GCN Tech Clinic: Can I train on my commute?

It’s that time of the week again when Ollie and Alex return to impart their wisdom and answer your most pressing tech questions. That’s right, the latest edition of Tech Clinic has arrived. We’ve received lots of your questions this week so let’s dive straight in.

Road pedals vs MTB pedals: which are more efficient?

Starting with pedal efficiency. There are no studies that we’re aware of that point to one pedal being more efficient than the other. However, a lot of people prefer the larger contact area of road pedals compared to mountain bike pedals. As an added bonus, they’re lighter and come with very small aerodynamic benefits, although we don’t have any figures to back this up (any aero gains are minimal).

Ultimately, as Ollie points out, road pedals are great for those more concerned about performance, but if you want to have shoes that you can easily walk around in off the bike, SPD pedals are the way to go.

Can I use my commute to train?

Yes and there are some easy techniques you can use to get that little extra out of a training commute.

For a start, sprint away from traffic lights. You can even switch to a harder gear beforehand to add that extra strength training element. And simply opt for the longer route home to add those extra miles. It’ll also often be a more pleasant ride away from the busiest roads.

It’s a topic we’ve covered previously and you can check out the full video below.

Does rim material affect rolling resistance?

This is a tough one to answer. On a basic level it does, but there are so many different factors such as rim depth, rim width, spoke count, spoke lacing patterns, plus many more.

We won’t list them all here and we’ll leave it to Alex and Ollie to reel off a more in-depth list.

Can I run a 52/34 front chainset?

Many manufacturers, such as Shimano, recommend having a maximum of a 16-tooth difference between the small and large chainring.

It is possible to have a bigger difference, though, and it’s something Ollie has tried himself. He had no problems with an 18-tooth difference but we’d still advise you to proceed with caution as it could cause issues.

What’s the deal with barbs and olives?

Cycling is full of technical terms and you may have previously heard of barbs and olives. Barbs and olives (or olives and barbs) are small fittings on hydraulic brake hoses. The barb is a little piece that inserts into the end of the hydraulic hose while the olive goes around the outside, helping to compress the hose and create an air-tight connection to the brake lever or calliper.

These aren’t interchangeable between brands and systems so you’ll need to get the correct olive and barb for your setup.

Should I remove puncture proofing tape before trying for a KOM?

The world of hill climbing and KOM hunting is all about finding any marginal gain. Head to an event and you’ll see bikes stripped of virtually any non-essential components in that hunt for any advantage. That also extends to the anti-puncture tape between an inner tube and tyre which contributes towards rolling resistance. According to Ollie, it could cost you 10 watts per tyre. That could be the difference between hitting the top of the leaderboard and just missing out.

That rounds up this week’s GCN Tech Clinic. Have a question you need answering? Head over to this week’s Tech Clinic video over on the GCN Tech YouTube channel and add your question to the comments along with #ASKGCNTECH.