speed secrets

ackfugue said:

Can anyone suggest any good online literature that I can read up on to
improve my speed in road biking? I'm sure, really, that it mainly
takes a willingness to get out there and simply ride my ass off, but
anything that I can use to beef things up a little bit more would be
beneficial.

Used to be I was one of those riders that rode in the second
chain-ring, but in the past months, I have discovered to benefit of
riding in the highest gears. Even when I attack the hills, I stay in
the higher gears and now ride past my cohorts on the hills where they
used to be the ones riding past me, and I have also discovered that I
don't die once I get to the top, so I inevitably drop the other riders.
I have tried to tell the other riders not to put their faith in lower
gears on the hills. They seem to waste that much more energy in all
those extra pedal strokes, which is what I used to do.

Now, I want to find out how I can improve my speed on the flats. I
guess only time will tell.

No it won't take so long. A good shortcut is to use 53 - 11 for all
riding on the flats. Train real hard and in time you'll be the fastest
rider anywhere.

/Robert

Robert said:

ackfugue said:

Can anyone suggest any good online literature that I can read up on
to improve my speed in road biking? I'm sure, really, that it mainly
takes a willingness to get out there and simply ride my ass off, but
anything that I can use to beef things up a little bit more would be
beneficial.

Used to be I was one of those riders that rode in the second
chain-ring, but in the past months, I have discovered to benefit of
riding in the highest gears. Even when I attack the hills, I stay in
the higher gears and now ride past my cohorts on the hills where they
used to be the ones riding past me, and I have also discovered that I
don't die once I get to the top, so I inevitably drop the other
riders. I have tried to tell the other riders not to put their
faith in lower gears on the hills. They seem to waste that much
more energy in all those extra pedal strokes, which is what I used
to do. Now, I want to find out how I can improve my speed on the flats.
I
guess only time will tell.

No it won't take so long. A good shortcut is to use 53 - 11 for all
riding on the flats. Train real hard and in time you'll be the fastest
rider anywhere.

Will that pay for new knees, too?

--
Phil Lee, Squid

Phil Lee said:

Robert said:

ackfugue said:

Can anyone suggest any good online literature that I can read up on
to improve my speed in road biking? I'm sure, really, that it mainly
takes a willingness to get out there and simply ride my ass off, but
anything that I can use to beef things up a little bit more would be
beneficial.

Used to be I was one of those riders that rode in the second
chain-ring, but in the past months, I have discovered to benefit of
riding in the highest gears. Even when I attack the hills, I stay in
the higher gears and now ride past my cohorts on the hills where they
used to be the ones riding past me, and I have also discovered that I
don't die once I get to the top, so I inevitably drop the other
riders. I have tried to tell the other riders not to put their
faith in lower gears on the hills. They seem to waste that much
more energy in all those extra pedal strokes, which is what I used
to do. Now, I want to find out how I can improve my speed on the flats.
I
guess only time will tell.

No it won't take so long. A good shortcut is to use 53 - 11 for all
riding on the flats. Train real hard and in time you'll be the fastest
rider anywhere.

Will that pay for new knees, too?

No, but the OP will troll for donations at the appropriate time.

Phil Lee said:

Robert said:

ackfugue said:

Can anyone suggest any good online literature that I can read up on
to improve my speed in road biking? I'm sure, really, that it mainly
takes a willingness to get out there and simply ride my ass off, but
anything that I can use to beef things up a little bit more would be
beneficial.

Used to be I was one of those riders that rode in the second
chain-ring, but in the past months, I have discovered to benefit of
riding in the highest gears. Even when I attack the hills, I stay in
the higher gears and now ride past my cohorts on the hills where they
used to be the ones riding past me, and I have also discovered that I
don't die once I get to the top, so I inevitably drop the other
riders. I have tried to tell the other riders not to put their
faith in lower gears on the hills. They seem to waste that much
more energy in all those extra pedal strokes, which is what I used
to do. Now, I want to find out how I can improve my speed on the flats.
I
guess only time will tell.

No it won't take so long. A good shortcut is to use 53 - 11 for all
riding on the flats. Train real hard and in time you'll be the fastest
rider anywhere.

