Quote Originally Posted by Crankin View Post
It's raining here, too. Getting heavier as the day goes on. Group ride was cancelled, and it kind of sucks because it's 50 out, so if it wasn't raining, it would be perfect.
I went to spin, where I used harder gears, but paid no attention to the instructor's suggested cadence. I know I am not weak, but on really hard climbs in real life (aka, the road), I use the easiest gear I can and my cadence is 50-60. I can "spin" on flatter ground, but my cadence could never be 70-80 on a big hill. When I don't pay attention to her, my cadence ends up being the exact same thing as it is on the road, I get a good workout, and I am sweaty, but not so exhausted I feel like crap. I know this is very personal, but since my cadence goes down, at least 10 points when i stand, I never do outside, except to strech my legs. I do a little in a class, but mostly I get in a hard gear and stay seated. I can always tell who the outdoor cyclists are, as they are doing the same thing.
I did the same thing in the few spinning classes I've taken, also choose my own gears with the Spinervals dvds at home. I also drop my cadence significantly on hills -- it's either that or an asthma attack, and I've got nothing to prove to anyone.

I rode in my living room for about 55 minutes last night. I used the Spinervals Tuscon dvd, the Gates Pass route, but with my own music which of course was a little too loud so I couldn't really hear Coach Troy. But I'm familiar enough with it to know generally where the hills are and the suggested gear is displayed on the screen so it wasn't a problem. Having my own music really helped me not get bored.

I'm planning my weekend ride now.