Shifting Gears

The best advice we can give about gears is - - USE THEM!

You should shift as soon as you feel your cadence (the rate you're spinning the pedals) getting either very slow or very fast, and/or you're feeling too little or too much pressure on the pedals.

To effectively and efficiently ride long distances (60+ miles) without wearing out your legs too early in the ride, you need to have a fairly high cadence and not so much pressure on the pedals that your legs are straining too much. What cadence are we shooting for? On the flats, 85-95 rpm. On the climbs, your cadence will naturally fall. That's fine -- but don't let it drop below 73 rpm. Most people produce their highest amount of power at cadences in the 70s; so this is where you climb.

What does this mean for your training? Try to keep your cadence high and feel a little discomfort (not pain) in your quads. On your fast days, your legs should burn most of the ride. On your long day, pace yourself so that you can keep the effort constant throughout the ride.

Experienced cyclists shift a lot. The more you practice the more natural it will become. In time, you'll be able to know what gear you're in without looking. You'll know when you're out of cogs so that it's time to shift chainrings up front. 

There are two reasons to shift to an easier gear before you need it. First, the bike shifts much better without a lot of pressure on the pedals. Second, it helps prevent you from wearing out your legs by mashing down hard on the pedals to get the speed to shift.

Shift to a harder (faster) gear as soon as your cadence goes too high to be comfortable or you're not exerting yourself enough. This may also help prevent (excuse the bluntness) crotch problems related to bouncing on the saddle.

Bottom line: Use your gears to keep your exertion level fairly constant during the ride (the hills will always be harder though)!

For the super newbies, please read on:

These are chainrings:

    

You shift these with your left hand/shifter. For the purposes of the Ride To Empower, and generally speaking, you only need the biggest ring when you're riding downhill or on a very flat road with a tailwind. The smallest ring, or "granny gear" is your best friend in the hills. Don't be shy about using it. 

This is a cog set.

You shift up and down the cog set with your right hand/shifter. The smallest cogs are for descending and riding on flat roads. When you're climbing, move on up the set, all the way to the top if needs be! Use those gears!!! Don't be shy!

Comments

[Donna Pelletier]

I truly enjoy the ongoing blog that leads up to the ride. Lots of information to help train and learn more about the fun sport of cycling. Good Job! and thanks for all the tips that will lead me to success in Nevada!