Overtaken

[kiwifruit]

This morning on my ride, about 20 miles into my 30 miles I was overtaken my another cyclist (roadie), there's nothing wrong being overtaken. I saw this cyclist about 50 Meters in front of me on the opposite of the road. As I turned into this country lane roughly 2 mile long with overgrown tree. The lane has quite a few twist and turns and some steep sharp inclines. As I struggle to get up the first steep incline, in low gear and out of the saddle, the cyclist just overtook me effortlessly on the saddle, as he went pass I can see he was peddling with high cadence. As I got to the top the cyclist just disappeared into the distance.

Do you think high cadence work better on steep sharp hills?

 

[MikeW-71]

If you've got the fitness, yes. Climbing in the saddle is more efficient.

If the climb is very short, he's put in a big effort to spin up it, which can look effortless from the outside, but is basically a seated sprint. I do it myself on very short lumps.

 

[Racing roadkill]

This morning on my ride, about 20 miles into my 30 miles I was overtaken my another cyclist (roadie), there's nothing wrong being overtaken. I saw this cyclist about 50 Meters in front of me on the opposite of the road. As I turned into this country lane roughly 2 mile long with overgrown tree. The lane has quite a few twist and turns and some steep sharp inclines. As I struggle to get up the first steep incline, in low gear and out of the saddle, the cyclist just overtook me effortlessly on the saddle, as he went pass I can see he was peddling with high cadence. As I got to the top the cyclist just disappeared into the distance.

Do you think high cadence work better on steep sharp hills?

The more points of contact you have with the bike, the more efficiently you use your energy. High cadence low gear, will work, if your fitness level allows the increase of heart rate into a higher zone. Steep hills are the only time I go for low gear high cadence. On a longer ride I find getting my heart rate much over zone 2, is going to get tiring, so I adopt a high gear low cadence approach for the majority of my time.

 

[kiwifruit]

Do that mean the fitter you get the higher cadence you can achieved? Even in low gear on long climbs am just spinning 70-80 rpm.

 

[MikeW-71]

Do that mean the fitter you get the higher cadence you can achieved? Even in low gear on long climbs am just spinning 70-80 rpm.

No, you can just keep that effort up for longer. On a long climb, like the 2 to 3 mile ones I did yesterday, I'll be a low gear and something like 85-90rpm. I was overtaken by a few others on the way up who were spinning a similar cadence in a higher gear.

They seemed to be a local club with legs like tree trunks

You'll have your own comfortable climbing method, stick with it. As fitness improves, you'll find that you go a bit faster without really noticing.

I doubt I'll ever be a really fast climber, I just want to get to the top, however slowly or quickly that might be

 

[Crackle]

There's no one answer. Depends on you and the hill and your fitness. if it gets much over 7% I don't even worry about cadence, it just drops and changing gear seems to keep the cadence the same and the speed drops. I suspect this is because I'm approaching the limits of my riding ability once it gets steep. I get better at hills if I ride more, not if I arse about with my gear levers. Might be different if you're a stronger rider.

 

[kiwifruit]

Are you sure you don't mean that you were in high gear and out of the saddle?

Well I think I was in the small ring and middle sprocket.

 

[kiwifruit]

No, you can just keep that effort up for longer. On a long climb, like the 2 to 3 mile ones I did yesterday, I'll be a low gear and something like 85-90rpm. I was overtaken by a few others on the way up who were spinning a similar cadence in a higher gear.

They seemed to be a local club with legs like tree trunks

You'll have your own comfortable climbing method, stick with it. As fitness improves, you'll find that you go a bit faster without really noticing.

I doubt I'll ever be a really fast climber, I just want to get to the top, however slowly or quickly that might be

I think I do struggle with hills

 

[Racing roadkill]

Although this doesn't extend to resting your forehead on the top cap of the stem.

Ah bugger, I'd better pack that in then.

 

[bikeman66]

It wasn't an U23 female Belgian cyclo cross rider who overtook you by any chance, was it??

 

[Jaykun85]

i struggle with hills though i am new and just still getting used to the gearing .. my problem is I'm not thinking ahead and anticipating .. the down hill I'm good at so I'm half way there

 

[MikeW-71]

Well I think I was in the small ring and middle sprocket.

If you were out of the saddle with gears still to go, you are possibly a couple of gears too high for that hill. A lower gear should let you stay seated to climb. If it's a short steep one, you can blast it, BUT you need to be sure you can get over the top in less than 10 seconds, because that's all the time you've got at full power.

I was way down to 34-30 and even the 34-34 when it got steeper. Slow and steady gets me to the top without dying.

The only time I've seen anyone climb a long hill out of the saddle was yesterday... but he was on a single-speed.

 

[Smokin Joe]

The simple answer to the OP is that he was overtaken by a fitter and faster cyclist.

I'd like to say it was by me, but it wasn't

 

[kiriyama]

For short steep ones I find a high cadence low gear can work well and LOOK effortless. The trick is maintaining that cadence without having to downshift!

I also find a higher gear lower cadence out of the sadle effort can work well too. Often faster but more tiring as your using more muscles.

As with any type of hill your going to fail psychological before you fail phisicaly. But at least a short steep hill is over quickly, so just commit to whatever method you choose.

 

[Justinslow]

I got overtaken yesterday on a TT by a guy (who won) on a "fixie". He doesn't get a lot of choice with cadence! He just literally flew past and disappeared into the distance, impressive.