Finally Switched Cassette's

[SoloCyclist]

This might be a silly question, and sorry for a hijack, but will climbing a relatively easy hill in too high a gear (having to get out the saddle with a lower cadence, opposed to changing down and keeping cadence higher) simulate climbing a harder hill in the proper gear?

 

[black'n'yellow]

This might be a silly question, and sorry for a hijack, but will climbing a relatively easy hill in too high a gear (having to get out the saddle with a lower cadence, opposed to changing down and keeping cadence higher) simulate climbing a harder hill in the proper gear?

not really - it will just make climbing your current hill more difficult than it ought to be. You don't need to ride up hills to become good at riding up hills - you just need to become better at maintaining a higher level of aerobic output for a given amount of time, which you can train for on the flat, or on a turbo if needs be.

 

[SoloCyclist]

not really - it will just make climbing your current hill more difficult than it ought to be. You don't need to ride up hills to become good at riding up hills - you just need to become better at maintaining a higher level of aerobic output for a given amount of time, which you can train for on the flat, or on a turbo if needs be.

That's good to hear. I'm going well at the moment and, as was the subject in another thread, I was going up a regular hill, on my regular route, which doesn't really cause me any problems. For no reason, other than to mix it up, I decided to take it out the saddle in a higher gear and the thought had crossed my mind.

I off to spain in a fortnight and there are some vicious climbs there. Lowest gear and having to zigzag not uncommon.

 

[black'n'yellow]

no problem with that. If you are riding harder up the same hill it will improve your CV system in relation to that particular type of climb - but it is a poor way of training for longer/harder climbs...

 

[SoloCyclist]

Actually, the long, hard climbs I can handle. It's the shorter, insane ones that kill me :-) I wonder how they manage to tarmac some of them. It's strange because a couple of them lead to nowhere other than the top of a hill with transmitters. I then turn round and descend the way I came, so I choose to climb them for the challenge. It's a strange hobby.

 

[jdtate101]

I usually ride a 12-25 on 53/39 chainset. Last week I tried out a 11-28 on 50/34 and the difference was huge. I actually couldn't use the lowest gear as it spun too fast for me to get any meaningful power down. Each to their own I guess.

 

[black'n'yellow]

some people are just too awesome to ride compact gearing..

 

[jdtate101]

some people are just too awesome to ride compact gearing..

Nah, when I saw the bike in the shop it was fitted with 53/39, and I was too impatient to get it to wait for them to order the parts. It doesn't make a huge difference on the flat, but in the hills at anything over 10% you really feel the change, plus I think I've got stronger as a result of pushing harder gears. I'm going to get a pair of Shimano C24's with an 11-28 cassette for when I go for serious hills. 28 with a 39 is the same ratio as 25 with a 34 ring. I recently did a week's riding in California and some of the hills almost defeated me (6% avg for over 20 miles with 15% sections - HC category) and that really showed up the deficiency in my ratio selection, I just couldn't spin.

 

[Andrew_P]

not really - it will just make climbing your current hill more difficult than it ought to be. You don't need to ride up hills to become good at riding up hills - you just need to become better at maintaining a higher level of aerobic output for a given amount of time, which you can train for on the flat, or on a turbo if needs be.

I would disagree with this, hills make you better at hills. Leg, aerobic and mental strength come with doing more hills.

 

[lulubel]

Actually, the long, hard climbs I can handle. It's the shorter, insane ones that kill me :-) I wonder how they manage to tarmac some of them. It's strange because a couple of them lead to nowhere other than the top of a hill with transmitters. I then turn round and descend the way I came, so I choose to climb them for the challenge. It's a strange hobby.

Those kind of hills? That's a really strange hobby!

Where in Spain are you going to be?

 

[Peteaud]

one of my local hills is 25% 1 in 4

Love to see that on a 39/25

 

[jdtate101]

one of my local hills is 25% 1 in 4

Love to see that on a 39/25

My knee's would break in protest I think....

 

[black'n'yellow]

I would disagree with this, hills make you better at hills.

they don't, well not in isolation - they are just a convenient way of developing aerobic and anerobic capacity - which can be developed anywhere.

Leg, aerobic and mental strength come with doing more hills.

building 'leg strength' is a red herring. Assuming you are generally in good health and if you can already climb stairs without the aid of a stair lift, then you already have all the physical leg strength you need to go up hills. Aerobic capacity can be developed anywhere - on hills, granted, but also on the flat or on a turbo in the garage.

Put two riders of equal weight in a hill climb - which one will win? - the one who lives in a hilly area, or the one who lives in a flat area, but who has a better aerobic and anerobic threshold..?

Living in a hilly area does not make you the best climber - I am living proof of that..

 

[zexel]

the reason i was thinking of the 48, is because i think it would give me better cruising speeds at the middle of the rear cassette, without having to go up and down the cassette to much for small climbs and small descents

That's exactly what it will do. I had a compact and never really liked it until I changed the 50 for 48, it also made shifting quicker and smoother too. (remember to drop the FD down slightly)

 

[style over speed]

I like my compact with 28 cassette, found a 26 too difficult at 10% +, tempted by the shimano 30 now. Think the suggestion to put a 48 on the front instead of 50 is a good one too… I've also bought a 32 and long apex RD but havent felt the need to fit them, not quite sure what sram were thinking with that...