As has been said, there's always someone better.
I'm one of the better climbers on our club runs but when out on chaingang, I can keep up but I'm hanging on especially at the end of the ride. Last night on the penultimate climb (which isn't particularly big but after 90 minutes of eyeballs out takes on new levels of pain!) I thought for once I'd see how I fared by spinning up it - the speed we usually go at and the acceleration over the top mean it's best just to keep it in the big ring. I was doing alright in about 39x15, nice and steady, pretty fast. Then two of the better guys (both 1st cats) put a dig in - they were on 53x15 and making it all look far too easy!
It's definitely a case how much further up the chain they are than how low you are. I there are far more below you than above you.
I'm one of the better climbers on our club runs but when out on chaingang, I can keep up but I'm hanging on especially at the end of the ride. Last night on the penultimate climb (which isn't particularly big but after 90 minutes of eyeballs out takes on new levels of pain!) I thought for once I'd see how I fared by spinning up it - the speed we usually go at and the acceleration over the top mean it's best just to keep it in the big ring. I was doing alright in about 39x15, nice and steady, pretty fast. Then two of the better guys (both 1st cats) put a dig in - they were on 53x15 and making it all look far too easy!
It's definitely a case how much further up the chain they are than how low you are. I there are far more below you than above you.
