Low gear or high gear.

[Alex321]

I think you’re right. I’ve misunderstood his gear reference. He actually regards her massive gear as being super low, so she gets off the line quickly.

As you say, to most of us, it would be a massive gear. But she is a world champion level cyclist. A rather different definition

 

[FrankCrank]

Someone asked me what gear I was in. I said shorts, T-shirt, trainers, but what's that got to do with anything?

 

[Ajax Bay]

Someone asked me what gear I was in.

OT: Reminds me of a long long time ago when out testing wax before a training session (blue or extra blue; iykyk). "What have you got on?" I asked another (younger) lad who seemed to be getting good grip.
"Lifa top." Classic! (Yes, I still have one.)
[Lifa were bought out by Helly Hansen in the early 80s.]

 

[bobzmyunkle]

Lifa were bought out be Helly Hansen in the early 80s.

I believe there are people still wearing them and possibly still claiming that they don't smell too bad - slightly off topic.

 

[Ian H]

Track bikes for amateurs, of the kind you can hire at velodromes, tend to be be geared around 84". Pros will ride around 105 - 115".

 

[cyberknight]

Its a trade off isn't it , you go for a lower gear that allows you to get off the line quicker and therefore into the groove quicker with a trade off that you need to be able to spin a higher cadence to maintain your top speed .

 

[T4tomo]

Its a trade off isn't it , you go for a lower gear that allows you to get off the line quicker and therefore into the groove quicker with a trade off that you need to be able to spin a higher cadence to maintain your top speed .

and also lead off rider cant spin too low a gear as the two team mates need to have a pretty high gear for top end speed on laps 2 and 3, so if No1 accelerates off like a rocket they will lose the slip stream - obviously having a bit of gap to accelerate into as No1 pulls off is good.

 

[cougie uk]

I;d say the have one gear, but that one gear can be changed, given the correct tools.....and almost certainly not whilst riding.

Now there was a way of doing it - I seem to remember one of Team GB using two sprockets on the back - one would be loose and would only become effective once it had been tightened after the start. Was it Shaun Wallace ? I don't think it's been repeated in the days of marginal gains.

Now I've tried googling for his gearing system without luck - but did you know that Shaun Wallace invented the first commercial oxygen tent ?
Check out Hypoxico if you want to qualify for the LA olympics.

 

[Pedropete]

When teaching essential bike maintenance we refer to:

Low, slow and easy - low down and closest to centreline of bike
High, fast and hard - high up and furthest from centreline of bike

Helps avoid confusion with respective sizes of low/high gears at front and rear.