It can translate to improved pedaling efficiency if you can intentionally shorten the "power pulse" on each pedal stroke. Requires significant changes to the pedaling technique and muscle recruitment.
Did You Ride Today?
- Thread starter Mr. Beanz
- Start date
A very short ride this AM with about 3200 ft of vertical .
Broke thru the fog about at about 1500 feet and by the time I came back down hill it had all burned off.
Had fueled on the mountain with a honey stinger bar and Liquid IV. However my pre ride hydration had me "holding it".
No real heavy cramps this time . Took it a little easy and just spun up best as could , could not avoid out of the saddle just to keep bike rolling near the summit. ( and a few of the steepest parts of climb)
Just 40mph a few places at tops in between heavy braking sharp turns all the way down . Hit a rock with the rear tire in one turn and my tire moved over about a foot it seemed before it hooked up . ( good thing for trail skills)
Nice rush seemed to last all day up to now.
Pics not arranged in order . Lazy tonight Second pic "rock city" popular with climbers
"Devils elbow" conveniently exaggerated by iPhones wide view.
Radio towers near top and and last pic wider view of same turn . A tad steep though that section.
Going
Broke thru the fog about at about 1500 feet and by the time I came back down hill it had all burned off.
Had fueled on the mountain with a honey stinger bar and Liquid IV. However my pre ride hydration had me "holding it".
No real heavy cramps this time . Took it a little easy and just spun up best as could , could not avoid out of the saddle just to keep bike rolling near the summit. ( and a few of the steepest parts of climb)
Just 40mph a few places at tops in between heavy braking sharp turns all the way down . Hit a rock with the rear tire in one turn and my tire moved over about a foot it seemed before it hooked up . ( good thing for trail skills)
Nice rush seemed to last all day up to now.
Pics not arranged in order . Lazy tonight Second pic "rock city" popular with climbers
"Devils elbow" conveniently exaggerated by iPhones wide view.
Radio towers near top and and last pic wider view of same turn . A tad steep though that section.
Going
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No lie, Naked lady on the trail tour. Solo 40. 
Must have needed a little vitamin from Sun.
I got to slow down on the rides , must be missing this stuff.
I got to slow down on the rides , must be missing this stuff.
No lie, Naked lady on the trail tour. Solo 40.
Hope you also stopped to check if she's alright. She's laying way too close to the road, dirt on her arms and what she doing with those twigs. Things look out of place.
She was alright. She was sitting up taking selfies when I first rode by heading to the beach. Actually a much better pose than the one I got
The posted image was taken about 30 minutes later after a break at the beach. And about a mile from the coast. She was singing when I went by the second time. Quite few people going by. I'm sure someone called the police though they wouldn't do anything about it, if they showed up.
This is California. People can walk out the grocery store with bags full and nobody will do anything about it
It's that bad!
It is a shame of the situation in Ca and other states too. The smash n grab or walk out full cart even the flatbed wagon at home depot they will take large items n roll them right into their trunk . Pretty sad , they do this knowing it is so very wrong . I saw a clip online of a store in Ca - the merchant had enough and they were beating a thief with a long stick right there in the store. Part of me was like "kick his ass!".
Glad that classy girl was OK for most part. Maybe she got to the reefer a little earlier.
This am logged 24 mile solo out and back with a loop in the middle.
No pics as they all sucked. Left at 04:22 hour 48 minutes on bike. Had to mapquest the distance and elevation - my Garmin did not record but cadence and HR stats only. Ride was fun , took a little easy as was dark as hell starting out. maybe 5 cars on whole route .
3 skunks were on scampering out on the road separate places (" hi guys") all within strike range so i glanced away hoping not to get nailed. , and a baby fox yowling for ma on shoulder of road.
Sun hadn't seemed to have risen when arrived back at car. No "team" support today. She and 4legs were in bed & cozy.
Today is likely expected over 100F , so the ride is done and out of way .
Not a lot of distance last 7 days , nor time on bike but reasonable vertical for senior citizen.
