Any of you Tossers ride a pushbike?

Since I started in April I've been trying to educate myself into the benefits of increasing cadence to make hills that much easier (although never easy). If you compared using a higher gear/low cadence with a low gear/high cadence when reaching the same actual speed, you'll find the latter much easier to deal with hills and will also be better for your overall fitness levels. I have found this to have a big positive impact on my enjoyment of being on the bike especially with hills. I have also tested this in the gym and can go on for longer when using a higher cadence than low, even when in the same resistance setting. I have a higher heartrate but I don't get the lactic acid build up in the legs.
 
Beemerman59 said:
Since I started in April I've been trying to educate myself into the benefits of increasing cadence to make hills that much easier (although never easy). If you compared using a higher gear/low cadence with a low gear/high cadence when reaching the same actual speed, you'll find the latter much easier to deal with hills and will also be better for your overall fitness levels. I have found this to have a big positive impact on my enjoyment of being on the bike especially with hills. I have also tested this in the gym and can go on for longer when using a higher cadence than low, even when in the same resistance setting. I have a higher heartrate but I don't get the lactic acid build up in the legs.
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Several months ago I swapped out the stock 11-35 cassette on my road bike for a 12-38 cassette, thinking it would make hill climbing easier. To be sure, it made it easier to turn the pedals, but it did not lessen my fatigue. Worse still was that according to my Strava data, the larger gearing actually slowed down my climbs. Curious about this result, I later performed tests on a steep hill using different gear ratios. Once again I found that for me, more torque and lower cadence worked better than less torque and higher cadence. I spoke with several road racers about this and they agreed that it all depends on the rider. Some people have a higher percentage of fast twitch to slow twitch muscle fibers than others, and this will determine how their bodies function most efficiently. I seem to be what racers call a "grinder" - someone who has a great deal of leg strength, and who generally achieves better performance using high torque/low cadence.
 
it all depends on what riding you do on a weekly basis...........you cant improve if you dont train for it

35 or 38 should get you up the side of most building comfortably
 
Joking apart... it must be 25/28. You wouldn't have 35/38 on a roadbike (unless a real exception) It's unlikely your rear derailleur would handle it.
 
Yep, you're either a grinder or a spinner. I can go faster in grind mode but longer in spinning mode. Very much a personal preference I'm told as to which comes naturally.
 
I'll jump out of this now then as I am a newbie, know nothing really, and don't want to get labelled with "Flyerism". So I withdraw everything I've said and will leave the room quietly.....:D
 
Lose a few kgs and the hills will take care of themselves. Unlike in m bike world you can't spend your way to increased performance.

FYI 28 on the rear of a rd bike is the max you should really be seen out in public with and don't blame me if other roadies make fun of your dinner plate :augie
 
Anyone into Electric Bikes.

wouldn't mind one of these 1000w 48Ah things..

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V4 TRV said:
Lose a few kgs and the hills will take care of themselves. Unlike in m bike world you can't spend your way to increased performance.

FYI 28 on the rear of a rd bike is the max you should really be seen out in public with and don't blame me if other roadies make fun of your dinner plate :augie
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You need a really big gear to climb the mountains we have here in Florida. ;)
 
Aurelius said:
You need a really big gear to climb the mountains we have here in Florida. ;)
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They have those big hills in Europe too. Sometimes they hold events called "races" too. Sometimes people called "professionals" ride these races over these mountains. These racers use 39 front small chain ring and no more than 25 on the back. Amateurs will often use "compact" chain rings on the front (that's you) with typically 34 on the front small ring. If you need anything bigger than 28 on the back with a compact front ring then you would be better off on a GS.
Hope this helps. :augie
 
Beemerman59 said:
I'll jump out of this now then as I am a newbie, know nothing really, and don't want to get labelled with "Flyerism". So I withdraw everything I've said and will leave the room quietly.....:D
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No need to do that, all POV are relevant & most are interesting.
You'll find no end of complete & utter bollox written about cycling & the so called 'science' of it all. Most of it is completely irrelevant for the casual cyclist like me &, I suspect, you.

FWIW my input of the bollox spoken would be to keep at it regularly. As some other font of wisdom has said, correctly IMO, the more weight you lose the easier it will become.

I started cycling for fun again about 2 years ago & though I don't get out very often (mainly using the turbo trainer) when I do go out I tend to go in excess of 100 miles on organised rides.

When I started I was absolutely bolloxed by the end of the ride, drained like I had never known, but in the 2 years I've lost just under 2 stone & the more weight I've lost the easier the rides (& hills) have become.

I have no idea how much my bike weighs, let alone what configuration the gears/chainwheels are. When I was looking to buy a bike I knew I wanted a 'triple'. Most roadies & bike shops told me I didn't need it & a 'compact' would see me 'flying' up the hills. So I took both types out for a test ride & confirmed that for my lack of ability & excess weight, their opinions were bullshit, so I bought a bike with a triple & it's the best thing I've ever done, bicycle wise. I enjoy the rides & I have yet to come across a hill I couldn't get up, however slow & sweaty the process may be.

As for 'best' cadence? I've read time & again that 90 is the most efficient. Well not for me it isn't. I tend to rotate the pedals at around 70 or so & that suits me fine for well over 100 miles at a time. I've tried doing 90 & it just doesn't work for me.

So, in essence I would say - go with whatever's comfortable for you, stick at it, and if you want to lose weight you'll find that will make it all easier & more enjoyable.

Keep us posted with your progress, it's good to hear from kindred spirits as well as the more committed cyclists.
 
I've got to fess up. I've got several cassettes and ride a compact. I've got 12-25 (most used) a 12-27 and also (oh the shame) a 13-29.
In my defence I ride the 13-29 mainly in France where all of my rides comprise of multiple cat 3 and 4 climbs. In fact, pretty much the only way back to the house is via one or other of 3 different cat 4 climbs. At the end of a long(ish) hot ride I can sometimes be glad of a "get out of jail" gear.

There's also one climb near me which is only (according to Strava) a cat 4 climb... it's only 0.8 miles long but is an average gradient of 11.9% and supposed to hit around 30%max.... am I in my granny ring for that... you betcha:toungincheek

Oh, and I won't be seeing 65 again:(
 
I`ve read these things about cadence etc and tbh just do whatever feels best for you, I prefer spinning a bit and when climbing just find a gear I`m comfortable with and twiddle (or grind) away :D

I had a go on 2 electric bikes at the cycle show this year, a £5k Cube full suspension jobby and one of those normal euro type looking bikes and was very impressed with both! Would like to ride my local trails on the Cube to see how it compares but it was bloody heavy! The other bike would make a brilliant daily commuter :thumb2 Riding those changed my mind about them :thumb2 :rob
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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