I'm so confused!!!!!

[bcipam]

Here what you need to remember - cycling is an aerobic sport - not anerobic like weight lifting. Your focus is to build endurance and stamina but not necessarily strength and muscle (although that comes with experience and intensity of activity).

Gearing is a very personal issue and what's comfortable for one person is not necessary comfortable for the next. This is why why you need to understand "cadence". Cadence is the speed in which you rotate your pedals per minute. Most road cyclist try to stay around 80 - 90 rpm to work efficiently. Now this doesn't mean it should be real easy to push the pdeal - there should always be alittle resistance - ie - you can feel a slight push when you rotate the pedal. If you find yourself bouncing, while peddaling, on the saddle, the gear is too low.

Uncertain why the shop told you to ride in high gears. If that means you are rotating the pedal very slowly, then that's wrong. I can ride in a high gear and still rotate the pedal at 80 - 90 and am moving very fast - usually 19 - 22 mph. If you find yourself going say 8 - 12 mph and in high gear, gear's too high, lower it! Of course as you hit a grade you also lower the gearing in order to maintain the cadence.

FYI - if you can find one - try a computer with cadence to help you learn.

[SadieKate]

Try this thread. It's the same subject and has that link V mentioned.

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=9126

[mimitabby]

Uncertain why the shop told you to ride in high gears. If that means you are rotating the pedal very slowly, then that's wrong. I can ride in a high gear and still rotate the pedal at 80 - 90 and am moving very fast - usually 19 - 22 mph. If you find yourself going say 8 - 12 mph and in high gear, gear's too high, lower it! Of course as you hit a grade you also lower the gearing in order to maintain the cadence.

FYI - if you can find one - try a computer with cadence to help you learn.

Maybe she was originally riding in too LOW a gear. That could be miserable too.
and 80-90 might be a desired cadence, but it's not that easy for beginners!

[bcipam]

Mimi I realize 80 - 90 is probably tough for beginners but I mention as as the goal. Where most cyclist try to ride. Also just to give Katzpawz some reference in trying to explain how her gears should feel. It really is hard to explain how to use gearing otherwise.

Beginners should at least me able to ride in the range of 50 - 70 although I admit, in leading "newbie" we have those that are probably rotating at 25 - 35 and going very slow. My last ride the last person (a man by the way) averaged 5 mph, on a flat course. As the sweep I had to practice riding so slow as to not fall over. It wasn't easy!