Hill Cadence
- sminns
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Hill Cadence
Postby sminns » Sun Sep 22, 2013 5:25 pm
If the optimum cadence when on flats is 90-100 pr thereabouts, what's the aim on hills? I find if I aim for high cadence on hills by strava results suffer big time! but if I aim for more speed my HR gets pretty high.
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Re: Hill Cadence
Postby warthog1 » Sun Sep 22, 2013 5:29 pm
I'm pretty new to decent climbs, but I find I mix the cadence up more than I do on the flats.sminns wrote:People, what's your aim when climbing hills? Certain cadence range? HR limit?
If the optimum cadence when on flats is 90-100 pr thereabouts, what's the aim on hills? I find if I aim for high cadence on hills by strava results suffer big time! but if I aim for more speed my HR gets pretty high.
There are periods of greater than 90 but I tend to cadence lower overall than on the flats. Out of the saddle is lower too.
- RonK
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Hill Cadence
Postby RonK » Sun Sep 22, 2013 5:39 pm
I seem to generate most power at around 70rpm, but ultimately it is whatever I can sustain, depending on the grade, without crossing my aerobic threshold.
There have been times when a tiny change in cadence has been the difference between getting to the top and blowing up.
My tip: once you blow up, changing down gears won't save you. Do not rush at the climb - start in a gear you can handle. You can always change up if you're well on top of it.
- il padrone
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Re: Hill Cadence
Postby il padrone » Sun Sep 22, 2013 5:48 pm
I don't use any sort of cadence measurement device, but know from past use of a cadence computer that at around 90rpm I am looking to change to a lower gear. I think that on most climbs I tend to spin faster than on the flat.
"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."
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Re: Hill Cadence
Postby human909 » Sun Sep 22, 2013 7:07 pm
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Re: Hill Cadence
Postby trailgumby » Sun Sep 22, 2013 7:19 pm
But I've just started riding a road bike with standard gearing for something different while my tweaked thumb settles, and I have no hope of maintaining that on a climb whatsoever, unless it is a shallow one.
Today I found I was doing around 60-70, swapping between seated and standing. West head has some hilly sections and I covered about 1,000m vertical over 65km. Think I'm going to have to swap in a compact crankset if I want to use this as a ride-to-work bike on a regular basis. My form was horrible!
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Re: Hill Cadence
Postby Dimis » Sun Sep 22, 2013 7:22 pm
If I'm aiming for a quick time, I'm in higher gears girding away.
Not surprisingly my HR is up, and my energy levels suffer.
My strava times suggest this is the quickest way for me.
But if I'm aiming to survive to tackle steeper, or other hills, that day, or the next hill...
My cadence is up (in easier gears), but my times drop off.
Bonus is my legs (and heart) feel less taxed at the end of the day.
I try to ride by the feel not by the numbers my computer pumps out.
Sometimes, I pace myself well and feel like I'm floating over the hills, and other times...
Well, lets not talk about them...
- singlespeedscott
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Re: Hill Cadence
Postby singlespeedscott » Sun Sep 22, 2013 11:23 pm
On the road I find my cadence is a lot lower. Around 60-70 rpm. There's is a couple of climbs around where I live that I would like to climb as fast as my mates but I simply can't go as fast as they do.
If a drop back a gear so I can pedal faster I still find my cadence remains the same and I go slower. If I go a higher a gear I just can't spin the pedals and have to get out of the saddle. I guess I'm am just never going to be a climber as much as I like riding hills.
- Derny Driver
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Re: Hill Cadence
Postby Derny Driver » Mon Sep 23, 2013 12:34 am
You have to control your heart rate or you will blow. You settle on a gear that is comfortable without being too ridiculously hard to push. Cadence of 60-70 is normal. Stand up on the steeper sections but stay seated as much as possible as this is more efficient and faster.sminns wrote:People, what's your aim when climbing hills? Certain cadence range? HR limit?
If the optimum cadence when on flats is 90-100 pr thereabouts, what's the aim on hills? I find if I aim for high cadence on hills by strava results suffer big time! but if I aim for more speed my HR gets pretty high.
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Re: Hill Cadence
Postby briztoon » Mon Sep 23, 2013 1:31 am
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Re: Hill Cadence
Postby Eleri » Mon Sep 23, 2013 2:41 am
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Re: Hill Cadence
Postby g-boaf » Mon Sep 23, 2013 8:11 am
Find that easier to be honest. I also approach the climb at a speed I can manage, and if I'm doing okay I might speed up a bit more. I aim to be powering across the top of the climb with no troubles rather than blowing up.
- il padrone
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Re: Hill Cadence
Postby il padrone » Mon Sep 23, 2013 9:23 am
"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."
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Re: Hill Cadence
Postby Xplora » Mon Sep 23, 2013 1:12 pm
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Re: Hill Cadence
Postby TDC » Mon Sep 23, 2013 1:37 pm
Some riders are grinders, some are spinners, some are mashers, some like to stand up, and some use all of the techniques.
- singlespeedscott
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Re: Hill Cadence
Postby singlespeedscott » Mon Sep 23, 2013 2:10 pm
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Re: Hill Cadence
Postby singlespeedscott » Mon Sep 23, 2013 2:12 pm
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Re: Hill Cadence
Postby Eleri » Mon Sep 23, 2013 6:25 pm
Yes, running out of gears is definitely the limiter. If it's much over 7 or 8% you either have to have very low gears to ride at anything over 70rpm - I'm riding compacts 11/28 on 650c wheels - or be very strong (not me).Xplora wrote:Spin faster and faster... as a rule, it's much harder to spin 120rpm up a long hill than 80 because you run out of gears most of the time, but if you can keep the cadence high and not punch through your HR limits, that is ideal.
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