When the lowest gear isn't low enough

[marfa]

Hi all

When I've recently been training on hills and I need to change down I gear, I often find that my fellow riders have a lower gear on their bikes, so that they are able to keep spinning. Mine on the other hand doesn't seem to go low enough so I'm still struggling to get up the hill.

Is it just that I'm not trying hard enough?

[Biciclista]

I'm certain you are trying hard enough. Are you certain that you are in your lowest gear? If you are, it could be a combination of your bike not having those super low gears and you not being strong enough yet. Keep trying and you will eventually be strong enough to go up any hill that challenges you.

[malaholic]

Different bikes have different gear ranges based on the number of discs they have in the front & back, and the number of teeth on each disc. The lowest gear on your friend's bikes may in fact be lower than the lowest gear on yours , and if so it will be easier for them to spin in a lower gear than it is for you in a higher gear.

But, +1 to what Biciclista said...keep riding the hills in the closest-to-comfortable gear you can find; gradually as you get stronger you can try longer and/or steeper hills. This will serve as a good form of interval training and you may find that in the end it makes you climb more strongly than your friends who are having an easier time right now. That happens for me each year...my bike is geared higher than my husband's (I have a compact double, he has a triple). At the start of each season, he does better on the hills than I do because he can gear down while I'm tiring myself out. By the end of the season I usually torch him on the climbs because he's used to shifting down, while I've gotten strong enough to maintain cadence in a higher gear.

[wackyjacky1]

Keep working at it! When I first started riding last summer, I felt the same way about my gearing on big hills. But I stuck with it and now I rarely even use my third (smallest) chain ring anymore. I've got a long ways to go, but I'm improving, and so will you.

[crazycanuck]

Geez, all of a sudden there's an explosion of Perth cyclists on TE

In terms of not trying hard enough..If you're riding in Kings Park, Kalamunda, Mundaring or Roleystone, you're trying hard already!! Just keep at the hills and you'll get stronger!!!! I love doing hill repeats in Kings Park

I can't tell you how often I swear at the hills in Kalamunda & how slow I go up those hills. Although i'm slow, it's ok as I just want the hill work. I only have a double on my bike but have gotten used to it.

Keep riding & perhaps we might cross paths one of these days

[subengine]

Hello from another 'brand-new' Perth rider! My experience with hills is pretty limited but recently I have become acquainted with King's Park, Reabold hill in Bold Park and also the lovely suburb of Mosman Park which is perfect for practising a range of hills if you want. I must admit though, a combination of a hot day and pushing a bit too hard resulted in me throwing up after doing Reabold hill!

I'm not super fast, but from what I can gather it's the constant repetition of hill climbing that will give you the extra power.

It doesn't help that my boyfriend will fly up a hill at 30km an hour singing 'I love the uphills'! Eeeeek!

have fun!

[Mr. Bloom]

Is it possible that:

• you're trying too hard? I mean like pushing to go faster rather than keeping a steady, comfortable cadence (I gauge by my heart rate and breathing to see if I'm trying to keep an unsustainable pace)
• you're entering the climb in too high a gear and burning all your energy early in the climb? (this was my chronic problem...plus I tended to be unable to shift in the climb because of the added torque on the gearing)

I suspect it's a combination of training and technique...but hey, worse case, there's no hill that can't be walked!

[OakLeaf]

Riders choose their gearing depending on the terrain they'll be riding in, their strength, and the type of riding they plan to do. So if you're noticing that more experienced riders have lower gearing than you, they may be on the right track.

All the other advice you've got here is right on, but you might also want to ask your bike shop about changing to lower gearing. Unless you have higher end drive train components, OR unless your bike has pretty low gearing already (doubtful if most other riders have lower!), you should be able to put on a wider-range cassette for $50 or $60 US.

The tradeoff is that your gears will be "farther apart," and you may find that you have gear ranges where you can't maintain a cadence you like at certain speeds.

[Geonz]

And make sure your pedal stroke is round and round, not up and down... and the practice looking like you're not struggling like your buddies have done

[sundial]

I can tell you with a granny gear and mountain cassette, I still stop on one of the hills. It's just a matter of time and you'll be able to whip right up that mountain.

[hilldweller]

Be careful not to overstrain your knees. Pedalling faster in a low gear is much easier on the knees than straining to force the pedals around at a very slow cadence. So if you have knee issues, that might make investing in lower gears a sensible option.

I have the same problem as you - basically running out of gears at the bottom end. For now I'm going to work on leg strength and fitness and see how far that gets me but if my knees start giving me grief I'll be off to the shop for some easier gears.

[Bike Goddess]

Try getting out of the saddle. Generally you are stronger in that position. It will take awhile for you to build up the strength to stand for long periods of time, but if you keep at it you will be stronger overall.

I have learned to gear up a bit before I stand as I don't want to spin standing- that's really tiring!!!!

Also, do you know what your gearing is? That would help us in this discussion.

Great that you have taken up cycling. It's a wonderful sport and great for your health.

[txred9876]

I am such a new rider but I have found that it takes practice,practice and more practice.

I have one very short round trip (about 3 miles) but the return trip is a constant grind up the hill. You go up a constant 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 mile burn on the legs!

One month ago...... I could not do it without panting hard and stopping at least 3-4 times.

Tonight after swimming 3/4 mile I came home and beat that hill!!!!!!!!

Spin class workouts have made a world of difference.

Tina

[Bike Goddess]

TXred- I agree with you on the spin class tip. I learned how to stand quickly in spin and have transferred that to road riding. Spin is a great cardio workout and especially useful if you have a heart rate monitor with you.

[alpinerabbit]

Hi all

When I've recently been training on hills and I need to change down I gear, I often find that my fellow riders have a lower gear on their bikes, so that they are able to keep spinning. Mine on the other hand doesn't seem to go low enough so I'm still struggling to get up the hill.

Is it just that I'm not trying hard enough?

Or that they have a bigger cassette in the back. - Count the number of teeth on the smallest/largest cog: what's yours-11-23?? what's theirs? a 12-25 or 12-27?
I don't really think spin class is needed to teach you better spinning.