to 90 RPMS.
(New England hilly, wooded, rocky, terrain and..... I'm 60 yrs old..

Bob Flumere

  #5  
Old March 24th 04, 11:25 PM
Bob Flumere
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Will I fall over by going too slow

On Wed, 24 Mar 2004 22:05:52 +0000 (UTC),
. stanford.edu

In article ,
Willy Smallboy wrote:
I am handicapped and I want a very low gear to use when going up a
mountain with loaded bags. I have used a 20t front and a 34t rear and
it is NOT low enough for me. I think this would be low enough:




I ride a 20 - 34 low gear combination on my Fisher Sugar Mtn bike (26"
wheels) all of the time..

I can' t recollect having fallen over from going too slowly, and I
certainly have sometimes wished for an even lower gear..
I'm probably turning it at about 75 to 90 RPMS.
(New England hilly, wooded, rocky, terrain and..... I'm 60 yrs old..

Bob Flumere

  #6  
Old March 24th 04, 11:32 PM
meb
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Will I fall over by going too slow

Willy Smallboy wrote:
I am handicapped and I want a very low gear to use when going up a
mountain with loaded bags. I have used a 20t front and a 34t rear and it
is NOT low enough for me. I think this would be low enough:
a Schlumpf Mountain-Drive front (40% reduction) with a 17t front gear
and a SRAM Dual Speed Drive (73% reduction) rear with a 34t rear gear. I
figured this would go about 10 inches per one pedal revolution. (Using
Schlumpf's Excel spreadsheet)
BUT it seems this cannot be done. SRAM seems not recommended for loaded
touring (they say no tandems or delivery bikes). I think Mountain-
Drive's lowest gear is 27t. So now I think I can do this:
Front 27t with a Moutain-Drive (Schlumpf said this is equal to a 11t
gear) and a 34 rear. Schlumpf says that this is too low and I would fall
off the bike. I think I can pedal about 40 rpm. Does anyone know in MPH
how fast this is (I know it might be slower than walking but walking and
pushing my bike is harder on my bad leg than pedalling). And with low
center of gravity and heavy bags would I fall over? My gut feeling is I
would not. I have gone very slow with my old set up.
Does anyone have this setup?
If you ever see someone pedalling like crazy and going very slow that
might be me.



10” per pedal revolution would be correct for a rare 22” tire. You sai
about so 11” with a 24 or 9” with a 20 are more plausible. What siz
drive tire

The latter gear ratio (assumes you deliberately omitted the dual drive
would have a speed around 2 mph with a cadence of 40 rpm. Not impossibl
to stay up at that low speed, but not something everyone can do

The latter gear ratio you mentioned has a gear ratio of about 7 gea
inches (multiply gear inches time pi to get number of inche
travelled per pedal revolution). Recumbent trikes sometimes hav
ratios in the neigborhood of 15 gear inches, but they don’t have th
same balance issues


-


  #7  
Old March 24th 04, 11:32 PM
meb
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Will I fall over by going too slow

Willy Smallboy wrote:
I am handicapped and I want a very low gear to use when going up a
mountain with loaded bags. I have used a 20t front and a 34t rear and it
is NOT low enough for me. I think this would be low enough:
a Schlumpf Mountain-Drive front (40% reduction) with a 17t front gear
and a SRAM Dual Speed Drive (73% reduction) rear with a 34t rear gear. I
figured this would go about 10 inches per one pedal revolution. (Using
Schlumpf's Excel spreadsheet)
BUT it seems this cannot be done. SRAM seems not recommended for loaded
touring (they say no tandems or delivery bikes). I think Mountain-
Drive's lowest gear is 27t. So now I think I can do this:
Front 27t with a Moutain-Drive (Schlumpf said this is equal to a 11t
gear) and a 34 rear. Schlumpf says that this is too low and I would fall
off the bike. I think I can pedal about 40 rpm. Does anyone know in MPH
how fast this is (I know it might be slower than walking but walking and
pushing my bike is harder on my bad leg than pedalling). And with low
center of gravity and heavy bags would I fall over? My gut feeling is I
would not. I have gone very slow with my old set up.
Does anyone have this setup?
If you ever see someone pedalling like crazy and going very slow that
might be me.



10” per pedal revolution would be correct for a rare 22” tire. You sai
about so 11” with a 24 or 9” with a 20 are more plausible. What siz
drive tire

The latter gear ratio (assumes you deliberately omitted the dual drive
would have a speed around 2 mph with a cadence of 40 rpm. Not impossibl
to stay up at that low speed, but not something everyone can do

The latter gear ratio you mentioned has a gear ratio of about 7 gea
inches (multiply gear inches time pi to get number of inche
travelled per pedal revolution). Recumbent trikes sometimes hav
ratios in the neigborhood of 15 gear inches, but they don’t have th
same balance issues


-


  #8  
Old March 24th 04, 11:32 PM
Chris Zacho The Wheelman
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Will I fall over by going too slow

I can stand totally still on an uphill.

Basically, the slower you go, the more effort you have to put into
balancing the bike. Because the wheels aren't rolling as fast, your
corrections will not take effect as fast, so they need to be more
extreme.

Try your 20/34 and pedal only half as fast as you usually would, This
would simulate pedalling your normal cadence in a gear half as high (or
twice as low, however you want to look at it).

- -
"May you have the wind at your back.
And a really low gear for the hills!"

Chris Zacho ~ "Your Friendly Neighborhood Wheelman"

Chris'Z Corner
http://www.geocities.com/czcorner

  #9  
Old March 24th 04, 11:32 PM
Chris Zacho The Wheelman
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Will I fall over by going too slow

I can stand totally still on an uphill.

Basically, the slower you go, the more effort you have to put into
balancing the bike. Because the wheels aren't rolling as fast, your
corrections will not take effect as fast, so they need to be more
extreme.

Try your 20/34 and pedal only half as fast as you usually would, This
would simulate pedalling your normal cadence in a gear half as high (or
twice as low, however you want to look at it).

- -
"May you have the wind at your back.
And a really low gear for the hills!"

Chris Zacho ~ "Your Friendly Neighborhood Wheelman"

Chris'Z Corner
http://www.geocities.com/czcorner

  #10  
Old March 25th 04, 12:21 AM
Rick Onanian
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Will I fall over by going too slow

On Wed, 24 Mar 2004 13:12:11 -0800, Willy Smallboy
wrote:
Front 27t with a Moutain-Drive (Schlumpf said this is equal to a 11t
gear) and a 34 rear. Schlumpf says that this is too low and I would
fall off the bike. I think I can pedal about 40 rpm. Does anyone
know in MPH how fast this is (I know it might be slower than walking


You really ought to include more information -- tire size, for
example.

That said, here's what http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gears/ has to
say: 700x23 tire, Schlumpf Mountain Drive low gear, 27t front, 34t
rear, 40 rpm: 1.0 mph.

Go there and try your different gear combinations as you please.

but walking and pushing my bike is harder on my bad leg than
pedalling). And with low center of gravity and heavy bags would I
fall over? My gut feeling is I would not. I have gone very slow with
my old set up.


Have you considered a tricycle? You could certainly put gears as low
as you please on that and never fall over.
--
Rick Onanian
 




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