Climbing and Cadence...?

[Boon 51]

Because it's a load of nonsense! Cadence has nothing to do with the bike

When I climb the mountains where I live I would rather be on a 7 kilo bike than a 10 kilo bike any day, so we all have our own opinions to what is best for us, my effort to keep a good cadence for me is easier on the lighter bike.

 

[Torvi]

Did you? I ignored the capitals

hearing aid needed

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Because it's a load of nonsense! Cadence has nothing to do with the bike

If your moving more weight against gravity you have to work harder, this will effect your ability to spin at a higher rate going up hill.

 

[ColinJ]

When I climb the mountains where I live I would rather be on a 7 kilo bike than a 10 kilo bike any day, so we all have our own opinions to what is best for us, my effort to keep a good cadence for me is easier on the lighter bike.

Obviously climbing is easier with less weight to lump up the mountain, but why not just select a lower gear on the heavier bike to allow the same cadence at a lower speed?

(That advice breaks down a bit once you get to extreme gradients, say >= 25%, because it is very easy to lift the front of the bike off a steep road when spinning a tiny gear.)

 

[Rob3rt]

The reality is, as an absolute, cadence does not matter. Power production is all important and a magazine can't tell you your optimal power to cadence relationship.

 

[Yorksman]

Power is work done divided by time taken. If you raise 15 Kg the height of 100 feet in the same time as someone raising 10 Kg the same 100 feet, the former is working at a faster rate, even though the time is the same. The former is doing 50% more work than the latter and to do it in the same time requires the former to develop 50% more power.

Obviously that power is transmitted to the wheels and cadence is one way of doing it. Another way is to push harder. Most people find a balance between the two, using the gears appropriate to their strength. Too high a gear and you can't push hard enough and cadence drops. Too low a gear and, even with a high cadence, you may not transmit the power at a fast enough rate.

 

[ColinJ]

I still prefer a low gear/high cadence on long steep hills but now that I am gaining power and losing weight, I quite often can't be bothered to use my smallest ring for short steep climbs, instead opting to stand and use lower cadence grunt in the middle ring instead. I did that on a 20% climb this afternoon which was just about at the limit of how far I'd want to stand for.

The problem for me would come if my back and/or legs gave way mid-climb and I had to change down from the middle ring to the small ring. I could probably get away with it if I could gain enough momentum to change rings without too much tension on the chain.

I've forgotten what the original post was about! Hang on ...

Oh yes - we have already covered it - do what you like, and ignore what other people tell you to do. (Well, except people telling you to do what you like, obviously! )

 

[Hacienda71]

Just ride the bike up the hill in whatever gear feels most comfortable to you at the speed you want to travel at. Simples.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

But what cogs are you using on the back with that front ring especially when moving quickly? If the small one, time to start saving for a new chain

Another side question here: does it really wear a chain out more when spinning on the small ring than using more power on the big? Sure, the chain's going to travel further but isn't it going to do so under less stress? Grit (gutter grinding paste), poor lubrication and extended cross-chaining are the elements I think of as doing the most damage.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

@deptfordmarmoset I think what @vickster is getting at is the angle of the chain, rather than how many revolutions it makes.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

@deptfordmarmoset I think what @vickster is getting at is the angle of the chain, rather than how many revolutions it makes.

Goes back and rereads....oh yes, moving quickly suggests cross-chaining, little rings front and aft. In my defence, I have a bad head cold.....

 

[Boon 51]

Obviously climbing is easier with less weight to lump up the mountain, but why not just select a lower gear on the heavier bike to allow the same cadence at a lower speed?

(That advice breaks down a bit once you get to extreme gradients, say >= 25%, because it is very easy to lift the front of the bike off a steep road when spinning a tiny gear.)

I do select a lower gear when climbing on my heavier bike but since I've got a lighter bike I can climb on a smaller cog on the cassette, which for me makes it a lot better and smoother and faster.

 

[nhanlm0601]

Hi,

If you are riding at high cadence and Low Ouput Power, you are training your slow-twitch muscles and enlarging them (hypertrophy). Slow-twitch muscles are best in endurance racing.

If riding at low cadence and high instantaneous power, you are training your fast-twitch muscles, which is good in sprinting (but in exchange, the latic acid for tomorrow pain is also awaiting). Note that when you stand-climb for a long period, you can really feels your shaky legs, that is when your fast-twitch uses all the energy, leaving your slow-twitch doing the work alone (reduced tremendous instantaneous power).


So, if you prefer not to have such pain after an uphill riding, a high-cadence and low instantaneous power output is the key.

Reference: http://www.hsc.csu.edu.au/pdhpe/core2/focus2/focus1/4007/2-1-4/fac2_1_4_6.htm

 

[MacB]

I thought both views were correct, your power to weight ratio is what it is and therefore a lighter bike will make climbing easier. I would imagine it will only assist with spinning when you've reached your last gear and you're flagging. On any given climb I don't know how much difference it will make, for example:-

Me = 108kg(yes I've lot weight)
Light bike = 7kg
Heavy Bike = 15kg

So totals are either 115kg or 122kg which means the light bike is only reducing the total weight by 6%

Though over a long ride and many hills I'd think that 6% would become more and more noticeable - if you're one of those skinny little whippets then the %age variance would be higher

 

[rb58]

I've found my natural cadence on the geared bikes has increased significantly since I've regularly been riding fixed gear. I also think (no data to support of course) I'm less tired after a long (flat) ride on fixed (when the average cadence will tend to be higher) than the equivalent on gears. I don't know whether that means the overall effort is less due to the higher cadence, or other factors such as the fly wheel effect, bike weight. Or it could just be the sense of triumph after a long ride on fixed.