Using correct gears.

racso1975

I have a bog standard raleigh mountain bike 21 gears shimano. I cycle approx 40k a day to and from work. While i have 21 gears i constantly cycle in the hardest gear as i have be it up hill down hill or flat surface. But i got to thinking today that to increase my performance i am currently doin the 20k in 40-45mins i should learn how to use them correctly. Any tips greatly appreciated.

Was also wondering if upgrading to a bike like this
http://www.cycleways.com/store/product/26910/06-Langster-54cm-single-speed/ could I expect to see any difference in my performance. Thanks again

roadmanmad

Count your cedence (rpm).

90-110rpm is a good speed. Any lower and you can get into the habit of grinding when a bit of pressure of a hill comes up.

Us the gear to stay within this rpm range and you are being effective.

By the way your mileage would you not consider a good aluminium frame (hybrid) with slick tyres.

Capt'n Midnight

racso1975 wrote:

I have a bog standard raleigh mountain bike 21 gears shimano. I cycle approx 40k a day to and from work. While i have 21 gears i constantly cycle in the hardest gear as i have be it up hill down hill or flat surface.

How old are you ?
If you aren't fully grown ie teenager it may be dangerous to constantly cycle in high gear due to enlarged heart. (not 100% sure on this)
You would also put undue stress on your knees which is not good.

High cadence is good, less stress on the knees. High gears feel better relative to low gears more so if your saddle position isn't right. You don't get as tired if you can twiddle the pedals around. And a high cadance is the key to long distance crusing.

Yes it feels good to use the high gears, but you have to be able to get a good rythm or you are just killing yourself. I remember on a trip years ago and someone was in high gears to "get fit" so yer man is in 52x14 grunting away and I'm just twiddling past him with 28x28. [<--edit] On another trip I tried to see how long I could keep in 52x12, took two attempts to get through Rathdrum and I got most of the way up the hill from the Dargle heading north to Enniskerry. The difference back then was I could keep the momentum going unlike yer man who was having major problems on little rises.

kona

racso1975 wrote:

I have a bog standard raleigh mountain bike 21 gears shimano. I cycle approx 40k a day to and from work. While i have 21 gears i constantly cycle in the hardest gear as i have be it up hill down hill or flat surface. But i got to thinking today that to increase my performance i am currently doin the 20k in 40-45mins i should learn how to use them correctly. Any tips greatly appreciated.

Was also wondering if upgrading to a bike like this
http://www.cycleways.com/store/product/26910/06-Langster-54cm-single-speed/ could I expect to see any difference in my performance. Thanks again

what raleigh do you have, ignore all the advise about hybrids, get a racer with straight handle bars if you are switching, hybrids are neither here nor there. over rated heaps of fashionable sh1te.
heres how to use gears, getting tough to spin the cranks?? shift down a few till your comfy, getting too easy??shift up
p.s that is a very nice bike , acceleration will be poor off the lights but it will fly with momentum.
how can you even consider a hybrid if you are looking for somthing as hardcore as that??

dalk

kona wrote:

get a racer with straight handle bars if you are switching, hybrids are neither here nor there. over rated heaps of fashionable sh1te

Eh, correct me if i'm wrong but thats essentially what a lot of the "hybrids" i've cycled on are (at least the good ones), racing bikes with straight bars... Granted the riding position is usually a bit more upright. I test rode a bunch a few months ago and certainly the LaPierres, Ridgebacks, Fuji and some of the Dawes i rode were essentially road bikes with straight bars.

zappb

So am i to understand that - its better to go slower then to go faster - go slower on easier gears (lower gears?) and build momentum then to go faster on higher gears - and grind the **** out of the pedals?

What about muscle - is it true that if you concentrate on building momentum and higher cadence - you are toning your muscles - where as if you are in a low gear and grinding hard - you are increasing you leg size - i.e. building muscle in stead of toning?

randomname2005

These are extracted from sheldonbrown.com:
High or Low?
"Higher" gears put more resistance on the pedals. If you select a gear that is too high for the conditions, it will force you into a slower cadence.
Pedaling slower than your ideal cadence is wasteful of energy. You also run a higher risk of muscle strains and joint damage, particularly to the knees and hips.

"Lower" gears make the pedals easy to turn, so it becomes easier to spin to a fast cadence.
Pedaling faster than your ideal cadence can allow you to generate an extra burst of speed, but you will tire yourself out too soon if you try to maintain an excessively fast cadence.


"Pushing" vs. "Spinning"

"Pushing" a high gear at a slow cadence is like power lifting. It is good for building up muscle mass and bulking up your legs, but it does little for your heart or lungs, and you can hurt yourself if you overdo it.
"Spinning" a lower gear at a rapid cadence is more like swimming. The rapid motion, with many repetitions makes the legs supple and flexible, it is highly aerobic, and the light pressure that goes with this style reduces wear and tear on the joints. With practice "spinning" becomes easier and more comfortable.