( roughly 7400 ft in 3 rides). Noticed lately using a gear higher on most climbs, if my avg speed would just come up!!
Glad that classy girl was OK for most part. Maybe she got to the reefer a little earlier.
This am logged 24 mile solo out and back with a loop in the middle.
No pics as they all sucked. Left at 04:22 hour 48 minutes on bike. Had to mapquest the distance and elevation - my Garmin did not record but cadence and HR stats only. Ride was fun , took a little easy as was dark as hell starting out. maybe 5 cars on whole route .
3 skunks were on scampering out on the road separate places (" hi guys") all within strike range so i glanced away hoping not to get nailed. , and a baby fox yowling for ma on shoulder of road.
Sun hadn't seemed to have risen when arrived back at car. No "team" support today. She and 4legs were in bed & cozy.
Today is likely expected over 100F , so the ride is done and out of way .
Not a lot of distance last 7 days , nor time on bike but reasonable vertical for senior citizen.
( roughly 7400 ft in 3 rides). Noticed lately using a gear higher on most climbs, if my avg speed would just come up!!
Did only 40 miles of my 71 miler route with 2,200 ft of climbing. I am cutting down on miles to make way for strength training to try to raise my FTP. Having decent progress so far and really loving leg strength training with free weights.
It didn't rain for a couple of days so I grabbed the opportunity to ride. It started raining again though.
I have slightly different opinion with cramping since I don't eat nor drink on long rides. Although I used to eat and drink on rides. But when you don't and work it up progressively, the body adapts to depleted riding state.
Once the body fully adapts to depleted riding, you'll feel exactly the same as when you used to do these rides fueling and hydrating. You may even get a little faster.
I've experienced dehydration on one of the longer rides of 80 miles in a depleted state in 100+F heat and high humidity. I experienced nausea, I got light headed, but my legs kept going strong. At the risk of losing consciousness, I rode as fast as I could in the last 10 miles before reaching home. I even broke some of my segment records on the last 10 miles. Dehydration did not give me cramps but gave me nausea and altered state of consciousness.
So I think what causes cramps and bonking is simply by working the muscles beyond its fitness level. Your body will adapt to whatever you eat or drink during a ride or none as long as you're not eating hard to digest foods nor depleting your electrolytes by drinking too much pure water with very little intake of electrolytes.
Let's say for example, you ride 30 miles everyday for one year then one day, you decide to turn it into 60 miles a day. If you started having cramps then it probably has little to do with what you eat or drink but more to do with the fact, your muscles just isn't used to riding 60 miles. The only way you can get to 60 miles without cramping is progressively increase your distance. Add 1 mile per week or every few days for example.
Changing the pedaling technique can also help avoid cramps by distributing the load across more muscle groups. Also don't pull up the pedal with your hamstrings, in fact, don't pull up the pedals at all. I did a simple resistance experiment, tried pulling one leg up off the bike and tried to stop it and I easily could with just my few fingers. But when I used the hamstrings to extend my hips and try to stop it at the knees, I couldn't even with my two hands!! I'm thinking the hamstrings could at least produce 4x more force to extend the hips (to push the pedals down) than to pull the leg up at the same maximum effort! Therefore, use the hamstrings to push the pedals down, not up. Rest them on the upstroke. In fact, rest your muscles anywhere but the downstroke, except for the hip flexors. Hip flexors are the only muscles suited to pulling the leg up but only to unload the upstroke, not more. Do this and your legs should feel much less burning if at all on a long climb.
Ironically, many riders are not sure how to recruit the hamstrings to push the pedals down. Doing "lunge" exercise with or without weights helps with the muscle memory. A number of butt-lifting exercises are also useful.
It didn't rain for a couple of days so I grabbed the opportunity to ride. It started raining again though.
I have slightly different opinion with cramping since I don't eat nor drink on long rides. Although I used to eat and drink on rides. But when you don't and work it up progressively, the body adapts to depleted riding state.
