What if you can't spin?

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  • I looked at the 2 threads I found on gear ratios, and it seems that the assumption is that spinning is better for your health, and your knees. But what if you can't spin (which is based on cardiovascular fitness)? If one has asthma or defective lung function, and can't spin, should they use a high gear and basically never have a good top speed?

    I can't spin (never could, never will), but my 48x17 is just undergeared for me. I'm sick of blokes looking like 100 years old overtaking me on their geared bikes. I should slay them with my acceleration and then top speed, but I spin, and in two seconds I am the one that becomes the 100 year old, gasping and wheezing like my time has come.

    I need a bigger gear. Would a jump to 48x15 be too much of a step?

    GrandeAnse,

    Sorry, got to this thread a bit late but here are some comments, FWIW.

    I'm a roadie, and my cadence "comfort zone" is 95-100rpm, where I can sit quite happily for a number of hours. Only had my fixed for a couple of weeks, but 48/18 feels absolutely spot on for me for everything from daily commuting to 60+mile rides - 95rpm equate to ~20mph. I really can't imagine anyone would want anything bigger for regular riding, unless they were nailing it on a short commute, or TT or something. (I also have 48/16 which I'm using on fast short training rides).

    Anyway, spinning is not limited by lung function. Absolutely no way. (I also have a roadie friend with asthma and spinning is not a problem for him). However, it does place more stress on your your cardiovascular system, instead of your legs, that's why it's favoured by endurance cyclists and people with dodgy knees! It's interesting that you're finding cardiovascular fitness a limiter when you spin and you say you have strong legs. And you're right in saying that this will stop you going fast and mashing is going to knack your knees, it's definitely something to work on improving. Can I suggest some other points?

    First, the obvious one, is that you should improve your cardiovascular fitness. You probably know how to do this already, but long, low intensity rides built up gradually is the way to go.

    Second, another obvious one, is that if you want to spin, you have to train you neuromuscular system to spin, it doesn't just happen - the muscles have to learn how to fire together with the correct timing, at the required speed. If you lack fitness, then this will mean you going really slow so you can keep your heart rate under check in order to maintain a higher cadence for long enough for your body to adapt. I can quite imagine that, in your current state, spinning is burning a lot of energy and is very inefficient (hence the cardio vascular load) because your muscles are wasting a lot of effort by not working together well. You will probably find that, as your neuromuscular system adapts, this wasted effort will diminish and you'll magically appear fitter, aside from any improvements in cardio-vascular fitness or strength.

    Third, relating to the last point, is your muscle strength. Turning a pedal a full revolution is a complex movement that recruits quite a range of muscles, large and small, if you're going to do it smoothly (the key to high cadence pedalling), not just your prime movers. I'm willing to bet that you have some large imbalances going on: despite strength in, say, the quads, it could very well be that your hip flexors/gluteals are quite underdeveloped. This is really common, especially if you have bad posture or are overweight. As a result, you don't actually have the musculature to pull off high cadence cycling. You body "fakes" pedaling smoothly at low cadence by relying on the prime movers to provide the push/pull over a fraction of the full rotation, and then the pedal "carries" your leg over the rest. This isn't possible at high cadence, the lack of full muscle recruitment becomes sharply apparent. The solution: more high cadence pedalling, again done in such a way that you can sustain it from a cardio-vascular perpective for sufficient time. Another complementary training method: pilates, which will train a lot of those smaller muscles and iron out imbalances.

    Everyone can spin at 100rpm, it's just training. If you're sick of being overtaken, do something about it ;-)

    Hope this helps!

    Courant

  • for anyone who doesn't have time to read that very informative post, I will offer a quick synopsis :

    HTFU

  • brilliant post.

  • There's definitely something in the concept of ability to spin being hindered by persisting in rider bigger gears (unless you're travelling very fast).

    Gearing down for an entire winter is often what it takes to adapt, but it's well worth it.

    I've noticed that during my hillclimb season (all low cadence out of the saddle stuff) my souplesse goes out the window, but within a couple of months riding round on a 46x18 or even 46x20, my legs have magically regained their elasticity or whatever.

  • Get one of these (with an Arrospok)

  • courant, you obviously know what you're talking about, and in quite some depth. I shall try to follow your advice as I can.

    [This part is not for courant]
    Or, maybe I'll just be an individual, and choose to do what I want to do, my way.

