According to Sheldon Brown's calculator - 5.7 mph. Your numbers are about right unless that floating full stop was supposed to be a decimal point and you meant 0.6 mph, in which case you are out by nearly an order of magnitude!How fast would you go spinning at 90rpm a 32 rear with a 26 front? . 6 mph by my quick calculations, although two of my boys are mathematicians by trade it is not a strong point of mine ( in fact I do not have any) so I will be happily corrected.
I always laugh when people say they are struggling and the advice given to them is basically equivalent to "MTFU"! Perhaps 10-20% of people will hear that and think "Okay, you wait a few months and see what I can do then!" - whereas the majority of people will just feel like giving up.
I don't see how overgearing riders to the extent that they have to get off and walk on steep hills helps them get fitter! Much better to provide them with a gear that they can keep turning and by doing so they should eventually no longer need it. Everyday cycling should not be a strength exercise. Okay, if you want to be a track sprinter, you'll need huge, strong legs, but to be great climber you'd be better with smaller legs able to spin a lower gear.
I'll never get away with using high gears on steep climbs again unless I have surgery to fix my ageing body. My hips and knees are on the way out, and I get cramp in my feet if I push too hard on the pedals. I'll stick to lower gears.
So what if Duncan fits lower gears, enjoys riding them in the hills and eventually no longer needs them most of the time? The day will come when he has ridden 80 miles fast, is knackered and comes to a killer hill and a killer headwind and needs an extra low gear. It happened to me once and boy was I grateful for that low gear, even though I hadn't used it for months prior to that - tired legs, 25% climb, 15 mph headwind - well, hello granny!
The truth is that most people's bikes are overgeared. How many people really need a 53/12 or a 50/11 top gear unless they are racing at a pretty high level? People run out of gears at the low end more often than they do at the top, so I say - gear down folks, and learn to spin!
I always laugh when people say they are struggling and the advice given to them is basically equivalent to "MTFU"! Perhaps 10-20% of people will hear that and think "Okay, you wait a few months and see what I can do then!" - whereas the majority of people will just feel like giving up.
I don't see how overgearing riders to the extent that they have to get off and walk on steep hills helps them get fitter! Much better to provide them with a gear that they can keep turning and by doing so they should eventually no longer need it. Everyday cycling should not be a strength exercise. Okay, if you want to be a track sprinter, you'll need huge, strong legs, but to be great climber you'd be better with smaller legs able to spin a lower gear.
I'll never get away with using high gears on steep climbs again unless I have surgery to fix my ageing body. My hips and knees are on the way out, and I get cramp in my feet if I push too hard on the pedals. I'll stick to lower gears.
So what if Duncan fits lower gears, enjoys riding them in the hills and eventually no longer needs them most of the time? The day will come when he has ridden 80 miles fast, is knackered and comes to a killer hill and a killer headwind and needs an extra low gear. It happened to me once and boy was I grateful for that low gear, even though I hadn't used it for months prior to that - tired legs, 25% climb, 15 mph headwind - well, hello granny!
The truth is that most people's bikes are overgeared. How many people really need a 53/12 or a 50/11 top gear unless they are racing at a pretty high level? People run out of gears at the low end more often than they do at the top, so I say - gear down folks, and learn to spin!
maybe you do maybe you don't...
how long have you had the bike, how long have you been riding?
it could be lack of technique, fitness, strength or some combination of all three rather than a need for different gearing.
Well. Since you ask, I bought the bike in August '11, I am just getting back into cycling after a break of about 60 years (that's right 60).
It very probably is a lack of fitness and strength, but at the age of 77, which way is my fitness and strength going to go?
I am enjoying my cycling and I would like to be able to get up more hills before I have to get off and walk.
'
However, when I was speccing my current audax bike, I asked an experienced audax rider how many gears I should have. His reply is a good one:
"One more than you need".
I now work on this principle :
"If I can't ride up it, I'll either walk up - or I shouldn't be doing it !"
Ha ha ha - that should give the MTFU lot something to think about - well done Duncan!Well. Since you ask, I bought the bike in August '11, I am just getting back into cycling after a break of about 60 years (that's right 60).
It very probably is a lack of fitness and strength, but at the age of 77, which way is my fitness and strength going to go?
I am enjoying my cycling and I would like to be able to get up more hills before I have to get off and walk.