CheGiantForLife

What don't you understand?

I can climb the hill either way.
I want to know which way is optimal for speed, for calories burned, and for fitness.
Lots of easy revs or fewer hard revs
Basic question for a forum

I can't believe some science physics nerd hasn't modelled this.
Very weak nerd factor here.
I guess I will talk about pretty decorations and outfits to buy?

genejockey 

If you're climbing at the same rate, you're putting out the same power. How you do that is a question of personal preference, not physics.

Hence, "What part of "it depends on the rider" is eluding you?"

smd4

If I remember my physics correctly, it takes the same amount of energy to lift a given weight to a given height.

So...how you choose to use that energy is entirely up to you. Some people take the stairs...some people walk the wheelchair ramp.

genejockey 

Hence, when building railroads, you trade distance for elevation, so you get Horseshoe Curve on the old PRR, or the Tehachapi Loop on the SP.

ofajen

Speed: higher revs, depends on the person, somewhere around 80-90 rpm, and skewing faster as the power requirement increases.

Calories burned: lower revs, reduces internal work lost in the legs by internal friction of pedaling which increases sharply with cadence.

Fitness: take your pick, higher revs helps cardiovascular capacity more, lower revs helps strength more.

Things will be more complicated at higher speeds, where air drag starts to really matter. Also, you can only carry low cadence so far before the pedal force becomes more than a rider can do.

Otto

tomato coupe

I did, and I gave you the results in post #2.

CheGiantForLife

The answer appears to be 80
https://www.bicycling.com/health-nut...cadence-ideal/

Mods please lock this thread. It has been solved.

livedarklions

You aren't doing enough riding for any of the above to matter.

I tend to try to take medium size hills at a pretty high gear (53t chain ring) because my main asset is big strong legs, and I'm working with a 61 y.o. cardiovascular system that prefers fewer revs, but if the hill is big, I'll spin a granny gear. This works for me, it's total garbage for someone else. There is no neat formula because the biggest variable is the performance characteristics of the motor, which is decidedly not a standard issue item.

BTW, I understand perfectly that this was the first time you ever actually explained what you meant by "optimal" despite being asked a few times "optimal for what?"

Now, explain why it is you don't trust your own senses to see which way works best for you. Cycling is an art, not a science. You learn by doing.

wolfchild

Muscles need to be fatigued and stressed or else they will never get stronger

70sSanO

Just when you “leased” expect it.

John

70sSanO

You already got the answer. You climb in the highest gear you can push. It should be noted, the highest gear you can “safely” push.

You should not be spinning your brains out in a low gear. Nor should you be stair stepping in a high gear. It should be a smooth power stroke.

It is the way it has always been for good climbers.

John

prj71

I can't believe you asked a silly question.

There is no optimal gear. It all depends on YOUR fitness level. MY optimal gear may not be YOUR optimal gear. Now put the pipe down and quit asking silly questions.

wolfchild

Do you even own and ride a bike ??....Because if you do , you should of been able to experiment and figure out what is the most optimal gear ratio for your needs.

Camilo

The only thing I'll add is that grinding a higher gear (lower RPMs (aka cadence), more effort per stroke) is probably harder on your knees long term than pedaling faster cadence in a lower gear. But some prefer one over the other and don't have knee issues and maybe never will. There's a reason motor vehicles downshift and use higher RPMs on steep hills. Same with the human body.

And no, the pros don't go up hill in the highest gear they can push. They go uphill in the highest gear they can push efficiently and stay in shape for the rest of the race and the duration of the multi-day race if applicable.

Otherwise I agree with the others, figure it out for yourself.