more gears less effort

[cyclenic]

Today i went out for a 15 mile ride with a friend from work. we swapped bikes half way round. I have a Giant Rincon 18 speed. he has a something! but with 21 gears. I'd been struggeling a bit, and i'm pretty fit (ok well i'm not overweight, and fairly active).
Anywho, what i'm asking is, is it better to have more gears and find the ride easier, or better to have less gears, struggle a bit more on the hills, but get fitter from it??
I dont mind putting in the hard work, but i dont like having to stop and push ehrn it gets too steep.

 

[RedBike]

The number of gears has nothing to do with how easy it is to pedal.

Having 21 gears instead of 18 doesn't mean that his lowest gear is any lower or that his highest gear is any higher.

(It's all to do with the sizes of the sprockets /clogs involved not the number of them.)

Just keep riding and clocking up those miles and you'll soon get fitter. Then you'll wonder why you ever had to stop.

 

[chris667]

RedBike posted at the same time as me!
What he said.

 

[Headgardener]

The number of gears has nothing to do with how easy it is to pedal.

Having 21 gears instead of 18 doesn't mean that his lowest gear is any lower or that his highest gear is any higher.

(It's all to do with the sizes of the sprockets /clogs involved not the number of them.)

Just keep riding and clocking up those miles and you'll soon get fitter. Then you'll wonder why you ever had to stop.

Not certain how clog dancing makes you go faster.

 

[jimboalee]

Best thing to do.
When out on your own, really hammer yourself with big gears. Get those legs burning. Ride like the wind

Then when you are out with a group, you can ride with them at a lower intensity.

 

[peanut]

I am overweight and find it a real struggle on the local hills so I swopped my 12-25t for a 12-28t and to be honest it just made me a bit lazier.
Instead of pushing hard on the pedals in the 25t sprocket and suffering a bit of pain for a few minutes I shifted into the 28t sprocket and suffer a little less.

Problem is I started to do my Sunday hilly loop slower and slower .
Switched back to the 25t sprocket and persevered and now after 12 weeks I have developed some decent muscles and I'm finding it noticably easier to get up the hills

 

[Dave5N]

Not used one myself on a bike, but a heart rate monitor could stop you from falling into Peanut's hole. Knowing hao hard you can work can make you keep working hard.

 

[peanut]

not necessarily. It all depends on so many external factors such as dificulty of route , weather, current health etc . Far more accurate imo to use one's own assessment of 'perceived effort'.
I have had a HRM for 7 years and apart from when I used it for Tri training I have never used it

 

[summerdays]

I like having more gears - maybe it does make you lazy, but my knees can ache if I overdo it so I would rather have the option of going down a gear than pushing hard.

 

[ASC1951]

The number of gears has nothing to do with how easy it is to pedal.

Left to ourselves, we normally exercise at our discomfort threshold. There have been times when I was very fit, but it never felt any easier going up hills - I just went up them a lot faster and recovered a lot quicker.

 

[jimboalee]

The human being is inheritantly lazy. Only tough souls like us go out on a self propelled machine to cause ourselves discomfort.
Even so, an easier job is always desired, so we fit lower ratios to climb the hills slower but easier.

Easier because we are lifting the weight less distance per pedal stroke - kJoules.

With a 30 ring and a 25 sprocket, I can climb up a 12 % faster than I could walk.
12 % is the limit for me on that gear. Any lower and the speed drops to less than 3 mph - then it would be quicker to throw the bike over my shoulder. The work is the same 'cus the weight is the same.

Mass of bike & rider x vertical distance remains the same independent of the speed of assent.
The only difference is the workload - kJ / min. This is where heartrate is the gauge.

The time it takes from bottom to top will reduce as the heart develops following successive attempts.

So ASC1951 is correct. Get fit and the hills get easier.

 

[BIGSESAL]

Just get used to the bike. The more miles you easier it will be. Firstly, you will be fitter. Secondly, you will get to know the bike and you will know what gear you should be using. On a training ride push a wee bit harder than usual (not to hard) and then when you are out with your mates you should find it easier.

 

[cyclenic]

Cheers guys i'll keep pedaling

 

[Arch]

If you do find you're still struggling, you can lower your gear ratios, by getting smaller chain rings, rather than get a new bike to get more. Unless you are routinely finding that your current top gear isn't high enough...

I wouldn't have thought getting 3 more gears would make much difference, once you take into account the overlaps you get with the different sprockets and chainrings.