Once the body fully adapts to depleted riding, you'll feel exactly the same as when you used to do these rides fueling and hydrating. You may even get a little faster.
I've experienced dehydration on one of the longer rides of 80 miles in a depleted state in 100+F heat and high humidity. I experienced nausea, I got light headed, but my legs kept going strong. At the risk of losing consciousness, I rode as fast as I could in the last 10 miles before reaching home. I even broke some of my segment records on the last 10 miles. Dehydration did not give me cramps but gave me nausea and altered state of consciousness.
So I think what causes cramps and bonking is simply by working the muscles beyond its fitness level. Your body will adapt to whatever you eat or drink during a ride or none as long as you're not eating hard to digest foods nor depleting your electrolytes by drinking too much pure water with very little intake of electrolytes.
Let's say for example, you ride 30 miles everyday for one year then one day, you decide to turn it into 60 miles a day. If you started having cramps then it probably has little to do with what you eat or drink but more to do with the fact, your muscles just isn't used to riding 60 miles. The only way you can get to 60 miles without cramping is progressively increase your distance. Add 1 mile per week or every few days for example.
Changing the pedaling technique can also help avoid cramps by distributing the load across more muscle groups. Also don't pull up the pedal with your hamstrings, in fact, don't pull up the pedals at all. I did a simple resistance experiment, tried pulling one leg up off the bike and tried to stop it and I easily could with just my few fingers. But when I used the hamstrings to extend my hips and try to stop it at the knees, I couldn't even with my two hands!! I'm thinking the hamstrings could at least produce 4x more force to extend the hips (to push the pedals down) than to pull the leg up at the same maximum effort! Therefore, use the hamstrings to push the pedals down, not up. Rest them on the upstroke. In fact, rest your muscles anywhere but the downstroke, except for the hip flexors. Hip flexors are the only muscles suited to pulling the leg up but only to unload the upstroke, not more. Do this and your legs should feel much less burning if at all on a long climb.
Ironically, many riders are not sure how to recruit the hamstrings to push the pedals down. Doing "lunge" exercise with or without weights helps with the muscle memory. A number of butt-lifting exercises are also useful.
that quite the detailed reply cobbwheels . Lot of what you say is indeed panning out as quite true. There is a lot to the science of loading and fuel timing and technique. Would say Im chronically overtrained at moment. You've some unusual to me ways but I am learning a lot here. Great to have participation here , kind of intimate there is just a few posters at least on our threads. Feels like buddies about now lol.
I am learning about quad hamstring and glut recruitment in motion and moving my butt in saddle seeing where it best suits to be where needs to be ATM over crank spindle .
Got a coming ride weekend kind scared , the elevation gain loss is not the issue . It is the fact the ride is from 4000 ft plus to 8000 ft plus. ( 4000 ft of gain ,loss ) just 23 miles one way . Expecting two hours 40 minutes , but will tolerate 3 if means getting to top.
Have not ridden that high in well ,perhaps never. Any suggestion from you guys on coping when air gets thin say 5500 ft and up can see affecting blood oxygen saturation . Will realize effect right way I'd expect . How to punch through , as I prefer to always ride non stop and as fast as reasonable to get avg speed up including DH pedaling .
Plan to keep both cadence and inches up , so as not to slack most often revert to HR based training . Hmmmm.
Got a coming ride weekend kind scared , the elevation gain loss is not the issue . It is the fact the ride is from 4000 ft plus to 8000 ft plus. ( 4000 ft of gain ,loss ) just 23 miles one way . Expecting two hours 40 minutes , but will tolerate 3 if means getting to top.
Have not ridden that high in well ,perhaps never. Any suggestion from you guys on coping when air gets thin say 5500 ft and up can see affecting blood oxygen saturation . Will realize effect right way I'd expect . How to punch through , as I prefer to always ride non stop and as fast as reasonable to get avg speed up including DH pedaling .
