for some people it makes a diff. i have been trying to up my cadence a little to try this out, went from an ave in my last two races of about 88 to about 98 this past weekend. i was able to keep a much better speed into the wind, not feel as tired, and within 100m of leaving T2 was running at race pace.

so yeah, i think it works for some people

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Link to my photography
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Difference between 90 and 95


= 5.

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-----------------------------Baron Von Speedypants
-----------------------------RunTraining articles here:
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/...runtraining;#1612485

Quote: "Is it in my head or can a seemingly small change make that big a difference?"


switchtotri,

A lot depends on how much you are taxing your cardiovascular system to start with. If you are operating at 20% effort, a one tooth gear change won't be as noticeable as when you are taxing your system at 85% and make that same one tooth gear change.

If you ever do group rides, try this next time and perhaps it will answer your question.

When the guy on the front jumps the speed up a couple mph, do you just muscle it out by mashing harder to speed up or do you drop into an easier gear that you can spin faster and accelerate up to speed more quickly?

There are some of us who believe that in any one exercise effort you can only dig deep a limited number of times before you tap yourself out. Picking an easier gear to accelerate to a faster speed relieves some of the stress you would otherwise place on your system if you just stayed in the same gear and tried to push harder to accelerate up to that speed.

All those gears are on your cranks and cassette for a reason. Why don't you start using them more often? It will actually make you a better cyclist.

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Ben Cline


Better to aspire to Greatness and fail, than to not challenge one's self at all, and succeed.

Or do you maintain the same cadence and shift to one gear harder to increase your speed? It can go both directions.

I would really like to see your answer to todder. I have noticed that you are someone I have learned from on your cycling posts. I normally spin a little higher than most, so when riding when someone picks up the pace, I drop to a harder gear and try to keep the same cadence................................and eventually get cooked. I hae never tried going to an easier gear and spinning faster. Is this what most roadies do? Pro's? Thanks Kenney

Kenney,

Like I said in my first reply, go to an easier gear and spin faster to accelerate more quickly. This will place less strain on your legs and heart than trying to push a bigger gear harder to accelerate. You should be able to do this a far greater number of times before you get "cooked" than trying to push the bigger gear harder.

Another way to think of it is an acceleration is like climbing a hill. Small acceleration = small hill, big acceleration = bigger hill. Its easier on your legs to climb the hill in an easier gear than a bigger gear. After you are tired and can't push the big gear up the hill what gear do you use? The easier gear! Its just that before you are "cooked" you can spin that easier gear faster than after you get tired. And spinning the easier gear will keep you from getting "cooked" as soon as you would if you just pushed that bigger gear harder.

Try it and see what you discover for yourself.

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Ben Cline


Better to aspire to Greatness and fail, than to not challenge one's self at all, and succeed.