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#11
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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 |
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#12
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speed, wheels, and inline skaters
"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! |
#13
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speed, wheels, and inline skaters
"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! |
#14
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speed, wheels, and inline skaters
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 |
#15
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speed, wheels, and inline skaters
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 |
#16
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speed, wheels, and inline skaters
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 |
#17
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speed, wheels, and inline skaters
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 |
#18
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speed, wheels, and inline skaters
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 |
#19
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speed, wheels, and inline skaters
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 |
#20
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speed, wheels, and inline skaters
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