Spinning?

[stella2]

At the risk of sounding like a fool for asking, could someone explain the concept of spinning to me. I came across it in a book, but didn't understand the explanation (I am quite bright and well educated honest!!)!

An idiots guide would be much appreciated

[schnitzle]

This article should help explain things: http://bicycling.about.com/od/traini...r/spinning.htm

Also check out Youtube for examples (both good and bad!) of what goes on in a spinning class.

[Bike Chick]

First, you don't sound like a fool for asking. There are a lot of women on here that could give you a more technical, better defined answer but spinning has to do with your riding cadence, or the rate of the revolution of your pedal stroke. If you are a "spinner", you pedal at a faster rate of speed using a smaller gear. If you are a "masher", you pedal at a slower rate of speed using a larger gear. You can travel at the same speed using either a fast cadence and smaller gear or a slow cadence with a larger gear.

Whether you spin or not depends on your riding style, strength and personal preference. Spinning uses different muscles and won't tire your legs as quickly while mashing lets you push a bigger gear and generates more accelaration. For example, I will spin up a long hill but will mash up a short, steep climb. Mashing can hurt my knees though so I am careful when I do it.

Hope this makes sense and doesn't confuse you

[stella2]

Thank you both. Schnizle, I appreciate it, but I mean whilst cycling on my bike, not a spinning class.

Bike chick - thank you. I think I understand now. It's just a personal preference thing then? As a total beginner (only sat on a bike for the first time 3 weeks ago), I like to pedal slowly (I feel a little more confident as the bike doesn't feel as 'free') so select a higher gear. My partner, who hasn't ridden for years, but had lots of time in the saddle in the past, prefers to pedal faster and is always in a lower gear than me. And from what you say, taking more of a spinning approach helps to maintain energy, so as I become more experienced, it will be useful on longer rides?

I never before realised what was involved in cycling - just thought folk got on & pedalled!

[JennK13]

\And from what you say, taking more of a spinning approach helps to maintain energy, so as I become more experienced, it will be useful on longer rides?

I never before realised what was involved in cycling - just thought folk got on & pedalled!

Again, it depends on your style, preference, and strength. I'm not much of a spinner - I've got relatively strong legs, and spinning tires me out more than using strength to "mash". This is partly due to my bike choice, a cross bike, which doesn't have the gearing for spinning. That bike is mechanically unable to "spin". While many here spin up hills, I'll alternate between standing and sitting climbs (depending on the how long the hill is). And although "mashing" bothers a lot of peoples knees, it doesn't bother me and I grew up with knee problems. Do what feels good to you. If you have the gearing, and you find that riding like you do tires you, give spinning a try. If you're fine doing what you're doing, keep doing it Everyone is different.

[Catrin]

I think some of this also depends on if you are clipped in or not. I have ridden with BMX pedals all year, outside of a few days in the spring. In a way I've no choice but to "mash" as I cannot efficiently use the entire pedal stroke. That being said, I get ever closer to spinning without being attached to the bike, but from what I understand it is necessary to clip in to get full benefit of spinning.

Of course I did just learn how to ride 8 months ago, so am still learning lots of things

[malkin]

The first time I saw that cruise ship ad where the mom had gone spinning--I thought she would be turning straw into gold or at least fleece into yarn.

So, really, not a stupid question, or at least not any stupider than me. At least you knew it was something to do with cycling.