shouldbeinbed
Rollin' along
- Location
- Manchester way
Assuming here that you're not riding single speed bike and have front and rear gear options. What type of bike is it - I'm going to assume road but most of my thinking is pretty generic for different types.
Is your bike geared for the riding you are doing and are you making the right selection of gear to make the most of yourself and your riding style?
Gears require a bit of thinking to get the most out of them, they should be used to compliment one another so you're not crossing the chain - eg innermost rear cog and outermost front, or putting the front in the middle (if a triple set) ring and just moving up and down the rear.
There's nothing wrong with being in easier gears and spinning your legs faster than you think is normal, there is plenty of advice on cadence on here but it is a subjective thing & worth experimenting with to find your own version of just right.
If you are already in bottom gears (innermost cog rings) front and rear yet still struggling, then count the teeth on your largest and smallest cogs on your rear cassette eg, 12-25 and seek out one that will give you more teeth on the biggest cog, from my e.g. of 25 you could go to 28 maybe or even 30 depending on how much you struggle, this will make hills easier for a small financial outlay, you should consider the chain (2 more teeth ~ 1 more chain link) and maybe derailleur too if you do increase tooth count to be sure they fit a larger sprocket.
The smallest cog in effect determines your fastest speed on the flat so if you are comfortable with that aspect of your riding ensure that you find a cassette that doesn't significantly alter the e.g. 12 tooth lowest count and take away your fastest fun.
Other than that: as above, ensure your bike is set up comfortably: saddle height, tilt and fore/aft on the rails makes a huge difference to comfort and power, you can change pedal crank length and handlebar height and reach too if needs be to get perfect for you comfort and to wring the best out of it.
Then ride when the mood takes you for pleasure not as a daily chore & maybe think about commuting (assuming things here too admittedly) or do quick errands in the local area by bike, it is free training basically that you tend not to notice as there is a distinct purpose to the ride. Also maybe consider a turbo trainer (road bike specific thinking here) or ensure you have the right tyres and clothes and ride through the winter months so you keep improving and don't hit spring needing weeks to get back to where you are now.
Is your bike geared for the riding you are doing and are you making the right selection of gear to make the most of yourself and your riding style?
Gears require a bit of thinking to get the most out of them, they should be used to compliment one another so you're not crossing the chain - eg innermost rear cog and outermost front, or putting the front in the middle (if a triple set) ring and just moving up and down the rear.
There's nothing wrong with being in easier gears and spinning your legs faster than you think is normal, there is plenty of advice on cadence on here but it is a subjective thing & worth experimenting with to find your own version of just right.
If you are already in bottom gears (innermost cog rings) front and rear yet still struggling, then count the teeth on your largest and smallest cogs on your rear cassette eg, 12-25 and seek out one that will give you more teeth on the biggest cog, from my e.g. of 25 you could go to 28 maybe or even 30 depending on how much you struggle, this will make hills easier for a small financial outlay, you should consider the chain (2 more teeth ~ 1 more chain link) and maybe derailleur too if you do increase tooth count to be sure they fit a larger sprocket.
The smallest cog in effect determines your fastest speed on the flat so if you are comfortable with that aspect of your riding ensure that you find a cassette that doesn't significantly alter the e.g. 12 tooth lowest count and take away your fastest fun.
Other than that: as above, ensure your bike is set up comfortably: saddle height, tilt and fore/aft on the rails makes a huge difference to comfort and power, you can change pedal crank length and handlebar height and reach too if needs be to get perfect for you comfort and to wring the best out of it.
Then ride when the mood takes you for pleasure not as a daily chore & maybe think about commuting (assuming things here too admittedly) or do quick errands in the local area by bike, it is free training basically that you tend not to notice as there is a distinct purpose to the ride. Also maybe consider a turbo trainer (road bike specific thinking here) or ensure you have the right tyres and clothes and ride through the winter months so you keep improving and don't hit spring needing weeks to get back to where you are now.
