But what about sprinters, are bunch finishes faster because sprinters, who do hit 70 kph and produce huge power with phenomenal leg speed, have bigger gears?
No, says Bigham, who points to the studies and data that suggest a reduced 5.0 gear ratio already allows most riders to sprint at their optimal cadence of ~120 rpm, delivering peak power at ~75 kph, a speed rarely exceeded in a flat sprint.
That said, in researching another piece on sprinters, Escape’s Alex Hunt has observed riders are pushing gears that are above the proposed limit in the run-in to the finish or in the sprint. In that respect, changes will have an effect in sprints.
Crucially, though, as we saw earlier, it’s that rapidly increasing aero drag force that puts a hard ceiling on sprinting speed, not gearing. Or to flip that around: it’s the advancements in aerodynamics that have allowed sprints to get faster. Capping gear ratios won’t slow riders down, it’ll just leave them spun out, pedalling at higher cadences, with less control, in the final chaotic metres of a sprint. That, to me, sounds like a far greater safety concern, especially when riders are bar-to-bar at 70 km/h.
This also highlights a larger irony: if we’re concerned about dangerous speeds on descents and in sprints, it’s not the drivetrain that should be the focus. It’s the course route and profile, finish straights, barriers, rider positioning, and the laws of physics – none of which are altered by a smaller chainring.
