Patrick This Chris has tried ankling, and has never been convinced of its efficacy. I'm reminded how Jobst wrote <https://www.sheldonbrown.com/brandt/ankling.html>, bluntly, that "To artificially emulate someone's ankle motion or lack thereof, while pedaling, is as useless as emulating a walking gait. The study laid ankling to rest for a while, but because urban legends have a life of their own, rising again at the slightest opportunity, ankling, with its lore, is assured a long life.” As for me, who's to say that it doesn't work for some people, or like clipless pedals: if you like 'em, use 'em!
As a 'slow-'n-steady' pedaler, I do, however, practice a breathing routine that James Nestor <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgD-bUD99gA> wrote was used by professional cyclists, whereupon during high and sustained exertion one inhales (nasally) for three (or so) breaths (or pedal cycles), and then exhales (still nasally, for me, to limit humble bees entering my mouth) for something like five breaths (or pedal cycles), or at least that's how I remember it, and how it works for me! - Chris On Friday, March 13, 2026 at 7:51:01 PM UTC-7 [email protected] wrote: > I forgot to ask: Chris, did you really ever adapt to consistent ankling? > I remember that this was recommended by the old roadies in the few cycling > books from the ‘50s and ‘60s that I could find in the Nairobi Municipal > Library circa 1971. I scrupulously tried to adopt the method but always > forgot to keep it up after the first few hundred yards. I thought that the > presumed technique had been refuted, along with steel frames going soft, > etc etc. > > Note: You *can* do it briefly, and indeed, I did it this afternoon as > ever was, momentarily, to regain momentum in the face of a fierce gust of > wind. What I never could do was to keep it up for more than few pedal > revolutions. > > On Fri, Mar 13, 2026 at 8:39 PM Patrick Moore <[email protected]> wrote: > >> 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.* >> > > > -- > > 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/1827a7cf-1cc3-45bb-8d99-3418e708226fn%40googlegroups.com.
