I'm so confused!!!!!

[DDH]

You know, after reading your post, I was more confused myself.

We went on an organized ride last weekend. Of course I was pretty much in the back of the pack, and one guy road up beside me and started telling me that when I climbed the hills to stay in the higher gear and stand and pump.
Now it seems more effcient to do this because you peddle a few pumps, stop and then peddle a few and stop and so on and so on. He told me that I would get in shape faster and be able to do the hills better doing this.

Of course, I have tried that a couple of times, but it about kills me. I end up staying in the lower gears and peddling up the hill sitting down in my saddle.

So, what is correct for climbing. Do you stand and pump up in the higher gears? I mean I see them do this on the big rides like the Tour de France and stuff.

I am confused myself.
I tend to think that peddling in the higher gears is so much harder on your knees and legs. I mean if I do this, it wears my legs completely out within no time.

[mimitabby]

You know, after reading your post, I was more confused myself.

We went on an organized ride last weekend. Of course I was pretty much in the back of the pack, and one guy road up beside me and started telling me that when I climbed the hills to stay in the higher gear and stand and pump.
Now it seems more effcient to do this because you peddle a few pumps, stop and then peddle a few and stop and so on and so on. He told me that I would get in shape faster and be able to do the hills better doing this.

Of course, I have tried that a couple of times, but it about kills me. I end up staying in the lower gears and peddling up the hill sitting down in my saddle.

So, what is correct for climbing. Do you stand and pump up in the higher gears? I mean I see them do this on the big rides like the Tour de France and stuff.

I am confused myself.
I tend to think that peddling in the higher gears is so much harder on your knees and legs. I mean if I do this, it wears my legs completely out within no time.

Did you take advice from a MAN?

Yes, you CAN work a lot harder doing it the way he said but if you're not ready to do that; DON'T!

My husband always says it too. But he says it differently; "when you are feeling stronger on that bike, you can try...bla bla bla bla"
and it's true. but until then, since your bike has 23,293,439 gears, use 'em!
Use 'em all!
and one day; you'll notice that you can stay in the higher gears as you go up a hill.
If you keep riding, it will come!
m

[DDH]

LMAO Mimi that was funny. Your right what was I thinking listening to a man. LOL

Quite honestly, I tried to listen attentively and let him know I appreciated his info, and then when he went off on his own with his wife, I did my own thing. I just cannot keep it in that higher gear on those steep and or long grades. Rolling hills maybe, but not the stuff we were riding that day.

When DH and I got back to the starting point after the ride, they were still there and he came over explaining his technique again, and well, you know, although I really appreciate him trying to help, I just cannot do it. It wears my legs out way to quickly. I asked him how often they ride and he says "oh, the wife and I don't ride very often, just on occasion"
Isn't that like the blind leading the blind.

I'm a beginer, you may not be a beginer but your telling me now that your not an expert by any means, and your telling me to do what up the hills. LOL

Really though he and his wife were very nice and I do appreciate anyone's input that knows even a little more than me. I just questioned mainly how hard that has to be on and old fart like me knees.

[mimitabby]

Exactly. Our knees. So what if it takes us a little longer? We want our knees to last our whole life.
Knees are complicated and fragile. I'm going to continue to baby mine.
Meanwhile, all that spinning that you are doing is strengthening them!
let the 20 year olds and the macho guys muscle their way up to the top! We'll get up there eventually.

[RedRansV2]

LMAO I asked him how often they ride and he says "oh, the wife and I don't ride very often, just on occasion"
Isn't that like the blind leading the blind.

I'm a beginer, you may not be a beginer but your telling me now that your not an expert by any means, and your telling me to do what up the hills. LOL

Tom and Ray, The Car Guys on NPR, call this the Male Answer Syndrome. Both admit to succumbing to it on a regular basis.

Spin your way up those hills and save your knees! You will get stronger and they'll get easier.

[GLC1968]

When DH and I got back to the starting point after the ride, they were still there and he came over explaining his technique again, and well, you know, although I really appreciate him trying to help, I just cannot do it. It wears my legs out way to quickly. I asked him how often they ride and he says "oh, the wife and I don't ride very often, just on occasion"

This is why this guy could hammer up the hills. I'd bet he had a hard time walking normal the following day, too...

DDH - it's more than just your knees. When I first started riding, I was riding with all hammer-head guys (at work) and it took all I had to keep up with them. I'd be worn out after a 14 mile ride and I just couldn't imagine ever, ever doing 100 miles! Then as I began to learn...I figured out why. Hammering up hills (ie using high gears and standing) is great if you are doing short rides or you want to build your strength/speed. But if you are riding to go the distance, hammering is not the way to go. When DH and I rode our century last weekend, we were passed by TONS of people on the first 30 miles or so as they all cranked up the hills in big gears. Guess what? At mile 50, we were passing them as they were spent. Our legs were still strong and we were spinning up the hills way faster than they could even hammer....

When you hammer, you use your legs and body weight...when you spin, it's more your cardiovascular system that gets challenged and you save your leg strength for the rest of the ride. Save the big gear grinding for short training rides or racing. When doing rides for fun and/or trying to increase your distance...spin. Your legs (and knees) will thank you!!

[eclectic]

[QUOTE=DDH] and one guy road up beside me and started telling me that when I climbed the hills to stay in the higher gear and stand and pump.
Now it seems more effcient to do this because you peddle a few pumps, stop and then peddle a few and stop and so on and so on. He told me that I would get in shape faster and be able to do the hills better doing this.

QUOTE]

Here's my 2 cents worth

I have been riding pretty steady since this spring and am more comfortable on my bike and with distance riding. Also my legs are stronger now so I can do this

I have just figured out when standing up to take hills is worthwhile.
Normally I shift way down and pedal at as high a cadence as possible (sometimes even in the lowest granny I am not going too fast) most hills around here are long (1/2 - 1 mile and from 8-10 grade AND we have no run at them -ie a downhill leading into them.

Last week on the tour I was on we got into some rollers (up, down, up, down etc) we could get enough speed on the downhill to get almost 1/2 way up the next before shifting down, we would shift down a little, stand up and top the hill off, - the only reason you need to stay in a little higher gear (not a high gear) is to keep the pedal pressure even, the minute I sat down I shifted down. I found this actually conserved energy in the long run in this instance - it did take a little bravery to take the down hills at 25 -35 mph

There is no way I would try this on a long hill, my granny gear is fine for my legs and knees and I do get to the top eventually.
(one of my riding partners stands up some even on longer hills because she is on a smaller bike and thinks she couldn't keep up if she didn't) When the day gets long though she sits down for them all too.

On short and I mean short inclines I will stand up for a few pedal strokes just to avoid shifting down or losing my cadence for a mere 10 yards (we have short rises where there are intersections on the bike path)