Do you not find low gear & high speed cadence to be a leg breaker ?
12-13-07, 02:41 PM
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Do you not find low gear & high speed cadence to be a leg breaker ?
Im always trying to improve on my 17 -17.5 mph average but significant obstacles are that where I live is hilly , coastal and often quite windy . I know thats its precisely riding on the hilly bits into headwinds that is hurting my average.
I have 3 front cogs and 8 rear cogs on my bike , I can tackle those road sections in two fashions, smallest inner cog at front / lowest gear at back and pedal at high cadence or.............select the middle cog at front / higher gear at back and pedal at a slower cadence and push harder.
I actually find the second technique to work better for me as that low resistance at the pedals and spinning away like crazy causes fatigue to set in real fast in my thighs and I get that legs of lead weights feeling there even on flats as my ride progresses.
You guys who are obviously more experienced than I am, how would you approach my situation , hills and headwinds are not what you`d call cycling buddy`s.
James
I have 3 front cogs and 8 rear cogs on my bike , I can tackle those road sections in two fashions, smallest inner cog at front / lowest gear at back and pedal at high cadence or.............select the middle cog at front / higher gear at back and pedal at a slower cadence and push harder.
I actually find the second technique to work better for me as that low resistance at the pedals and spinning away like crazy causes fatigue to set in real fast in my thighs and I get that legs of lead weights feeling there even on flats as my ride progresses.
You guys who are obviously more experienced than I am, how would you approach my situation , hills and headwinds are not what you`d call cycling buddy`s.
James
12-13-07, 02:53 PM
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slow up hills
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don't worry too much about average speed. find a comfortable gear to spin fast in, get aero, blah, blah, blah
12-13-07, 02:53 PM
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Go to the gear calculator... make a chart for MPH for 80 or 90 RPM. Ride at those speeds in those gears (i.e., around 90 RPM). Much lower and you're working the muscles too much (although it will seem easier), much higher and you'll loose efficiency.
If you're having problems with those cadences then try some spinups (see how fast you can spin), one legged pedaling drills, etc...
Go to the gear calculator... make a chart for MPH for 80 or 90 RPM. Ride at those speeds in those gears (i.e., around 90 RPM). Much lower and you're working the muscles too much (although it will seem easier), much higher and you'll loose efficiency.
If you're having problems with those cadences then try some spinups (see how fast you can spin), one legged pedaling drills, etc...
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12-13-07, 02:55 PM
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Im always trying to improve on my 17 -17.5 mph average but significant obstacles are that where I live is hilly , coastal and often quite windy . I know thats its precisely riding on the hilly bits into headwinds that is hurting my average.
I have 3 front cogs and 8 rear cogs on my bike , I can tackle those road sections in two fashions, smallest inner cog at front / lowest gear at back and pedal at high cadence or.............select the middle cog at front / higher gear at back and pedal at a slower cadence and push harder.
I actually find the second technique to work better for me as that low resistance at the pedals and spinning away like crazy causes fatigue to set in real fast in my thighs and I get that legs of lead weights feeling there even on flats as my ride progresses.
You guys who are obviously more experienced than I am, how would you approach my situation , hills and headwinds are not what you`d call cycling buddy`s.
James
I have 3 front cogs and 8 rear cogs on my bike , I can tackle those road sections in two fashions, smallest inner cog at front / lowest gear at back and pedal at high cadence or.............select the middle cog at front / higher gear at back and pedal at a slower cadence and push harder.
I actually find the second technique to work better for me as that low resistance at the pedals and spinning away like crazy causes fatigue to set in real fast in my thighs and I get that legs of lead weights feeling there even on flats as my ride progresses.
You guys who are obviously more experienced than I am, how would you approach my situation , hills and headwinds are not what you`d call cycling buddy`s.
James
btw - you only need 2 speeds: one for the head winds, and one for the tail winds.
12-13-07, 03:11 PM
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The old axiom which really does have some truth is Legs hurt, gear down; Lungs hurt, gear up.
It takes a little bit of practice to get used to riding at higher cadences though.
12-13-07, 04:04 PM
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Pushing big gears may feel more efficient for a few hours, but on long hilly rides, your legs will last longer if you spin lower gears.
12-13-07, 04:10 PM
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Making a kilometer blurry
12-13-07, 05:19 PM
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Yea just get comfortable and stay in the drops, the more riding time you get you will move up.
When I first starting riding road bikes I was averaging 15mph, now I can keep a good steady pace of 21mph, but at the near end I am pretty much tired as hell.
Riding in groups or with other riders help a lot because people set different paces so you will have to cope with slow easy rides and fast intense rides.
When I first starting riding road bikes I was averaging 15mph, now I can keep a good steady pace of 21mph, but at the near end I am pretty much tired as hell.
Riding in groups or with other riders help a lot because people set different paces so you will have to cope with slow easy rides and fast intense rides.
12-13-07, 07:03 PM
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There is no such thing as a tail wind. You are either cycling into a headwind or having a really good day.
12-13-07, 07:12 PM
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Higher cadences work for the majority, but not all riders. Riders with larger muscle leg masses tend to go better using larger gears and lower cadences (perhaps 70 rpm up to 85 rpm). Riders built with smaller leg muscles often find higher cadences (85-110) more effective. But before you settle on an ideal cadence, you need to experiment and practice going at quicker cadences.