    Spinning is better; I've acknowledged that. Assinine and lucid answers have been given as to why I should spin. But I'm me, and I don't follow crowds, fashion, or if I have an alternative view, I sometimes won't even follow good sense. I follow my own mind. I may never lose weight. I may never improve in the ways I want to, but I will do it my way.

    courant, I do appreciate your time, and your superbly informative answer. I know it will be of help to not just myself (in parts), but others also.

  • I'm me, and I don't follow crowds, fashion, or if I have an alternative view, I sometimes won't even follow good sense. I follow my own mind. I may never lose weight. I may never improve in the ways I want to, but I will do it my way.

    courant, I do appreciate your time, and your superbly informative answer. I know it will be of help to not just myself (in parts), but others also.

  • so why fucking ask for advice?!? pfft, fucking wasting my time.

  • As an aside; For all of the people on here that like to think of themselves as "really individual", I think if people want to spin, or not spin, they should be cut some friggin' slack.

    Look at all the "individuals" that chime in with their HTFU, HTFU, HTFU.......

    "Individuals"? Really? How come so alike then? Little tribes are something I laugh at. Let me hurt my knees if I want. And I won't tell you if you should like Haagen-Dazs or Ben&Jerry's.

  • don't repress his individuality, Dogs. how a man pedals is more than just a way to power a bike, it's an expression of his personality, of his very soul. don't ever take that away

  • stubborn, not individual.

  • Little tribes are something I laugh at.

    Me too...

  • If you want to learn to swim, jump into the water. On dry land, no frame of mind is ever going to help you. Bruce Lee

  • i think what Bruce meant to say was :

    HTFU

  • man with hole in pocket feels cocky all day!! - confuscious

  • You find them much? Stolen cars?
    Sometimes. I wouldn't hold out much hope for the tape deck though.
    Or the Creedence.

  • "These are rare attainments for a damsel, but pray tell me, can she spin?" James I (1566-1625)

  • There's too much duplication on this thread. If you're not prepared to read it from the beginning, memorize it, and apologize to anyone you've already plagiarized, please fuck off now.

    :)

  • There's too much duplication on this thread. If you're not prepared to read it from the beginning, memorize it, and apologize to anyone you've already plagiarized, please fuck off now.

    :)
    There's too much duplication on this thread. If you're not prepared to read it from the beginning, memorize it, and apologize to anyone you've already plagiarized, please fuck off now.

    :)

  • Still haven't had my two cents and you know I'm prone to ranting.

    GG2G rides a bike. This is a good thing so stop with the fucking hostility.

    I used to, prior to fucking my knee, ride 81GI brakeless. Is this sensible, would you condone it, would you do it yourself? Possibly. Possibly not.

    I dropped my GI after the fateful 50*14 ride. I still ride brakeless. MY GI is now around 72-73. I'm missing two ligaments in my left knee (Dominant leg). Is this sensible, would you condone it, would you do it yourself? Possibly. Possibly not.

    Would you drop the GI more if you were in my postition. Would you add a front or even a rear brake. Would you go for the surgery to fix your injury despite the inherent risks involved? Would you stop riding? Get gears? Quit Polo & mountain biking? BMX & Skating? Buy a custom fitted carbon knee brace? Wear the inferior one you already owned more frequently? Live in a fucking box and do nothing incase you hurt yourself more? Is any of this sensible, would you condone it, would you do it yourself? Possibly. Possibly not.

    The point is that it's my bike. I have the ability to ride it in a particular way and couldn't give a shit what you think. My way is not your way is not your friends way is not your brothers hookers uncles way.

    GG2G can make his own choices too. He never asked how to spin. He asked

    I need a bigger gear. Would a jump to 48x15 be too much of a step?
    . Answer the fucking question instead of getting on your high horse because you believe your way to be best. Your way is just that. Yours.

    GG2G. 48*15 isn't a massive leap from what you currently ride and London is plenty flat enough. Go try it and see. Come back and let us know how it goes.

  • Yeah but has anyone seen this?

  • That'll stop you spinning^^^

  • GG2G is winding people up, Object, as you can quite clearly see.

  • Deep blue V

  • ....Or, maybe I'll just be an individual, and choose to do what I want to do, my way.

    Spinning is better; I've acknowledged that. Assinine and lucid answers have been given as to why I should spin. But I'm me, and I don't follow crowds, fashion, or if I have an alternative view, I sometimes won't even follow good sense. I follow my own mind. I may never lose weight. I may never improve in the ways I want to, but I will do it my way....

    Ha! Gimme a break!!

    Motorcycle Emptiness!

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What if you can't spin?

Posted by Avatar for GA2G @GA2G

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