Grebel Posted January 19, 2011 Share Hi guys, This might have been discussed before, but after doing a search, I didn't see anything... My training partner and I had a difference of opinion this morning regarding his style of riding vs my style of riding. He preffers to push a bigger gear on the uphills and I preffer to spin a bit more in a lighter gear. He says that I am using more energy. My response was as follows: If you push a lower gear you need to put more power through your pedals to get from point A-B using a set amount of energy. If you spin at a higher cadence, you would exert less power for the same period of time to get from A-B and probably use the same amount of energy. I know that riding style is whatever suits you and there will be different opinions as to what is the best. I would like to know if one style is more efficient than the other. Spin vs grind. For the same route, distance and time, which technique would use the least amount of energy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TNT1 Posted January 19, 2011 Share Spinning a lower gear uses less energy. Wait, wait, the masses here will argue. Nevermind. (ask Lance why he learnt to spin low gears on the hills in order to win the TDF...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bikemonster Posted January 19, 2011 Share Technically the energy consumption would be the same. One technique uses less energy per pedal stroke (and covers less distance per pedal stroke), while the other technique uses more energy per pedal stroke (and covers more distance per pedal stroke). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Saint Posted January 19, 2011 Share Do you both get to the top of the hill at the same time? Personally I ride a bigger gear as I find I run out of lungs quicker if I spin it around. I would think if you have good cardio fitness spinning would be the way to go and if you have good leg fitness bigger gears. Rule of thumb when riding has always been the following - if you have good lungs and no legs ride an easy gear if you have good legs and no lungs ride a bigger gear. You can utilize this rule on any terrain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thumper Posted January 19, 2011 Share The Saint is almost spot on.You ride on your lugs and sprint on your legs! You can smash your lungs to bits and they will recover in 5min but your legs .... Once they are gone they are GONE! Edited January 19, 2011 by Thumper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grebel Posted January 19, 2011 Share Personally I find I can go longer spinning at a higher cadence, Granted I do breathh heavier but I don't seem to "spend" my legs. If I push a harder gear I seem to use up my power sooner if that makes any sense... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mets Posted January 19, 2011 Share Hi guys, This might have been discussed before, but after doing a search, I didn't see anything... My training partner and I had a difference of opinion this morning regarding his style of riding vs my style of riding. He preffers to push a bigger gear on the uphills and I preffer to spin a bit more in a lighter gear. He says that I am using more energy. My response was as follows: If you push a lower gear you need to put more power through your pedals to get from point A-B using a set amount of energy. If you spin at a higher cadence, you would exert less power for the same period of time to get from A-B and probably use the same amount of energy. I know that riding style is whatever suits you and there will be different opinions as to what is the best. I would like to know if one style is more efficient than the other. Spin vs grind. For the same route, distance and time, which technique would use the least amount of energy?I’d rather blow my lungs and save my legs than vise versa. I’m no expert on climbing, but what I’ve found is that if I grind my legs up a hill, I’ll carry it with me for the whole trail whereas with spinning the lungs will burn at the top of the hill, but be recovered by the next climb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TNT1 Posted January 19, 2011 Share Personally I find I can go longer spinning at a higher cadence, Granted I do breathh heavier but I don't seem to "spend" my legs. If I push a harder gear I seem to use up my power sooner if that makes any sense... The breathing will only change when your overall fitness gets better. Speed that up with intervals, otherwise, you are spot on with your comment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grebel Posted January 19, 2011 Share Do you both get to the top of the hill at the same time? Personally I ride a bigger gear as I find I run out of lungs quicker if I spin it around. I would think if you have good cardio fitness spinning would be the way to go and if you have good leg fitness bigger gears. Rule of thumb when riding has always been the following - if you have good lungs and no legs ride an easy gear if you have good legs and no lungs ride a bigger gear. You can utilize this rule on any terrain. We do both get to the top at the same time. I am breathing heavier than he is. I do battle with leg strength. It doesn't take long to feel the burn! Spending time in the gym should sort that out though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChainSuck Posted January 19, 2011 Share I find, particularly on longer climbs, that if I use a combination it works best for me. I'll sit and spin for a while, and when my lungs are about to burst I drop gears, get out of the saddle and grind away, and then drop back to spinning when my legs are poked again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwissVan Posted January 19, 2011 Share Spinning a lower gear uses less energy. Wait, wait, the masses here will argue. Nevermind. (ask Lance why he learnt to spin low gears on the hills in order to win the TDF...) Dude, evidence is in the record books, when last did a grinder win the TDF or a major tour? If your unsure which is best, I always remember a label I saw on a pair of baggy mountain bike type shorts that said “He who spins, Wins…” They sold thousands of them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Fastbastard Mayhem Posted January 19, 2011 Share If I remember correctly, the difference arises as a result of the use of different muscle fibres when doing a fast v slow cadence. Fast cadence is fast-twitch muscles, which generally use less blood & oxygen, and recover faster, vs the slow twitch muscles that use a lot more blood & oxygen, and recover alot slower. If you spin faster, it works out that you actually expel the same amount of work, but WORK less for it, if you know what I mean. consider it like hauling a bunch of goods through a pully system: how many times could you lift a weight of 50kg without leverage? possibly 5? 10? 20 at a push? Now do the same with a weight of 10kg. You'll be able to go for MUCH longer, and recover more quickly as well. You'll have to pull faster than the guy moving 50kg at a time, but that won't matter because you'll be doing it far more efficiently than him, at a much lower rate of exertion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grebel Posted January 19, 2011 Share So far the training regime has been as follows: Ride three days a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday for approximately 45-60minutes depending on the route that we choose. Saturday we go a bit longer +/- 2hrs. Tuesday and Thursday are supposed to be the gym days with an upper body and lower body workout. It has taken me so far but intervals seems to be the way to go. How does this look? Monday - Hill repeatsTuesday - Gym (lower)Wednesday - Recovery ride easy spinThursday - Gym (upper)Friday - Sprint intervalsSaturday - EnduranceSunday - Rest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Saint Posted January 19, 2011 Share I think it is also pertinent to know that getting to the top of a hill also requires some technique and is not just about turning the pedals over or grinding the gears. Just by adjusting to a more upright position on the bike and sitting back on the saddle will allow you to open up your lungs. Also get your hands closer to the stem of the bike ie hands on the flat part of the handle bar and not on the hoods. Drop a gear when you stand to pedal going uphill. Try to keep a relaxed and still upper body. Hope this helps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TNT1 Posted January 19, 2011 Share Dude, evidence is in the record books, when last did a grinder win the TDF or a major tour? If your unsure which is best, I always remember a label I saw on a pair of baggy mountain bike type shorts that said “He who spins, Wins…” They sold thousands of them Exactly! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwissVan Posted January 19, 2011 Share Sunday - Rest Hmm why waste a perfectly good work free day on resting, rest on Monday or Friday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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