So really it comes down to what you want to achieve. If you are looking for stronger legs, then use the high gear. If you want to get fitter, use lower gears. I used to be like yourself and always use the highest gear on the bike with a slower cadence, but I found by dropping a gear or two my cadence goes up, I go faster and I also feel that my fitness is improving.
R

racso1975

Hey tahnks for all the indepth answers really appreciate it. I will continue in the high gears for a while longer to build muscles and then hit the lower ones to increase fitness.

Captmidnight i am 30 and fast approaching 31 so i entering that age group where heart concerns reactivate

kona

dalk wrote:

Eh, correct me if i'm wrong but thats essentially what a lot of the "hybrids" i've cycled on are (at least the good ones), racing bikes with straight bars... Granted the riding position is usually a bit more upright. I test rode a bunch a few months ago and certainly the LaPierres, Ridgebacks, Fuji and some of the Dawes i rode were essentially road bikes with straight bars.

sorry that isnt true, a racer with straight bars has a racers frame on racing wheels with racers gear ratios, a hybrid is just a MTB frame with big wheels, it has a MTB gear ratio, MTB gears MTB cranks, all this adds weight.

the racer will most likley have a better frame, better parts at better value.

kona

zappb wrote:

What about muscle - is it true that if you concentrate on building momentum and higher cadence - you are toning your muscles - where as if you are in a low gear and grinding hard - you are increasing you leg size - i.e. building muscle in stead of toning?

thats true.

Robin1982

not to hijack the thread but how difficult is it to add gearing to a bike.

Basically I have 3 x 7 geared hybrid (Ridgeback Genesis Day 02) but never, ever use the bottom (#1) gear cog (i'm not up on bike terminology). I'm almost always on the highest gear but basically high cadence around 40-45 Kph and going downhill I pretty much bottom out at 60-65 Kph.

What I'd love to do would be to get rid of the lowest level, move the other two down and then put in a big front gear for those downhill moments. Would that possible? Difficult (I'm a bike n00b)?

Capt'n Midnight

racso1975 wrote:

so i entering that age group where heart concerns reactivate

fair enough there is no danger of your heart increasing in volume at the expense of wall thickness if you're already growed up.

as I said pushing hard "feels" like you are doing work, but unless you are doing it a a decent pedaling rate it's not worth it. If you can't keep a stead rythm then drop a gear.

kona

Robin1982 wrote:

not to hijack the thread but how difficult is it to add gearing to a bike.

Basically I have 3 x 7 geared hybrid (Ridgeback Genesis Day 02) but never, ever use the bottom (#1) gear cog (i'm not up on bike terminology). I'm almost always on the highest gear but basically high cadence around 40-45 Kph and going downhill I pretty much bottom out at 60-65 Kph.

What I'd love to do would be to get rid of the lowest level, move the other two down and then put in a big front gear for those downhill moments. Would that possible? Difficult (I'm a bike n00b)?

you prob could but , id have to see the bike first, you will need new rear derailleur, new shifters, new cassette/freewheel,possibly a new chain.

dalk

kona wrote:

sorry that isnt true, a racer with straight bars has a racers frame on racing wheels with racers gear ratios, a hybrid is just a MTB frame with big wheels, it has a MTB gear ratio, MTB gears MTB cranks, all this adds weight.

the racer will most likley have a better frame, better parts at better value.

Think i have a slightly different definition of a "hyrbrid" bike. The bikes i was looking at were more like this Ridgeback, than this Cannondale (which is more like what you are talking about)...

kona

dalk wrote:

Think i have a slightly different definition of a "hyrbrid" bike. The bikes i was looking at were more like this Ridgeback, than this Cannondale (which is more like what you are talking about)...

they are flat barred racers, or otherwise known as tourers

kona

bedlam wrote:

You don't need to do the majority of that. It could also be as simple as replacing the rear cassette to give a better gear ratio or failing that, a larger large chainring (raplacing the other two if desired also).

you do!!! his derailleur maybe a 7 spd, if he wants a extra gear hell need a 8spd or could get away with a 9 speed. the chain will have to be longer to accomadate the higher gear, and well a new shifter so you can actually shift up. i convert bikes to this fairly regular, that is what is needed most times, as i said i would have to see the bike

kona

bedlam wrote:

Converting to 8 or 9 speed is just creating extra cost when replacing one or two parts should get the desired results at a fraction of the price. I'll give you the longer chain though ;]

he said he wanted more gears, those are the parts you need. although he prob be better off just changing the ratios