Originally Posted by
luvmyguys
This is interesting. I started out like that - only using the big gear for downhills (and there weren't many of those - I live in flatsville). With the group I was riding with, it was the opposite - the coaches and more experienced folk were advocating - downright harping - on using the big gear on flats. NOW - I know there are some pretty similar gear ratios between the two chainrings - maybe that has something to do with it? The reasoning given was that you could go the other way, and wear yourself out aerobically too soon (as opposed to wearing your muscles out too soon by mashing in the big gear).
I do know that the advice was "most amount of power for the least amount of effort", which factored in cadence. I was trying to go for feeling like there was barely any grab on the gears, and maybe "almost too easy" would go just a little bit further?
The first century I tried - the timing and conditions were such that I was having to push harder, earlier - I needed to average higher than I was averaging in training, and in very windy, somewhat hilly conditions at that, just to make it back before cars were going to be towed from the starting point. That and I was a ball of nerves to begin with, partly because I had my doubts as to being able to maintain that speed for that distance.
This one I'm going to ride on my terms.
I would not do a bike ride if there was a chance that my car would be towed if I didn't finish by a certain time. Even when all the conditions are right, you never know when a mechanical will slow you down.
I personally pay no attention to other peoples' gear choices. If I ride too long in the big ring, my knee will hurt. So I only use it when I know the road well enough to know that it will be flat for a while, or when I'm doing spinning videos on the indoor trainer. Note that I ride to have fun, not to race.
- Gray 2010 carbon WSD road bike, Rivet Independence saddle
- Red hardtail 26" aluminum mountain bike, Bontrager Evoke WSD saddle
- Royal blue 2018 aluminum gravel bike, Rivet Pearl saddle
Gone but not forgotten:
- Silver 2003 aluminum road bike
- Two awesome worn out Juliana saddles