Will that pay for new knees, too?

Why? Is there a proven connection between high gears/low cadence and
knee damage? How do you know lower gears/high cadence doesn't damage
the knees as well?

Jobst's knees seem to be doing ok.

Robin Hubert

On Sat, 08 Jul 2006 17:35:09 GMT, Robin Hubert <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Phil Lee said:

Robert said:

ackfugue wrote:
> Can anyone suggest any good online literature that I can read up on
> to improve my speed in road biking? I'm sure, really, that it mainly
> takes a willingness to get out there and simply ride my ass off, but
> anything that I can use to beef things up a little bit more would be
> beneficial.
>
> Used to be I was one of those riders that rode in the second
> chain-ring, but in the past months, I have discovered to benefit of
> riding in the highest gears. Even when I attack the hills, I stay in
> the higher gears and now ride past my cohorts on the hills where they
> used to be the ones riding past me, and I have also discovered that I
> don't die once I get to the top, so I inevitably drop the other
> riders. I have tried to tell the other riders not to put their
> faith in lower gears on the hills. They seem to waste that much
> more energy in all those extra pedal strokes, which is what I used
> to do. Now, I want to find out how I can improve my speed on the flats.
> I
> guess only time will tell.
>
No it won't take so long. A good shortcut is to use 53 - 11 for all
riding on the flats. Train real hard and in time you'll be the fastest
rider anywhere.

Will that pay for new knees, too?

Why? Is there a proven connection between high gears/low cadence and
knee damage? How do you know lower gears/high cadence doesn't damage
the knees as well?

Jobst's knees seem to be doing ok.

Robin Hubert

Dear Robin,

I doubt that I pedal as hard as Jobst does as he mashes up mountains,
but my knees don't bother me, either, as I cruise along the flats at
20 to 25 mph with my absurd 53x11.

Cheers,

Carl Fogel

Robin Hubert said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

No it won't take so long. A good shortcut is to use 53 - 11 for
all riding on the flats. Train real hard and in time you'll be the
fastest rider anywhere.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Will that pay for new knees, too?

Quoted message said:

Why? Is there a proven connection between high gears/low cadence
and knee damage? How do you know lower gears/high cadence doesn't
damage the knees as well?

Quoted message said:

Jobst's knees seem to be doing ok.

I don't recommend how people should ride. Many riders did not ride
bicycles for any distance until they were over 30 years old. That's a
long time to not perform any loaded knee bends similar to those of
bicycling. In bicycling, knee articulation is close to twice that of
climbing stairs... the only loaded knee bends people generally do.

As I have mentioned, the squat-jump exercise in the US Military caused
the greatest number of 4F deferments until it was banished. I believe
that most knee joints are not capable of repeated deep loaded bends
any more than they were with the squat-jump. When spinning a lower
gear, significant load on the knee is difficult to generate until mid
downstroke of the pedal. In contrast, full stroke loading is
necessary in high gears just to maintain momentum. Knee discomfort
also seems to occur most often near the top of the stroke for those
afflicted.

Ride the gears that work for you, and stop complaining about how
others ride.

Jobst Brandt

ackfugue says...

Quoted message said:

Can anyone suggest any good online literature that I can read up on to
improve my speed in road biking? I'm sure, really, that it mainly
takes a willingness to get out there and simply ride my ass off, but
anything that I can use to beef things up a little bit more would be
beneficial.

Used to be I was one of those riders that rode in the second
chain-ring, but in the past months, I have discovered to benefit of
riding in the highest gears. Even when I attack the hills, I stay in
the higher gears and now ride past my cohorts on the hills where they
used to be the ones riding past me, and I have also discovered that I
don't die once I get to the top, so I inevitably drop the other riders.
I have tried to tell the other riders not to put their faith in lower
gears on the hills. They seem to waste that much more energy in all
those extra pedal strokes, which is what I used to do.

Now, I want to find out how I can improve my speed on the flats. I
guess only time will tell.