Plan to keep both cadence and inches up , so as not to slack most often revert to HR based training . Hmmmm.
Me too buddy! Hydrating and fueling is good as long as done right, if done wrong, it's worse than not fueling nor not drinking anything at all!
My quick advice is to move the saddle forward and tilt it downward if most of the distance/time pedaling is in a climb. This will improve comfort and efficiency in the climb. Be sure to take picture of your saddle setting so you can restore it to original setting after the ride.
But if you have more time, training is the best preparation.
I don't exactly ride at high altitudes. My highest is 2100 ft altitude so far. But since I also ride in hot and humid conditions were the air is more expanded (thinner) and high humidity displaces oxygen, I might be riding the equivalent of high altitudes in cold and dry climates.
Ironically, my technique for long climbs is to mash it at low cadence. Low cadence is less demanding on the cardio and may be advantageous at high altitudes. However, you need strong muscles for this technique OR able to strongly utilize your glutes and core muscles on the downstroke to be able to sustain it for long periods without discomfort nor soreness.
There's a good reason why Pros beat the pedals at high cadence on a climb. They have such high power output that if they used higher gear to lower their cadence, they'd be raising their butt off the saddle and get really uncomfortable. But we if use the same gear inches they do, we'd be only mashing it at low cadence! For the significantly lower power output of recreational cyclists, it would be more efficient and less tiring to pedal at your "originally preferred cadence" that is your cadence BEFORE you learned about Lance Armstrong! We get so many wrong information about the high endurance Type 1 slow twitch muscles. Many say that spinning easy gears work best for these muscles. Ironically, Type 1 muscles also tend to be "postural" or "stabilizing" muscles and these muscles works most efficiently in slow, short range motions, thus why it's literally called "slow twitch" fibers.
I also do "breathing-restricted" exercises indoors for my short sprint and high intensity training sessions during the weekdays. I wear valveless N95 Covid mask during these training sessions, including the rest periods in between and the rest of the morning resting after the sessions. 6 hrs of restricted breathing a day. It may seem like a joke but wearing valveless N95 mask during and after a sprint session in hot and humid weather feels like getting choked! Really intense at first but I got used to it eventually. What restricted breathing does for you is to improve workload endurance of your lungs and may help increase blood volume and number of red blood cells as well, which helps to make breathing more efficient and less work for the heart.
But you need to be doing these for at least several weeks to take effect. What may also help is doing "lunge" exercises to develop muscle memory for recruiting the glutes and core muscles. But since your big climb is only few days away, do the lunge only for the muscle memory. Do it without weights and do it as easily and gently as possible as you don't want to get your glutes and hamstrings sore before the big climb.
I might also advice you to avoid pulling the pedals up with your hamstrings if you're doing it as it's inefficient. But again since your big climb is only few days away, it's way too little time to try to change your pedaling technique.
Well I was thinking where do pro's train - the Alp's .
Off to Ca's Apline county for a quikie.
No acclimation just dropped into overnight hotel . Left from a base elevation of 5500 ft . Right from hotel room set out solo into the dark into the Ca Alps. Was beautifull with the Moon up and stars. First was going to bag monitor pass then said f-it went strait I'd summit Ebett's pass. Lots memories there , so prodded ahead. Seemed not too hard , a simple hotel to Ebetts summit n back. Was a tad cool up top. Cool but dry as bone and delicious high speed turns much the way back. So 36 miles 3700 ft gain -loss. Fun as hell. I go back when better shape for the other passes - ridden together. Dont like heat or long rides but a quick romp is just fine.
Pics of order , lazy tired n tired.
Off to Ca's Apline county for a quikie.
No acclimation just dropped into overnight hotel . Left from a base elevation of 5500 ft . Right from hotel room set out solo into the dark into the Ca Alps. Was beautifull with the Moon up and stars. First was going to bag monitor pass then said f-it went strait I'd summit Ebett's pass. Lots memories there , so prodded ahead. Seemed not too hard , a simple hotel to Ebetts summit n back. Was a tad cool up top. Cool but dry as bone and delicious high speed turns much the way back. So 36 miles 3700 ft gain -loss. Fun as hell. I go back when better shape for the other passes - ridden together. Dont like heat or long rides but a quick romp is just fine.
