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Today September 2019

This is way too much bike - but when did kids bikes get this exciting?

 
could you clarify a bit here? I thought higher (harder) gear puts more torque than the lower (easier) one? on feel, it seemed to me that I am sometimes running too low (easy) a gear, and that it adds to the bounciness from the tires. I felt better when putting it in a higher gear or two, which drops cadence a bit, but it should also raise torque, not lower it?
I should have been more precise, I meant torque at the wheel, not torque at the pedals.

Let me use an analogy from the car world: if you know how to drive stick in the winter, you learn that it is sometimes better to start not in first, but in second gear to minimize wheel slip. That is because the torque at the wheels in second gear is lower.

The exact same thing is true on a bike: if you have limited traction, then riding in a higher gear is better because the torque at the wheel (not the crank!) is lower. One common situation off road is when you try and get going again at an incline on e. g. loose gravel or another surface that provides less grip. If you put your bike in an easy gear, your rear wheel will start slipping and that is the end of it. (This is the worst case scenario: you don't have your weight over the rear wheel, your bike isn't moving and thus, unstable, and you are at an incline which reduces the normal force relative to the surface, which, in turn, reduces grip.)

Also while riding off road, if you are in an easy gear, vigorous pedal input can lead to wheel slippage. The same principles apply. That's one of the reasons why typical cadences off road are lower than on road. There are situations, of course, where you pedal hard and at high cadence, but usually that is just before a sharp incline where you need to pick the right gear for the climb in advance and need to gather momentum.
 
that is exactly how I felt, bouncing around etc and it's very reassuring to see that this was indeed the cause and it can (and will) be addressed.
Just to add to this point: it is good that you have identified this issue. I would start playing around, and in my experience it helps to start with more extreme changes and then dial them back.
 
I was in Hakuba with @bloaker and others. A really fun weekend.

If you fancy some background entertainment, here's 15 min of a Rolling Stones song, accompanied by GoPro helmetcam video of me rolling down a mountain (and only crashing once).

 
did you endo there with too much front brake or did the music send you to sleep? Looks a nice course and next time you'll know what is in store and will be able to relax a bit more.
 
did you endo there with too much front brake or did the music send you to sleep? Looks a nice course and next time you'll know what is in store and will be able to relax a bit more.
Not sure. Front wheel just wasn't there any more. It was my second run along on that easier section, so perhaps I was a little too relaxed?
 
One common situation off road is when you try and get going again at an incline

I didn't have that, but my friend, with more limited gearing, for sure did.

Also while riding off road, if you are in an easy gear, vigorous pedal input can lead to wheel slippage.

This is what I was talking about. Apart and on top of high tyre pressure I felt my high cadence is adding to bounciness and instability. Lessons taken, let's see how I can implement it next time...
 
So I went to the pawnshop today.
Are these good buys? Can you find prices like these in Tokyo?

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So I went to the pawnshop today.
Are these good buys? Can you find prices like these in Tokyo?

Personally, I would have nowhere to install these parts on my bike. 🚴‍♂️ 😉

Living in a tiny house in Tokyo, the most valuable commodity is space: For anything I buy I pretty much have to get rid of something else.
 
Personally, I would have nowhere to install these parts on my bike. 🚴‍♂️ 😉

Living in a tiny house in Tokyo, the most valuable commodity is space: For anything I buy I pretty much have to get rid of something else.

Hey Joe, are houses really that small in Tokyo. I know apartments can get pretty small.
 
So I made some garlic fried rice. A friend of mine sent me some organic garlic from the States the other day. Next chicken tacos with garlic.

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