Shifting advice

[Catrin]

I confess, I over-think things. That probably does not come as a surprise

I am trying to start getting fasting by working with my gearing as I ride more. I understand shifting, I've had a manual transmission all of my adult driving life. If you want to go faster, you go into a harder/higher gear. Makes perfect sense to me.

However, the more I try to push it in harder gears, my knees start to complain, and I do not want an over-use injury out of sheer stubbornness. I do that Sign me up for Stubborness Anonymous.

So how do I learn the right way to shift to gain speed without putting my knees at risk by trying to power through it? As a new cyclist my conditioning isn't there yet - but I can't figure out what I am doing incorrectly. Does this make sense?

[KatieJean]

Catrin, Your knees shouldn't complain from going into a harder gear. Your legs and lungs may not be able to sustain the effort, but your knees shouldn't be the first casualty. Is it possible that your saddle is too low or too far forward? Adjusting my saddle was what helped my knees when they started to complain.

But to answer your question, if you are spinning fast in a lower gear (you feel like you couldn't spin faster even if you wanted to), that's the time to go into a tougher gear. Just go up one gear at a time until you're spinning fast again, and then go into another harder gear.

Then, when you see that you will need to stop soon (a stop sign coming up, for example), go ahead and down shift one or two gears, so when you are ready to start up again, you will be in the easier gear. Soon, it will become second nature.

[Catrin]

Catrin, Your knees shouldn't complain from going into a harder gear. Your legs and lungs may not be able to sustain the effort, but your knees shouldn't be the first casualty. Is it possible that your saddle is too low or too far forward? Adjusting my saddle was what helped my knees when they started to complain.

But to answer your question, if you are spinning fast in a lower gear (you feel like you couldn't spin faster even if you wanted to), that's the time to go into a tougher gear. Just go up one gear at a time until you're spinning fast again, and then go into another harder gear.

Then, when you see that you will need to stop soon (a stop sign coming up, for example), go ahead and down shift one or two gears, so when you are ready to start up again, you will be in the easier gear. Soon, it will become second nature.

My bike is fit properly as far as the saddle/seat post and so forth is concerned - we just went through this rather lengthy process that involved a rather expensive conversion.

I should have explained further. I am not clipped in, so it is difficult for me to spin - I mash gears. In order to gain more speed, I mash harder gears I've been told that I really don't have the option to spin properly as long as I am not clipped in because I can't push/pull throughout the full pedal stroke. I've been told that I have a good pedal stroke from someone who just recently rode with me.

I am trying to focus on cadence, and to keep it between 80-85 on the flats and at least in the 70's when possible uphill. That latter is a goal at this point It is on the flats that I notice the most pressure on my knees - which doesn't make much sense to me unless I need to work with a lower cadence for now

[Jiffer]

Well, you dispelled the two thoughts I had. Seat adjustment and pedaling too slowly. If you are at 80-85, that shouldn't be slow enough to cause knee problems. A friend of mine used to climb hills all in her big ring, which meant a pretty slow cadence, even though she climbed pretty fast. Eventually she started complaining that her knees were bothering her, so she learned to make herself go into her small ring on steeper hills and spin faster.

She, however, was clipped in. And that could be part of your knee troubles. Is there a reason you don't clip in? Are you working toward that as a goal or do you never intend to? Your knees are working a lot harder than they would if you were engaging the pedal all the way around the stroke. So, it makes sense to me that this is your problem.

As for seat position, hopefully your expensive conversion resulted in the proper fit for you. If your seat is too low, it can cause problems on the top of the knee. If it's too high, you can have problems behind the knee (which I have experienced).

So, if you are sure the bike fit is fine, and you aren't pedaling super slow, my guess is the lack of clipless pedals.

As for getting faster, it's not always about being in a harder gear. Spinning faster in an easier gear makes you go faster as well. You'll figure it out as you go. Of course, it's probably harder to spin any faster than 85 without clipping in.

[lph]

I would say that the point of shifting gears is to stay in a comfortable and efficient cadence as the terrain changes, not necessarily to go faster. I've never measured cadence, but I have a feeling that once I'm up to "cruising speed" I shift mainly to stay within a quite narrow cadence range. As soon as knees or anything start complaining that's no longer a good cadence, so I shift down. If I want to go faster I start pedalling faster, then shift up as soon as it starts feeling inefficient.

I rode for many years with plain flat pedals and softsoled running shoes. I'd never go back, but at the time I felt I had a pretty efficient pedal stroke, pulling the pedal back as far as I could "grab" it. I like my spds, but mostly because I don't slip off them sidewise, not because I'm really good at using the upward stroke.

[Catrin]

Well, you dispelled the two thoughts I had. Seat adjustment and pedaling too slowly. If you are at 80-85, that shouldn't be slow enough to cause knee problems....

She, however, was clipped in. And that could be part of your knee troubles. Is there a reason you don't clip in? ...

So, if you are sure the bike fit is fine, and you aren't pedaling super slow, my guess is the lack of clipless pedals.....

As for getting faster, it's not always about being in a harder gear. Spinning faster in an easier gear makes you go faster as well. You'll figure it out as you go. Of course, it's probably harder to spin any faster than 85 without clipping in.

I do think the bike fit is fine - and the knee pressure basically only comes when I am in the lowest cog on the middle ring. I like the big ring as well, but I am not in the lowest cog there.

I can spin as fast as 92-94 - but that almost seems too fast? Perhaps it isn't, but right now the mid-80's seems more comfortable. Will work with it more of course. My trainer is concerned that I am trying to power through harder gears than I should be using and will cause myself an over-use injury.

I would say that the point of shifting gears is to stay in a comfortable and efficient cadence as the terrain changes, not necessarily to go faster. I've never measured cadence, but I have a feeling that once I'm up to "cruising speed" I shift mainly to stay within a quite narrow cadence range. As soon as knees or anything start complaining that's no longer a good cadence, so I shift down. If I want to go faster I start pedalling faster, then shift up as soon as it starts feeling inefficient.

This is a helpful way to explain it - I am probably worrying too much about speed - I need to focus on cadence, doing my intervals once a week, and being patient while getting quality riding time. I do like to "mash" gears, I like the feeling of digging into the gear.

I did try to go clipless earlier this year but had major problems Eventually I will try it again, but I am not yet there.