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4 Things that have actually improved my cycling experience.
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47 Comments
I really need to get shorter cranks
Damn thats a beautiful crank (and very functional)
Biggest changes for me are super swept bars, 165mm cranks and lower gearing. It’s the secret cause for the aging rider.
Wow I'm 5 8 with a 32 inch inseam i thought i had short legs
There's no way I'm wasting time and money on chain waxing. I use Squirt and wipe the chain every 100 km or after a dusty ride. Frequent application and wiping cleans and lubricates in one step. Squirt can occasionally flake off black spots on the floor, but just put a door mat under your bike and it will protect the floor. Also, wipe off the excess after application.
WIDE RANGE BRIFTER FRONT DERAILLUERS
Russ, I''m a long time Patreon supporter who has learned much from you. I'm old, with busted lungs, but still want to climb hills regardless of how fast. I ride mostly on the road and don't worry too much about my rear mech, B screws and Road Links seem to do the trick. But I have a really hard time finding a Frankenbike solution to a brifter/FD combination that can do a range lower than shimano 50/34[/30].
AND I really hate black mechs 🙂 although I can live with dark brifters.
So might I suggest a deep dive into front derailluer/brifter options, including how to make a choice and what to look for?
Thanks
…A waxed chain is less of a pain on a train in Spain?
Hi, which bike stand do you use? Which one can be seen behind you on this video?
while you're widening your tires, add some Tannus armour inserts = less punct-stress !-)
Ross your beard looks amazing! Also hell yeah love all these practical changes to biking!
I'm 5'8" with a 29" inside leg too, my crank is a 52.5 which is sold as a kids crank, I love it, feels great. thanks Russ
I’m slowly becoming a convert of 2x drivetrains. I’ve recently converted my 2x speed Brompton to 5×2 speeds with a FD. This has inspired me to also convert my 1x gravel bike to 2x. For me the smaller jumps between gears, and more optimised chain-line really make a difference in pedalling efficiency. Also I find 1x drivetrains tend to ‘vibrate’ when on outer most and inner most gears. I think the vibration comes from the extreme chain-line and the narrow-wide chainring teeth. The widest range rear derailleur I can find right now is the CUES U8020 and I am planning to pair that with a 46-30 sub compact chainring combo. Yes, I can go lower and smaller in the front, but I am limited by my crankset and chainring availability for the SRAM 8bolt dub system.
You make a very valid point about really wide tyres on a 700c wheel changing the fork geometry! It is a shame that 650b seems to be on the decline especially when for smaller frames, by using 650b and not 700c, the ludicrously steep seat tube angles needed to accommodate 700c can be avoided!! Great channel. I’ve subscribed.
awesome
Glad you've converted to the shorter cranks. 150 or 155mm would probably be ideal. At a 37" inseam, Ive gone from 175 to 180mm and it feels better, I go faster, and get less fatigued. Most people are on too long cranks. My leg length is longer than 99.9% of riders so 180mm for me is really not very long. I tried 200mm for a while, but the 180;s feel better, they're lighter, have a lower q-factor, and fit any frame really. Slightly older Dura-Ace, XTR, Record and some SRAM cranks (Apex and Rival) came in 180mm crank lengths. Maybe also TA Specialities and Lightning Cranks.
Will you win a yellow jersey with shorter cranks?
Not until endorphine-based racing is introduced.
It's a race where the winner is the one who got the most satisfaction from a ride.
I like aero, Russ, on my commute on an alloy 26" MTB. Aero means, in that context, simply bending low to coast farther and faster whenever the road offers free speed without pedaling. And big picture, I like your content and think that many of us are both, competitive and non-competitive, just depends on the ride. And just so you know, I'm taking notes so I can roost my rivals and win a trophy in the over-60 class at a gravel event. 😀
What is your inseam? I am about 31 inches riding 170's. It works but at 65 years old, my knees are sometimes a problem.
I wax my chains simply for the clean drivetrain. I’m less interested in performance of drivetrain longevity. I run a cassette and rotate through three chains for ~3 years/20k miles then replace the lot. I don’t obsess about chain wear any more then I obsess about car tire tread depth – I run them until they need replacing and then I replace
Low gears, love it. Unfortunately, I purchased a high end crank, 1X, that has 170 cranks
RE shorter cranks, I had knee problems until I switched to a longer crank on the left side to make up for my left femur being an inch longer than the right. Being six feet tall with a 35-36 inch inseam makes me a bit of a freak of nature so I optimally ride with 175 mm on the right and 180 mm on the left. 170 mm cranks definitely feel wrong and give me slight knee problems. The three biggest changes that made a huge positive difference for me at age 67 were:
1. Changing from drop bars to Jones alt bars (upright style bars with 45 degree sweep back)
2. Ditching the derailleurs for a Rohloff hub
3. Ditching the Brooks saddle for a Selle SMP Drakon – that definitely won't work for everybody! I tried six different saddles to finally find something a lot more comfortable than the well broken in Brooks nutcracker.
This is one of your most useful videos. I'm about to replace my cranks with shorter having had a successful experiment, and I'm confident shorter cranks will help me. There is no doubt that wide supple tires are a plus, and I'm glad to see this trend of using the widest tire your bike can fit. I've been staying away from chain wax, but since YOU say it's a win over the long term, I'll consider it. So now, have you done a video on the pluses and minuses of tubeless tires? I'm far from being convinced to try going through all the trouble. I'm sure I will love the ride, but I'm not eager to get a compressor or deal with sealant.
