Originally Posted by
Carbonfiberboy
The balance between oxygen and glycogen is individual and can only be assessed through individual experience. That balance will always be slightly different for each course and length, which really complicates the issue.
I don't have a climber (and probably sprinter) build. I am about 6' and usually over 200 lbs. I have big thighs, 23.5" circumference. In '75 while training for a cross country ride with my older brother, I noticed on a good climb (12 miles, 2200 feet climb) the first day I used a low gear and was way behind my brother, couple days later on same climb I used a higher gear and dropped him. Of course this is relative to how he was doing both days. I notice that if I have lower gears I'll use them, but I don't think it makes me climb faster, as I'll be roughly at the same cadence, I guess, as some say, my engine mimics a diesel, constant cadence no mater what I throw at it, so for speed I might as well use the higher gears as I have the strength to push them. Note you can get the same power out with high force * low cadence or low force * high cadence.
To each his own.