>Aaah, but Ted, you have a supple pedalling style, whereas we have
>pedal strokes like pile drivers. Beloved Spouse and I spin out a
>54x12 rear on a 700c rear wheel at around 37 mph. And a 26 inch
>would be worse. Lots more speed there if I had a gear I could mash.
>I feel - the - need --- for SPEED!
>
> Tom Adams, Shrewsbury NJ
Not to start an idle discussion, but why are you pedaling at 37 mph? A good tuck will yield much more than your (or my) feeble horsepower at those speeds (with their associated air resistance).
During Paris-Brest-Paris, we spun out our 48 x 14 (with 650B wheels) at 43 km/h (27 mph). However, not one tandem passed us on any of the many downhills of the ride. They worked their big gears hard as we coasted by them, resting our legs for the next uphill. -- Jan Heine Editor/Publisher Vintage Bicycle Quarterly c/o Il Vecchio Bicycles 140 Lakeside Ave, Ste. C Seattle WA 98122 http://www.vintagebicyclepress.com