Are you a honker?

[DaveReading]

Not exactly, is it just getting out of the saddle, or getting out to the point where you have to stop as you cannot go any further, not one I have ever come across, is it colloquial to your area?

I think you're confusing honking with bonking, it's an easy mistake.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

I think you're confusing honking with bonking, it's an easy mistake.

At my age I have no use for either

 

[Ming the Merciless]

You know the phrase “If you honk you won’t bonk“

 

[snorri]

Always known it as dancing, but as you say new slang word of the day, Thank you

I hear it used to describe food found in a long disused fridge, someone opens the door, gets a lung full and describes it as "***** honking".

 

[ianrauk]

(Raises hand.)

View attachment 516747

Is that Cudham Hill?

 

[Dogtrousers]

Is that Cudham Hill?

Yup.

Well I think it's actually called Downe Rd but it's the hill from Downe into Cudham

 

[ColinJ]

What happens when you run out of gears?

You realise that you have to do something about it before the next time you go up that hill!

My Cannondale used to have a bottom gear of 39/29, which wasn't low enough for me so I put a triple chainset on. I also bought some different cassettes which had slightly bigger big sprockets. My lowest gear is now 28/30 and I can get up almost anything on that. 25+% is tough but in that gear I can laugh at 15%!

My singlespeed bike's ratio is 52/19 and in that gear I have no choice but to stand up and 'honk' on anything steeper than about 7-8%, and walk on anything steeper than 12% (or more than about 250 metres of 10%).

 

[gavroche]

You realise that you have to do something about it before the next time you go up that hill!

My Cannondale used to have a bottom gear of 39/29, which wasn't low enough for me so I put a triple chainset on. I also bought some different cassettes which had slightly bigger big sprockets. My lowest gear is now 28/30 and I can get up almost anything on that. 25+% is tough but in that gear I can laugh at 15%!

My singlespeed bike's ratio is 52/19 and in that gear I have no choice but to stand up and 'honk' on anything steeper than about 7-8%, and walk on anything steeper than 12% (or more than about 250 metres of 10%).

My Cube is currently 30/34 and I am going to change it to 30/42 ( if possible ) as soon as my lbs reopens.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I currently run 1:1 (34/34) bottom gear. I went from a slightly higher 32/34 a couple of years ago. It does me for most things, unless I'm particularly knackered, in which case I walk. I tend to go straight to bottom gear, do not pass go, do not collect £200, as soon as any hill gets nasty.

 

[Banjo]

I had 32 chain ring 34 biggest cog for a while when I did bigger distances. People walking could overtake as I spun up steep hills,Honking uses more energy than spinning .

 

[DSK]

What happens when you run out of gears?

One starts to think about an e-bike

 

[anothersam]

Always known it as dancing

Reminds me of a book:

 

[figbat]

Best I have is on-road 34F:28R - I have ground out some very low cadence, wobbly ascents but I'm just too stubborn to walk.

Some time ago I was grinding out a long climb offroad alongside someone in a similar predicament. At that a jogger overtook us, at which the other rider exclaimed "well, that was embarrassing".

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Some time ago I was grinding out a long climb offroad alongside someone in a similar predicament. At that a jogger overtook us, at which the other rider exclaimed "well, that was embarrassing".

Not as embarrassing as when I get joggers overtake me on the flat.

 

[fossyant]

This. Road bike and hardtail I'll honk occasionally, maybe over a short steep section but on the full-sus I stay seated as honking just feels unproductive.

Interestingly the full-sus and hardtail are climbing the same segments at around the same pace - they weigh about the same and I am riding them on consecutive days. I was surprised how well the full-sus climbed.

Same when compared to a rigid 90's MTB - just as fast. If I want to honk it, I'll lock it out, but not worth it. You can't honk when the going is rough, only on a smooth climb.