Which Gear? Personal preference, or science?

I would say your choice of gears comes along the line of personal preference, or to sum it up better personal experience. Once you ride more and more hills, flats, hill+flat, or rollers then you'll know how you react and i can bet that you'll change strategy and gearing over the years.

My first year my buddy told me to spin up every hill with a really high cadence (pedal strokes per minute) and it worked very well. I used to just sit down and spin out every hill.... and even during flats i kept a really high cadence. Which would be an easier gear. I would say i did well on the bike leg.

This year is my second year racing triathlon and i find i can push a lower gear on the flats and it feels way better and i am definitely getting a higher speed and keeping it with the power i have developed in my legs. On steep hills i stand up and bounce the pedals to climb the hills, but try to stay at 23-25kmh....

You mentioned you are fairly new to the bike... so i would recommend spinning up the hills with a high cadence like Lance Armstrong, and then trying several different things on flats.....

Keep it up, and you'll be amazed at how far you can travel on a bike! and how much more energy you have once you recover for 20 seconds after you just went all out on a hill!!


Edited by Jyles16 2009-09-04 2:15 PM

Or not.

Don't worry about WHAT gear you are in.  Worry about how you are pedaling.  Everyone has their own cadence that develops over time.  Your cadence is however what should dictate what gear you are in.  The most efficient range for cycling seems to be in the 80 - 110 rpm zone.  Notice how LARGE of a range that is.  This is because each person has their own set of physiological traits that makes them more efficient in a certain cadence level.  Some people spin well (high cadence) while others push a lower cadence in a little bit bigger gear.  Neither are right or wrong.

Now if you are going at 60 rpms everywhere then chances are you are not being very efficient and should shift to get into an easier gear.

You will figure out over time what seems to be the most effective range for you.  It is a good idea as mentioned by the poster above to experiment and try different things to see what works best for you.  But do not arbitrarily try something because a pro cyclist does it.  LA's been riding for over 20 years.  He has developed a style that works for him (read - huge heart and aerobic capacity).  Not everyone will benefit from the pedaling style that he does, nor should they even try and force themself to do it.

Always nice to see another "Cuse fan"!  I grew up in Syr.

When I started in 04 out I was mashing around on a MTB.  My first couple weeks on BT I read about cadence, and like what Rick stated, some where >80 is usually ideal.  I was pedaling at about 65-70 or so at the time.  I started tracking my cadence to get it up and immediately felt and saw how it helped me.  Today I race at a cadence of 95-105, take note that this has evolved over the last 5 years so it takes time.

Also note I ride most of the time in my small ring on the crank (39 tooth) and on the rear cassette the mid cogs (~19 tooth) to the next to smallest cog (14 tooth).  I live in flat land FL and with the next to smallest cog (14) I can push 22mph at 100 rpm cadence.  I only use my big ring above those speeds (e.g. downhill, tailwind, drafting in packs).

Welcome to BT!

Thanks for all the good advice..........oh, and Go 'Cuse!