cadence

[Kano]

attacking hills -- for me, that doesn't work well yet. It's a sure fire recipe for "blowing up" my legs -- and lungs -- as someone else mentioned. I've found that my sure-fire method of getting up, at least for now, is to gear down to granny, and yeah, I'm out of places to shift down to, right at the beginning of a hill, and not look too far ahead.

Now, this has been working, and what I'm calling a hill now is a lot more challenging than what I used to call hills! Those other ones, I'm finding I don't have to gear down like I used to, and maybe someday, I'll be looking at my current challenges with the same sort of strength I now have for my previous demon hills!

(went whizzing up one of those old demons the other day, and when DH caught up, I grinned at him and said, remember when I could barely make it up that one at 4mph? He said he remembered when I walked it. I never had quite THAT much trouble with it!)

Karen in Boise

[RolliePollie]

I never really gave much thought to cadence, but after reading this thread last night, I decided to pay a little more attention on today's ride. Looks like I spin at around 80. I guess I'm pretty content with that. It's what's comfortable for me at this point, and it will be interesting to see if it goes up with time. I was trying to count rpm's on hills too, but I was kind of all over the place. On one nice long steady hill, I was in my granny gear spinning at about 65-70. I definitely try to always gear down on hills...no mashing for me! Well, except when the hill is steep and I've run out of gears!

[indysteel]

Hills are still my nemesis, but I'm happy to report that I've gotten better at them. There are still a few, however, that make my palms sweat just thinking about them. And I've had to walk up more than one.

IMO, there's a big learning and fitness curve for them. I had been riding about three months when I did the Hilly Hundred last year. I thought I was going to die. I knew nothing about gearing and my heart rate went through the roof. I've learned a lot since then and have, thank goodness, gotten a better aerobic base. I've gotten better at the mind game, too. This hill will not beat me, this hill will not beat me!

I went on a hillly ride this June called JAWS and was lucky enough to have a very experienced friend with me. His input was invaluable. From his observations, I realized that I wasn't pacing myself very well. By hitting the hill in too easy a gear, I was basically spinning out and blowing up. Now I hit the base of the hill (these are hills, not rollers) a little more slowly in a slightly harder gear and try maintain a steady and controlled pace. He was chiding me the other day about not keeping up with him and I finally had to remind him that I was taking his advice and doing the hills at my pace.

[ginny]

So, today I focused on increasing my cadence (went on a pretty flat ride). I rode with five or six other friends, and tried to pace myself at how fast their legs were turning over. I didn't have any 'blow up' issues. Maybe getting used to spinning those legs faster on the flat will translate to the hills for me... Anyway, it was fun (forgot the metronome - there's always next time ), and it's fun to ride with a group and realize I don't truly suck!

[MaineMaid]

Slightly off topic , but I couldn't resist. I'm a newbie that's been riding on the road since March. It was then I bumped into the topic of cadance. It coincided with me having to take the updated Advanced Cardiac Life Support test....every two years . Anyway, the cadance for chest compressions has changed to 100 compression per minute. The instructor advised us to sing,(to ourselves ), the BeeGees "Stayin' Alive"...a perfect 100bpm. . So now, when I'm working on my cadance that song gives me the auditory clues . ..."Ah-hah,ah-hah, stayin' alive, stayin' alive".
Jan in Maine

[indigoiis]

Yeah but if your legs were doing cadence to stayin' alive, you'd be really spinning like mad!

But I will remember that for chest compressions. Thanks!

[li10up]

indy - I've experienced the same thing you talked about. I'm still trying to find MY best way to make it up hills. Rollers - I attack. Hills - no way. I've done the hit them hard thing - I just blow up. I've done the spin like mad thing - I just blow up. I'm now working on just trying to keep a decent cadence and not downshift too quickly. The other riders in my group still blow by me but I am getting to the top more quickly than before and I usually pass them at the top as they slow way down trying to catch their breath and I just keep going at my speed. Hummm...maybe they are just waiting on me and not trying to catch their breath....no, I hear them breathing hard as I go by. Which is hard to do...it's hard to hear them breathing over my gasping for breath.

[onimity]

Hi Ginny,

I don't do serious mountain riding (yet) but play around in a lot of the local canyons/foothills on a compact double/12-25 cassette. I can keep a pretty good cadence up on what I'd call a moderate sustained climb, 7 from Lyons to Allenspark for example. I find myself shifting up and down (though I spend a good deal of time in my lowest gear). Steeper sections hurt, though and sometimes I wish I had a triple. So I'd say you've got a good well-rounded setup.

[BTW, I'm training for a century and some people I (barely) know and some that I don't are getting together to ride one of the courses this Sat., 100K (pretty flat) starting in Longmont. You're more than welcome to come along if you'd like. If you want details PM me.]

All of the metronome comments make me laugh; I have a hard time with the metronome even when I'm playing piano. I do something similar, though, I always have a song in my head and I pedal along to that. Oddly, it's often something that I am learning on the piano, I've been trying to think through songs lately as I try to memorize them, and I find that I synchronize exactly with things like a car turn signal or pedal strokes. I'd say measure your cadence on something like a stationary bike (or just match another cyclist that seems to keep a consistent cadence) and then internalize the rhythm. The number isn't so important IMO.

Anne

[MaineMaid]

Indi; , I should have said that I'm probably doing HALF that cadance... maybe only counting the...um...left foot.. I'm pretty slow at the moment...(as if you couldn't tell).

Jan in Maine

[indigoiis]

Or, if it were me, it would be like putting the 45 on 33!

Staaaaaaayyyyyin' huuuuhhhliiiiiivvvee...

[MaineMaid]

; it's been 5 minutes since I read your reply and I'm still laughing...
Of course, I wonder how many posters here know what the heck a 45 or 33 thing is???/

Jan

[Starfish]

Of course, I wonder how many posters here know what the heck a 45 or 33 thing is???/ Jan

Heck, there are lots of us plenty old enough to know!

[rij73]

Or, if it were me, it would be like putting the 45 on 33!

Staaaaaaayyyyyin' huuuuhhhliiiiiivvvee...

LOL! I'm actually really glad I'm old enough to get that. Hysterical!

[crazycanuck]

We have some 45's..but i've never danced like Stars on 45 though

Now I have the bee gee's running through my head

I want a record player..
C