cycling in high gear all the time..

CamperMan

OK,

I have a mountain bike, and for proper exercise, I go as fast as I can in high gear, up hill and down, on average hills, I will still stay in high gear cycling at speed.., on the steep hills, I will drop a front cog.., but that's rare

Now..

someone told me that doing this puts enormous strain on the bike and can damage it, and they suggested that I use the gears all the time going up and down the ratios..

I find it a ball ache, I simply pedal off in high gear with little effort and stay in that gear.


is the person correct, will this damage the bike?

C3PO

More likely to damage your knees than the bike!

CamperMan

RPL1 wrote: »

More likely to damage your knees than the bike!

how?

C3PO

CamperMan wrote: »

how?

I think it's generally accepted that using a gear that is too high, particularly when climbing put a lot of strain on your knees

CamperMan

thanks

macnab

The gears increase efficiency. Watch the pros, they dont grind big gears, they try to keep a consistant cadence which I think is 90rpm give or take.

blorg

It's bad technique unless you are doing it specifically for strength training. It's inefficient and tires your muscles.

Seve OB

My mate does this on his racer. he like myself is new enough to cycling but I prefer to go in lower gears with my cadence about a constant 80 or so.
he seems to always be in the fastest gear with me maybe only halfway. he says it gives him a better workout but i disagreed with him saying he would get a better workout if he was doing more revs.
who is right? and if it is me, how do i explain it to him?

also he feels that in preparation for the ring of kerry cycle, he is insistant that instead of upping our distance (i have done over 70 with more in the tank, he is maxed about 50) he now wants to go up the mountains for about 40k. i am telling him that we have to get our distances increased and get up over 100k at a minimum before worrying about taking on mountains... anybody got any opinions that might help us?

fenris

I used to cycle like that until the nice knee surgeon told me not to after our second visit to the butchers block!

macnab

For Ring of Kerry training I would mix it up, mostly distance with some drags, and do a few climbs now and then to test your ability.

07Lapierre

This Article may help explain Gearing/cadence etc.

Chips Lovell

stevieob wrote: »

also he feels that in preparation for the ring of kerry cycle, he is insistant that instead of upping our distance (i have done over 70 with more in the tank, he is maxed about 50) he now wants to go up the mountains for about 40k. i am telling him that we have to get our distances increased and get up over 100k at a minimum before worrying about taking on mountains... anybody got any opinions that might help us?

I think you're following a more sensible approach than your mate. Ring of Kerry is primarily an endurance challenge. It has only two climbs of note, neither of which is terribly difficult on their own, but one - Moll's Gap - that comes quite near the finish. A climb like that is a different proposition with 120km in your legs compared to doing it fresh.

So, making sure you've got the endurance is the first priority and that would involve upping your training distances to 100km and then 120km or even further. Going in the appropriate gear to get a highish cadence (80-100 rpm) is the most efficient way of riding.

Low cadence mashing up hills has a place in terms of building leg strength but should be approached with caution to avoid knee injuries.

By the sounds of it, your friend is setting himself up to have a spectacular first half of the ROK and then grovel around for the second half.

To sum up, work on first getting the aerobic endurance right and then, if you have time, getting your speed up.

Lumen

Vladimir Kurtains wrote: »

Low cadence mashing up hills has a place in terms of building leg strength

AFAIK there is no scientific consensus on this, though the practice is advocated by many coaches and therefore widespread amongst well-trained racing cyclists (good amateurs and pros).

Links:

Coggan, anti-mash
http://www.aboc.com.au/tips-and-hints/why-we-dont-use-strength-endurance-anymore

Friel: pro-mash.
http://www.joefrielsblog.com/2010/11/force-reps.html

edit: to be clear, nobody sane would advocate low-cadence work for someone who was training to get round the Ring of Kerry

piston

I actually think most people ride in a gear which is too high most of the time. Doing some training miles on a 62" fixed gear as recommended to me by an old and very experienced club cyclist has worked wonders for my cadence, my general fitness and speed. I no longer suffer from sore knees after a long ride when I keep to 60 - 80" gears and it has had very little effect, if any, on my average speeds. If you cannot spin the gear you are in at 85rpm plus on the flat, you are riding a gear too high.

spencer024

Would def be trying to get the miles up for the ROK which I plan to do myself..
Did the 120km Kilmallock tour last Sunday week, and found the last 40 very tough going after the food stop due to the fast pace ~40km into the wind.
vary your training from fast shorter spins to longer hauls with less intensity, i would be advising you to get in a few 100 miler spins before heading to Kerry on July 7th, I'm only a beginner cyclist but these spins will bring you on alot!!!

Slug it out every now and again in high gears to build muscle on short drags but if you push too hard you will burn out quickly.
Best of luck!!
Cya in Kerry!!

Mycroft H

Mashing (or hoofing as a friend calls it:D) it brings back knee pain from running. I try to avoid it. Spin all the way!