Would love to see a video about your Bike Parts Bin
About your hip pain. I had it to, along with lower back pain. I bought a muscle massager, the kind that has one head that moves in and out and pounds the muscle into feeling good. You might check one out. Great vid!
Yup! I agree. I'm 80 yo, just got 165 cranks on my Jamis GG. I've been waxing for years, just the wax you can get for sealing jelly, found at grocery stores. I use a small crock pot. Wide tires on my road bikes, 28 mm, 2.8 in on my MTB. Most of my bikes are 2x, but my Trek Roscoe is 1x. I like it and it has a 50t cog. Enjoy your videos. Blessings.
Agree about low gearing. I run 1X for simplicity but it is tougher to get lower gearing. I have 165 and 170mm cranks. I do not have problem with pain with 170 even though my height is only 5'7". I think key is having low enough gearing to maintain high crank speed like 85-95rpm. Since I use 1x drivetrain, and have limit on small chainring I do not want to try smaller cranks which require lower gearing to go up steep hills. Obviously this is less worry with flexibility of 2x drivetrains.
Good to hear someone actually say leg length optimised cranks not insisting short, irrespective is size. My 84cm legs appreciate my 175mm cranks. Given how long my legs are compared to many people it’s amazing the “standard” was concluded to be 172.5mm for years. Ah yes and being female means I don’t fit the “shrink it and pink it” mould anyway haha
I use the cyclowax system it’s simple, quick to do and I love it.
If I think…..then I'm having similar experience. 165mm cranks, one bike lubed chain, other waxed chain. Both pretty low gear for SS and FG. Only thing I can add is a physio – stronger legs and butt have made my riding much more enjoyable, more than other upgrades. And cheapest digital watch so I don't have to drop my phone trying to know time.
I like your videos
I'm all about this! I've got 165mm cranks, gravel bike gearing for the road (40T chainring w/50T cassette) 30 mm road tires and chain wax too. Its made riding my bike more fun – so I'll do it more often. Keep up the good work.
I'm using straight paraffin melt wax with periodic drip wax refreshes. I'm in Korea and just starting to see the first of the icky mud and road salt slush; so far, so good. At age 70 and 6' 2", I've moved to lower gears and wider tires but hadn't considered crank length yet. For me, it's all about comfort: being able to quietly and smoothly enjoy my ride, and with minimal faff when I get back home.
Totally agree with the shorter cranks. I'm 5'8 that's all torso and short legs. My cube touring ebike came with 175mm cranks so went down to 165mm and wow what a difference. I'm convinced it isn't just a placebo. I would like to try even shorter and also put shorter cranks on my analogue bikes too but that's a way more complicated and pricy endeavour compared to just swapping crank arms on an ebike.
Some guy in a yellow jersey who won a local race lol
Buying used bikes & equipment has really improved my rides & budget. Many people selling bicycles on CL or FB marketplace are no longer riding and will almost give their bikes away to an active rider.
Chain waxing is worth it just for the cleanliness for me.
A combination of Path Less Pedaled, Bicycle Quarterly (and RH website) and Riv Bike have led me to shorter cranks (currently 150 mm), supple wide tyres (Humptulips Ridge, best 26" tyre ever) and low-wide gearing (44-34-24 driving 11-43 10-speed). Highly unfashionable but very comfy and goes almost anywhere. I've not tried chain waxing but the lack of grease stains is the best argument in favour, I'm just a bit worried about using under wet conditions.
Do you use a quick link on the Bromptons now that you wax their chains, and if so which one.
I’m using 165 mm cranks on my tri bike and they help with reducing hip flexor pain when I hop off to run. I’m a believer.
Thanks Russ. I’m about to replace my chain and cluster, and I will definitely look into waxing.
Thanks Russ. I'm with you on all 4 points, in addition to or maybe because I'm the same dimensions as you, based on tried and trued experience.
None of us that have been waxing have figured how long the parts actually last… I'm into year 3 with 3 chains on rotation, they all still measure 0 wear, nearly 20000km…
Short crank, Low gear, and chain wax, exactly things that improve my cycling experience. Since I'm using old 26" mtb frame, not really sure about "wide and supple" tires since I can't find perfect rim yet. Right now I'm using 32mm (rear) and 35mm (front) tires for daily city commuting. I didn't really do offroads/gravel rides, but my city roads sometimes almost as good as that. I'm using the cheapest and thicker one, evenmore tire liner also added inside. Can't really complaint much for the ride quality since it can hold up without any issues/ punctures for 2 years and still rolling.
That low gear also actually not that "slow" as long as you have small cogs like 11 or 12T. Pulling 90-100 -ish gear inches would makes you fast for sure.
If there's any, I think you should also try "reverse mullet" setups.
Currently training/riding on 165s, down from 172.5s, and loving them! My inseam is only 30” while being 5’ 11” – definitely short-legged for my height. The 165s are easier to spin with less fatigue after a long ride. I’ll stick with them.
I like chain waxing it takes a bit of work to get the chain prepared for wax but it is worth it for regulars bikes. however it doesn't work well with middrive motors in Canandian winters it freezes which makes the chain skip.
Low gears saves knee replacements 😂
waxing is the way to go!!