I used Biopace only on 1 bike, a 1988 or so yellow-green Sintesi,* an early mountain bike with 6 sp fw and 48/38/28 biopace chainrings. I self-consciously cultivated spinning back in those days (road cruising gear was 65”, and I could maintain 21-23 mph on paved flats in such a gear) and I found them offensive. Riding fixed made me a masher, and it would be interesting to see how they would feel during this afternoon’s ride in a 75” fixed gear with W/NW winds 15 gusts to 25 about 2/3 No/So and 1/3 E/W, out and back averaging 13.7-8 mph for the 18 miles — about 60 rpm, tho’ obviously slower facing the wind (damned slower!) and faster with it behind me.
Eric Norris, formerly of this list, described a W-E cross country tour back in the day on a 70” fixed gear; after crossing the Rockies he upgeared by a tooth or so (or so I remember the anecdote). I do remember him saying that his friends called him “Diesel." * I *think* that this was the house brand for Bikeology, way back in the day. I got this one and a much more modern (as to design) 1989 replacement a year or so later, courtesy of my brother who worked there at the time. Does anyone know who actually made these frames? Aside: was annoyed at the 14-32 or so fw, gaps too big, so I had a lbs install a Sachs 13-19 6 speed, to the annoyance and consternation of the mechanics crew. On Fri, Mar 13, 2026 at 4:35 PM Chris Halasz <[email protected]> wrote: > Our old friend Sheldon Brown liked Biopace, and here's the link! > <https://www.sheldonbrown.com/biopace.html> > > I'd be curious to try, if only it fit on my GRX cranks - ha (for that > matter, I'd love to find a chainguard for my GRX cranks)!! > > And FWIW, I'm a diesel-frequency Jobst-influence pedaler myself. > > - Chris > > On Thursday, March 12, 2026 at 8:36:28 PM UTC-7 [email protected] > wrote: > >> In searching the list archives for things about Sturmey-Archer hubs, I >> ran across some posts from people who don't like to pedal with a higher >> cadence. >> >> There are lots of reasons why one might *choose* to ride this way. >> Physiology, previous athletic experience, (pedaling a bicycle is just >> *really, >> really different* from anything else that any human ever does with their >> legs,) and feelings of control have all been mentioned. >> >> None of those reasons are wrong. >> >> But, for those who ride this way, I'd had a thought as soon as I read the >> posts: >> >> Biopace. >> >> Shimano designed the 1st-gen Biopace rings, the ones with the yellow >> stickers, on the assumption that recreational riders pedaled slowly. Since >> non-round chainrings have to be designed for a particular cadence range, >> Shimano's engineers had to pick one, and IIRC they picked 70-80 rpm. >> >> I've spent some quality time on Biopace rings, and I think they nailed >> it... they worked great... for a way that basically nobody who was buying >> bike-shop bikes in 1987 rode bikes. For me, they worked best just below the >> point at which I'd stop spinning and start 'ankling.' (For those younger, >> that's the 'scrape mud off your shoe' pedaling style.) At my preferred >> flatland cadence, they felt really weird. >> >> Can anybody in the slow-pedal gang tried this, and if so, am I right? >> >> --Shannon >> > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To view this discussion visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/6b8361d4-cc38-4719-a774-5a37d7e6ff9en%40googlegroups.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/6b8361d4-cc38-4719-a774-5a37d7e6ff9en%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > -- Patrick Moore Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Executive resumes, LinkedIn profiles, bios, letters, and other writing services ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *When thou didst not, savage, k**now thine own meaning,* *But wouldst gabble like a** thing most brutish,* *I endowed thy purposes w**ith words that made them known.* -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/CALuTfgtPq9OvWjHttjOESb-%2BFj%3D6G0SFQLCsBt8b3cRi93YSKw%40mail.gmail.com.