My average speed went up when I concentrated on going to a higher
cadence. But it is possible to spin away in too low a gear when you can
and should be spinning away in a higher one. You won't have that
problem if you mash in a tall gear, because you will always notice if
you aren't mashing.

ackfugue said:

Can anyone suggest any good online literature that I can read up on to
improve my speed in road biking? I'm sure, really, that it mainly
takes a willingness to get out there and simply ride my ass off, but
anything that I can use to beef things up a little bit more would be
beneficial.

Used to be I was one of those riders that rode in the second
chain-ring, but in the past months, I have discovered to benefit of
riding in the highest gears. Even when I attack the hills, I stay in
the higher gears and now ride past my cohorts on the hills where they
used to be the ones riding past me, and I have also discovered that I
don't die once I get to the top, so I inevitably drop the other riders.
I have tried to tell the other riders not to put their faith in lower
gears on the hills. They seem to waste that much more energy in all
those extra pedal strokes, which is what I used to do.

Now, I want to find out how I can improve my speed on the flats. I
guess only time will tell.

Queer that you give advice to others yet don't seem to know the
rudiments of training yourself.

I'd suggest you start a serious interval training routine. That worked
for me this winter leaving me faster at springtime than I was at end of
last season. OTOH, I'm very new to this so improvements come fast at my
stage.

Either you'll be the fastest, or speed won't be a problem any more,
because you're knees will be shot.

Ken

"Robert" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

ackfugue said:

Can anyone suggest any good online literature that I can read up on
to
improve my speed in road biking? I'm sure, really, that it mainly
takes a willingness to get out there and simply ride my ass off,
but
anything that I can use to beef things up a little bit more would
be
beneficial.

Used to be I was one of those riders that rode in the second
chain-ring, but in the past months, I have discovered to benefit of
riding in the highest gears. Even when I attack the hills, I stay
in
the higher gears and now ride past my cohorts on the hills where
they
used to be the ones riding past me, and I have also discovered that
I
don't die once I get to the top, so I inevitably drop the other
riders.
I have tried to tell the other riders not to put their faith in
lower
gears on the hills. They seem to waste that much more energy in
all
those extra pedal strokes, which is what I used to do.

Now, I want to find out how I can improve my speed on the flats. I
guess only time will tell.

No it won't take so long. A good shortcut is to use 53 - 11 for all
riding on the flats. Train real hard and in time you'll be the
fastest rider anywhere.

/Robert

Squid said:

Will that pay for new knees, too?

Couldn't agree more! When your knees begin to complain, doesn't matter
how much more muscle strenght you get, if your knees can't take it.

Improving endurance capacity, I find quite a diferent matter, thought,
even for those with weak knees.

Just my 2 knees - sorry, cents, of course! ;-)

jbr

On Sat, 08 Jul 2006 17:35:09 GMT, Robin Hubert <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Why? Is there a proven connection between high gears/low cadence and
knee damage? How do you know lower gears/high cadence doesn't damage
the knees as well?

I think it's really a matter of common sense, but if you don't see it
that way, compare it with sandpaper just lightly over something, or
pressing as hard as you can on the sandpaper.

Quoted message said:

Jobst's knees seem to be doing ok.

Lucky guy! Can I borough those? Mine can hardly take off the sadle
spining.

Better still, can my 80 years old father - who never cycled in his
life - and who's waiting for a complete knee prostase operation,
borough Jobst's knees?

It's not just about training hard - if your body is not working
properly, no amount of hard training will correct that (although it
might help the body function better, that I know from experience).

jbr

BigBen said:

Squid said:

Will that pay for new knees, too?

Couldn't agree more! When your knees begin to complain, doesn't matter
how much more muscle strenght you get, if your knees can't take it.

Knee pain is often related to muscle weakness or
imbalance.

--
Scott Johnson / johnson dot sa at comcast dot net
Used to squat 400+lbs 3x a week....

On Wed, 12 Jul 2006 15:20:15 -0500, Scott Johnson

johnson.sa@TIBASICREADY!comcast.net said:

Knee pain is often related to muscle weakness or
imbalance.

Muscle weakness, I can understand, although I'm not sure I agree.

By imbalance, however, what do you mean??

jbr