Spinning

[Lynne]

I am trying so hard to spin, but it's got to be the most unnatural thing about biking! I have to admit, I am getting frustrated with it.

I know I need to do it to preserve my knees, but I'm more naturally inclined to build muscle than I am to cardio. It feels like I'm constantly telling myself "drop to a lower gear, pedal faster". Then I feel like I'm literally spinning and getting nowhere...so I shift up. Then I make myself shift back down. It's really taking some of the pleasure out of the ride. :-(

Isn't there a balance between spinning and (what's it called? crunching...shoot, I can't remember the term now)? How low can you get on your cadence without risking injury to your knees? I'm hoping to be able to work on the low end, which will give me back the total fun of pushing hard (I just really like that, even though it's wrong).

I'm doing my first ride with others on Saturday and I'm really nervous. I'm afraid I will embarrass myself by not spinning and doing other beginner things, you know? But I'm also really looking forward to seeing how other women ride (because I've just been riding with my boyfriend the entire time so far). I really like having him to "catch" because I tend to work harder with him way up there or having to wait for me, but I'm also looking forward learning techniques that maybe only women can help me with (if they see me doing something odd, you know?).

Biting my cheeks with nervousness (55 mile ride but fairly flat; the max I've done so far if 44 miles with some hills) but I'm excited! Remember your first ride like this? I guess I'll only get this once.

Anyway, any suggestions/encouragement I can get on the spinning would be so much appreciated! Did I mention how much I'm totally loving riding??? (I have a Redline cross-bike, but so far I really love the road and haven't been able to get into trail riding).

[caligurl]

it's called mashing!

don't be nervous about the group ride... cuz not everyone spins (even though IMO they should! )

just relax.... ride your ride.. and most importantly.... HAVE FUN!

i can't give any pointers about how to be a better spinner... cuz for whatever reason i have been spinning from the beginning of my riding... of course... i also had hubby telling me to spin.... spin.... spin! best i can say is practice! eventually it will become habit!

[Bike Goddess]

Lynne- Spinning will allow you to go further without getting tired. When I first started cycling about 1 1/2 yrs ago, I used to follow someone and try to match their cadence. It took concentration and lots of effort on my part, but it has paid off in the end! The most important part of spinning is to be consistent which means gearing down when you approach a hill so that you can, if possible, keep the same cadence going up as you had on the flats. (This isn't always possible, but gearing down BEFORE the big rise will help!)

My advice to you, watch the women who have been riding awhile and copy what they do. Assuming you will be able to keep up, get behind someone going your speed and shift down when they do, shift up when they do, etc. You don't need to follow closely, just close enough to figure out what they are doing.

Ask for coaching on this subject. Your womenfriends will happily work with you- we all started from the same place-so we all know what it's like for you!

Have fun, and let us know how it goes for you! Sounds like a nice ride, as well. Take food and drink lots!

Now, since I used to live up your way, where are you going? What a great place to ride! I'll be coming up to do the Seattle/Portland ride in July (Hill Slug is coming too with her Team in Training group). We should plan a meeting!!! You can send me a private message if you want.

[doc]

True spinning tends to let you go farther without getting tired. It also often provides a smoother more proper pedal stroke. Mashing tends to be jerky, with all the effort from the quads on the down stroke. Spinning is more circular and even. If you can afford it, buy a cadence monitor. Either one with a speedometer "permanently" mounted on the bike, or one with a heart monitor. Cadence is supposed to be between 85 and 105. I am NEVER at the 105 side of things. One coach I had also said, if you're below 80, you should be standing. And of course do what feels comfortable to you. Mashing is also harder on the knees than spinning.
Good luck!

[Dogmama]

Tell us about your pedals. If you're on platform pedals (no toe clips) spinning will be more difficult because you cannot pull up your pedal - you can only push down which leads to more mashing.

[KSH]

I hear you!

I HATE SPINNING!

But, my knees... have now been over worked, and I am nursing knee injuries... by riding my bike less.

I HATE NOT RIDING MY BIKE!

And having so much pain in my knee at mile 20 that I can't even pedal with my left leg. That sucks even more.

So... even though it doesn't feel right... and trust me, I am with you on that... keep spinning... and perserve your knees... until you are "spinning" in a higher gear.

Best of luck!

Oh, and let the group know that you are new... you will find kind and generous souls who will give you tips (if you ask), and who will keep an eye on you.

[fixedgeargirl]

What Bike Goddess said! Look for a rider with a smooth, steady cadence. Or ask someone in the group who you should look for as an example of someone with good spin. Then mimic her. This low-cost learning technique has greatly improved my performance in, and enjoyment of, skiing, cycling and running.

Mashing can also lead to a lot of unnecessary involvement of the upper body and loss of efficiency there. The less energy you spend winging your bike and torso around, the more energy you have to actually move forward. Conservation of effort.

Have a great time with the ladies!

[wabisabi]

I had similiar feelings initially about spinning, but lately have noticed a change. It comes from experience riding and an increased base fitness--from training for an riding full and metric centuries. There is probably a name for the phenomenon. It seemed that as I have reached a certain level of ability/fitness, my spinning has become more effective. One day I thought, "oh, so THIS is spinning!" Not feeling that it was ineffective, but like it was actually working. I was riding against a headwind the other evening and it really worked. I was also playing with riding way down in the drops and spinning, and it was so fun!

[Dogmama]

A trainer told me it had to do with muscle memory - if our muscles are used to mashing, it's difficult to get them to spin. Ditto for your foot position on the pedal. Too many women pedal with their toes pointed. Foot should be flat.

[RoadRaven]

I am finding it very hard to spin for any length of time

I do a cadence training ride once a week - I spin for 500metres at a cadence of 90, its on a false flat going up... but I can't consistently keep my 90 up for every single run at the 500 metres...

I guess when I can maintain it, I'll be upping the cadence I am aiming for
But golly-gosh (or in other words "$%%##!!%(&^&$#@!!!!!) it is tiring...

[KSH]

My 65 miles of spinning... here is my story:

I rode the MS150 this past weekend... which for me... was the MS65!

I have had knee pain that I have been *fighting*... and in the past few weeks, I have only been able to make it 20 miles, before I can't pedal anymore.

So, my plan was to SPIN... and to go SLOW (10 MPH!)!

I can say that the spinning REALLY HELPED with all the HILLS I went up. In fact, I enjoyed the hills and wind... more than I did the flats! While some other struggled mashing up the hills, I would *spin* by them... and I wasn't even huffing or puffing.

Now, I just have to learn how to spin on the flats!

There is a technique that has to be learned to make spinning effective... and you have to start slow and work your way up... to the point where are spinning in the higher gears, and it is effortless.

Best of luck... and even though it's hard... try to spin the best you can... and work on it. It will feel right at some point!

[trigurl]

I am trying to spin too, these hills here make it hard but last night I was able to do it most of the time, on 90% of the hills I am in g/g (granny gear) and it is still hard! the first several I went up I would spin fast then slow down to catch my breath then spin, and repeat, that helps me get up those monster hills (I ride up them for the fun of it really)

On the so called flats here is where I have a hard time spinning, but last night I practiced that too, I rode by myself for the first part of the ride so I wasn't pushing to keep up with anyone and could concentrate on my spinning, then on the second part another rider joined me and of course I did whatever possible to stay with him that was fun.