Listen up new riders... learn how to spin... and save your knees!

[blue heaven]

what is spinning? i may already be doing it, unbeknownst. i have a schwinn 10 speed roadbike that's pretty fast when i ride my usual 8 mile straight stretch. (fast as far as i know.)
jen

[Technotart]

Actually you can spin up a hill - make the upstroke of the pedal on the back count as much or more than the downstroke (the mash) on the front...

A guy I know told me to practice spinning by pedaling with one foot unlipped and off the pedal - meaning only one foot and leg doing ANY work - the other hanging in mid-air out to the side. Do this on both sides until you are feeling the full rotation of the pedal, not just the mash or downstroke at the front of the pedal.

Then spin with both feet! AMAZING how much easier the hills are!!!!!! I can go up them almost twice as fast as I could!

[KSH]

Actually you can spin up a hill - make the upstroke of the pedal on the back count as much or more than the downstroke (the mash) on the front...

A guy I know told me to practice spinning by pedaling with one foot unlipped and off the pedal - meaning only one foot and leg doing ANY work - the other hanging in mid-air out to the side. Do this on both sides until you are feeling the full rotation of the pedal, not just the mash or downstroke at the front of the pedal.

Then spin with both feet! AMAZING how much easier the hills are!!!!!! I can go up them almost twice as fast as I could!

Don't forget to add that you were spinning at around 22 MPH this past weekend!!!!


But... what she said... you CAN spin up hills. I personally LOVE hills... and I spin all the way up... dropping people (OK, the really slow people!) in my dust! HA!

[Technotart]

Despite the really rough chip seal road - the ride was a BLAST! SO much more fun to ride with someone!

Do you think the Plano group would mind if I/we joined in on a couple of the no drop rides sometime soon?

Lara and I are doing a Thurs pm 30 miler if you want to join us over in Las Colinas

[KSH]

Despite the really rough chip seal road - the ride was a BLAST! SO much more fun to ride with someone!

Do you think the Plano group would mind if I/we joined in on a couple of the no drop rides sometime soon?

Lara and I are doing a Thurs pm 30 miler if you want to join us over in Las Colinas

Hey... ANYONE is welcome to join the PBA to ride! They don't "check your membership"! You and I can ride together... it will be fun!

I won't be riding this Saturday (triathlon)... but I will be back on the following Saturday!

Thanks for the invite on Thursday... but that is my "date night" with my boyfriend... and I have to save my legs for my Saturday triathlon!

I bet Lara is going to be in "awe" when you sprint off on her! HA!

[newbiechick]

I'm with blue heaven ... I'm not sure I really understand what spinning is. From this thread I'm getting an idea of what you mean but not sure I fully understand. And definitely don't know HOW to learn to do it. Any more detailed explanations would be greatly appreciated. I won't be doing it off the bat anyway since I'm a BRAND NEWBIE--having only ridden twice and still on platform pedals. Still, want to do what to do when I'm ready to clip in.

[Technotart]

You cant spin on platform pedals - it just isnt possible - you can sort of do it with toe cages, but that would be hard, until you get clipless spinning is a hard concept to conceive - try out the one legged method on a friends bike or at the LBS on something clipless and see if you can sort of get a feel for it! Once you see how different it is, you will never mash the pedals again unless you are standing on them!

[Ninabike]

What is spinning:

Essentially, spinning is turning your legs rapidly in lower gears (larger rings in the back, smaller in front), rather than using higher gears (smaller rings in back) and "pumping" (mashing) or straining against the pedals. Think of using your gears like driving a car with a stick shift. The engine (your legs) keep a fairly constant "spin", like pistons in a car, while you use the gears to adjust to the grade and speed. That way, your legs are not overworked - you just keep your legs going the same speed. Spinning means using a rapid cadence. Find a gear where your legs are turning rapidly without straining, and then pedal as fast as you can without bouncing in the saddle. When you start to bounce, shift into a higher gear (smaller sprocket in the back). Think of your body as a machine. keep steady in the saddle; don't rock your body or the bike back and forth, concentrate on traveling in a straight line with your legs acting like rapid pistons, moving up and down, with no strain, like a machine.

I hope this helps.

Nina