Pics of order , lazy tired n tired.
Congratulations! I thought you'd be riding with a group. I'd expect 5500 ft to be cold even if you headed out at 12 noon. I'd be wearing multiple layers of quick dry clothing if went out at that altitude!
As for me, it's same hot as sauna ride (I would have said hell but sauna would be closer). 40 miles yesterday 90 F with 80% humidity. Weather site said dangerous to exercise outdoors from the humidity. The hell with it I thought and we still ended up with lots of riders out in the road. Probably taking advantage of the break in the rainy season.
Nice pics 4legs. When I did my climbing rides, we went from about 1000 ft level to 8441 ft, onyx summit in Big Bear CA. All climbing. I trained Mt Baldy, from 1 000 level to 5 000. I never felt a difference on the ride up to onyx summit but many others said they felt it. But I have no idea how they trained.
Just another cheesy solo trail ride. 46 miles 16.0 average speed. Some headwinds but more forgiving than last week.
Actually cool yo see a couple of my buddies out there riding together. They did 36 miles at 15.9 and I 46 at 16.0 do makes me feel better about riding in the wind.
I dislocated a rib a few weeks back. This was the first week I went without advice and or icee hot cream. Discomfort at work and in bed so it was great riding the bike for once without pressure on the ribs.
Can't believe I'm 60 but the ribs made me feel it ha ha ha.
Actually cool yo see a couple of my buddies out there riding together. They did 36 miles at 15.9 and I 46 at 16.0 do makes me feel better about riding in the wind.
I dislocated a rib a few weeks back. This was the first week I went without advice and or icee hot cream. Discomfort at work and in bed so it was great riding the bike for once without pressure on the ribs.
Can't believe I'm 60 but the ribs made me feel it ha ha ha.
Have no roadie pal at this level ( just oldies) I just cant deal with having others around when descending - and much better climbing solo. However I had support vehicle and 2 way radio.
" gel" "optic change", "winter jacket" "wind pants" ect. Got it pretty good !
That pass at 8700 was 80F range within a few hours of the time I was there.
Hope the rib heals up real quick !! Are those tarantulas on your jersey?Just another cheesy solo trail ride. 46 miles 16.0 average speed. Some headwinds but more forgiving than last week.
Actually cool yo see a couple of my buddies out there riding together. They did 36 miles at 15.9 and I 46 at 16.0 do makes me feel better about riding in the wind.
I dislocated a rib a few weeks back. This was the first week I went without advice and or icee hot cream. Discomfort at work and in bed so it was great riding the bike for once without pressure on the ribs.
Can't believe I'm 60 but the ribs made me feel it ha ha ha. View attachment 6678View attachment 6679
THX Mr Beanz . Did you ever mention a short gravel section atop mt Baldy?
. Going to be down that way soon don't want a surprise like that.
I'm taking baby steps, as Saturday was my most vert (3.790ft) and first ride in the CA Apline pass since I started riding again in June 2022. Cant imagine any more than 4-5K vert in one "sitting".
markeyville to the climb to Peak of Ebbetts was dramatically easier in the cold due to the low temp . It's my theory denser colder air would give opposite effect of warmer low density air, primarily in reducing loss of blood oxygen saturation. I felt sea level the whole time ?!
Live and train at weekly @ 1400ft to 4000ft. Perhaps the anti-inflamitory before my headlight departure opened up my airways a bit more . Coming back to hotel again to squeeze in 2 more hours , manager said , "the room wreaks!"
Live and train at weekly @ 1400ft to 4000ft. Perhaps the anti-inflamitory before my headlight departure opened up my airways a bit more . Coming back to hotel again to squeeze in 2 more hours , manager said , "the room wreaks!"
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