Gearing Efficiency Shaves Ten Minutes

[Ride]

Hi all,

On my forth ride (this being my second ride in to work) I shaved 10 minutes off of my time, taking it down to 48 minutes for the 15km. I was not trying to beat my previous time and I've not been riding long enough to realise that sort of gain from fitness. What I've attributed it to is better use of the gears. I managed to keep a lot of the momentum going and got 20+km/h on the limited flats by staying in the harder gears (higher?) a little longer.

Is this normal for a beginner to see such a dramatic change from gearing alone? I find I am shifting quite a lot but I think that is because it is so hilly.


Ride

 

[BSRU]

In my opinion, you should be trying to select a gear to maintain a good cadence, 80 rpm is a good target to aim for.

 

[Norm]

Keeping the speed up is good, keeping the cadence up is good, dropping your time by 10 minutes is fantastic.

I've a 10 mile (16 km) off road route which I dropped from 62 to 42 minutes in 3 months, so I think you'll continue to see gains for a while yet, although unlikely to be another one of that sort of size in such a short term.

 

[jay clock]

you will soon forget how often you change gear. on a hilly route you will do so a LOT

well done

 

[albion]

10 minutes is often accounted for by wind direction.

 

[PpPete]

I'd echo the comments about cadence, but I see a lot of folks using very low gears - because that's what MTBs are fitted with... gears to go up mountains - even when they don't need to.

Get a fixed wheel - up hills it will improve your leg strength, downhill it will teach you to spin like a crazed hamster.
Them go back to your gears and use them to keep your cadence to 90 - 100 rpm. Probably take another 10 minutes off.

 

[biggs682]

+ 1 re fixed or even try singlespeed

 

[downfader]

LOL s/he's only his 4th ride, prolly too soon for a new bike, people, haha!

Cadence and speed is all very well, but be gentle on the knees. Remember to do a few stretches and hydrate, esp for a beginner.

 

[MrGrumpy]

Yep get a fixed gear and grind those hills Wish I could compare with a geared road bike now after doing my commute the last 3-4 years on fixed, just wonder if I would be quicker?

 

[BentMikey]

80rpm? Rlly? I'd go for 90-100 myself, depending on where you find your body's strengths lie.

 

[Canrider]

If my math is correct, it's an increase of about 2mph on average. (roughly 9.5 to 11.5mph) What most people above have said goes:

- more familiarity with the route
- more familiarity with the bike
- more familiarity with what your legs can take
and then
- wind direction
- lights or lack thereof
- changes in traffic patterns
- what you ate for breakfast
- ???

Ignore the people suggesting a fixed gear (and I ride one myself), learn your bike, try aiming for a cadence of 80+ rpm and then see if that suits your or not. Another ten minutes off would take you to about 14.6mph average, which I consider a pretty good commuting speed in traffic including lights and roundabouts. I doubt I do much better than that through York when I'm on the bike and that's only 3 miles so I tend to cane it.

Well done getting on the bike--an unavoidable 10mile commute is what got me back into cycling. Enjoy and tell us how your times improve!