Gears

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

I try to keep my cadance around 90. but found myself being lazy, if my cadance dropped i would drop down gears to get my cadence up to 90. But I'd end up going quite slow especially on climbs. Over the last few weeks instead of dropping gears to get to a high cadence. Iv been pushing slightly higher gears and working my cadence back up to 90. As a result my fitness has improved as I'm pushing myself a bit more which in turn is making me a bit faster . so in a sence I have been denying myself gears. But I wouldn't push a gear that I couldn't get back up to 90. As others have said it knackers your knees!

Any chance you're spending too much time concentrating on cadence?

 

[kiriyama]

Any chance you're spending too much time concentrating on cadence?

I honestly try not to ! I currently dony even have a cadance sensor, I just know what 90 feels like and try and stick in that area.

 

[Citius]

I try to keep my cadance around 90. but found myself being lazy, if my cadance dropped i would drop down gears to get my cadence up to 90. But I'd end up going quite slow especially on climbs. Over the last few weeks instead of dropping gears to get to a high cadence. Iv been pushing slightly higher gears and working my cadence back up to 90. As a result my fitness has improved as I'm pushing myself a bit more which in turn is making me a bit faster . so in a sence I have been denying myself gears. But I wouldn't push a gear that I couldn't get back up to 90. As others have said it knackers your knees!

Also known as 'putting in more effort'. You put in more effort = your fitness improves. Your cadence of 90 (or any other number) is incidental.

 

[kiriyama]

Also known as 'putting in more effort'. You put in more effort = your fitness improves. Your cadence of 90 (or any other number) is incidental.

Putting in more effort at a good cadence is more effective than obliterating your knees by pedalling in too high a gear (as the original post was about) so I don't consider it 'incidental' regarding the original question... just pointing out a better way of getting fit than hurting yourself....

 

[Citius]

A cadence you are comfortable with is important. A cadence of 90 is incidental to most people reading this. If 90 also happens to be your preferred cadence, then that's great.

Pedalling in the correct position shouldn't actually put that much stress on the knee in any case. Most knee injuries come from over-use or poor fit issues, or some other pre-existing condition, not from pushing big gears as such.

 

[Lone Wolf]

Thanks for all the info guys.