I've recently started doing some hill repeats on a nice hill nearby, its about 2 miles long and takes me about 16-17 mins to do around 70rpm cadence. I normally do about 3 runs which takes about an hour and a half.
My cassette is a 12-27, so the largest cogs are 27 and 24 which is big difference. its pretty steep so that I end up using the 27 for about 2/3 of the hill and there is no way I could do the whole hill in the 24 around my LT. I have reached a fairly good comfort level with the 27 and would like to raise the intensity, should I get another cassette with a 25 on it or try muscling out the 24 slowly and painfully ?
You should use the 27T sprocket and get your cadence above 90rpm, rather than giving your knees a stress test in a higher gear at lower cadence.
+1. There is no use in getting stronger if you destroy your knees in the process. While pushing bigger gears is good for developing strength, you should do that on the flats....or in intervals.
In general, cyclists tend to make better power at higher cadences, so it's worthwhile training yourself to pedal at a higher cadence: you'll make better power, be more efficient, and not hurt one of the more important joints in your body.
I have a bum knee anyway, but found that the ravaging hills I used to repeat last year (an insane hill, which required lowest gear for 5 min out of the seat and a low cadence--and I was fit, it was truly a monster) did a real number on my knee after a few weeks. It feels great getting to the top, though 🙂
My flat riding subconscious cadence is around 85-95rpm but on hills somehow it requires a lot of mental work for me to go higher than 70rpm
My average for a hard ride is a smidge over 100, including hills. On a flat I'll be around 102-108, but on hills if I'm going to drop below 80-85 in the lowest gear, I definitely start thinking about going a gear harder and dropping to 70.
I'll be the Devil's advocate here - go with the 24 for as long as you can up the hill. Working hard will mean that after a few weeks you should be able to climb the whole thing in 24. Therefore your legs will have become stronger. 27 down to 24 isn't such a big drop(you could always get a 26 or 25 fitted as a second cog - usually cassettes go 25/27 anyway) so its unlikely to be much harder on your knee.
My knees play up occasionally(one more than the other) and partly because of that and because I live in a hilly area I put a cassette on my training bike(race bike 12/23) that is 12/27. Some months ago I built up a single speed that has a 62 inch gear. I haven't used my other training bike since!! The SS is so good. Its helped me climb and generally race faster in the weekly races I do. My knees have been fine - I just think my whole body has adapted. I'm now going to up its gearing to 66 and see how I go. Just like my first few weeks riding it - some hills will be stand up and crank(down to 44 rpm for one) but I'll adapt and hopefully as now I can get up all my local hills on the seat🙂 .
A friend of mine who's an A grade rider here is a friend of Gordon McCauley who has won our National road race four times in a row(possibly 5 times) and last year got bronze in the Commonwealth game TT etc that we need both speed(cadence) and strength. Unfortunately too many people focus only on speed.
I'll be the Devil's advocate here - go with the 24 for as long as you can up the hill. Working hard will mean that after a few weeks you should be able to climb the whole thing in 24. Therefore your legs will have become stronger. 27 down to 24 isn't such a big drop(you could always get a 26 or 25 fitted as a second cog - usually cassettes go 25/27 anyway) so its unlikely to be much harder on your knee.
My knees play up occasionally(one more than the other) and partly because of that and because I live in a hilly area I put a cassette on my training bike(race bike 12/23) that is 12/27. Some months ago I built up a single speed that has a 62 inch gear. I haven't used my other training bike since!! The SS is so good. Its helped me climb and generally race faster in the weekly races I do. My knees have been fine - I just think my whole body has adapted. I'm now going to up its gearing to 66 and see how I go. Just like my first few weeks riding it - some hills will be stand up and crank(down to 44 rpm for one) but I'll adapt and hopefully as now I can get up all my local hills on the seat🙂 .
A friend of mine who's an A grade rider here is a friend of Gordon McCauley who has won our National road race four times in a row(possibly 5 times) and last year got bronze in the Commonwealth game TT etc that we need both speed(cadence) and strength. Unfortunately too many people focus only on speed.
I don't see that strength and speed can't be combined. If I want to work on strength, I'll tackle a hill in a gear one higher than usual, but I will not not let my cadence drop below 90. My legs will then be working damn hard. The important thing is to look after your knees.
I don't see that strength and speed can't be combined. If I want to work on strength, I'll tackle a hill in a gear one higher than usual, but I will not not let my cadence drop below 90. My legs will then be working damn hard. The important thing is to look after your knees.
============================================================ Of course gaining speed and strength at the same time(and looking after one's knees) is the ideal. I was not ruling out either(you can read and interpret what I've written can't you?):o Its just that one element tends to dominate at stages while working on the whole.
============================================================ Of course gaining speed and strength at the same time(and looking after one's knees) is the ideal. I was not ruling out either(you can read and interpret what I've written can't you?):o Its just that one element tends to dominate at stages while working on the whole.
I don't think that you should do low cadence/ high torque work if at all possible, and I'll never ride a single speed for that reason. If you really want strength, do presses in a gym. I'm not sure that it's been proven that strength work is useful for anything but sprinting - I'd be happy to be shown any relevant sources if they conflict with my view.
