I'm so confused!!!!!

[katzpawz]

Okay, I realize that I just started riding three and a half months ago. And, there certainly is a lot to learn. After reading some of the postings about gears and candence, it seems that I understand less than I did before.

I ride a Monterey 3.0 Comfort Bike by Fuji. It is amazingly comfortable and I feel quite stable riding it. I've got quite a bit of weight to lose, and it was important for me to feel balanced on the bike. This bike works wonderfully!

The brief explanation of gears I got at the bike shop gave me the impression that I should stay in higher gears as much as possible. I must say that at my current fitness level doing that is not much fun. Some of the posts I've read mention cadence, which in concept I understand, but how do you measure it? Do I need a computer for my bike? I've seen them in catalogs, but I know nothing about them.

[Veronica]

If you have a watch you can measure your cadence just by counting the number of times one leg pedals in a minute. You can maybe attach your watch to your handlebars to make it easier to see for that minute.

Whether or not you want a computer for your bike depends on what you want to do. I have all kinds of gadgets on my bike. I use the info I get from them to chart my progress and assess my training program. I can't imagine riding without them - even a fun ride.

Do you need all that? Not really

My husband generally has no gadgets on his bike. He doesn't care about his speed, cadence, HR... it doesn't matter. Except when I'm pulling him in a headwind, up a slight grade. Then he wants to know how fast we're going.

The article SK referenced in another post about cadence was really good.

V.

[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!

[katzpawz]

Thanks to all for input, info and suggestions. This week I've dropped to lower gears, getting higher rpm's, (staying fairly consistent at 60-80) and have been able to comfortably increase distance!!! The hills that had been killing me, are getting easier! Today, I made it to six miles!! Not too bad for a near-middle aged, out of shape, beginner! I've got my eyes on a 13 mile ride at the end of Sept. I think I can do it!

[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!!

[downhilldiva]

This is how I worked on keeping my cadence up. I found some songs that have at least 90 beats per minute. I listen to them often and when I want to keep my cadence up I get one of those songs in my head (I don't recommend riding with headphones unless you are indoors.)

I also practiced riding in the biggest gear I could and still maintain a cadence of 90 rpms. If my cadence slowed I downshifted. Soon you'll find it is a habit to have higher cadence and you'll be able to keep your cadence in higher gears and that will make you go faster! Good luck!

[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)