Peter Cole wrote:
:: "Badger_South" wrote in message
:: ...
:::
::: I'm wondering if there are any good tips out there for keeping
::: cadence high going up moderate hills. I find I really have to hum a
::: tune, or count reps when the going gets tough and I start to sink
::: below 65 or 70 (or lower).
:::
::: I count to 50 and then try and take a deep sigh (more or less
::: forceful breathe out), and think 'sink/get centered', then do it
::: again.
:::
::: Have the experts pretty much decided that higher cadence is the way
::: to go? I realize we just discussed this here, in relation to energy
::: conservation, but we still see low cadence riding a lot in the pros
::: during climbs. I'm thinking maybe it's something that's just very
::: hard to change once you've developed your riding, and climbing
::: style.
:::
::: I haven't learned the 'quiet upper body' phase yet, but it seems
::: like that's next.
::
:: A few points:
::
:: Any advantages in cadence are very small, if not, they would be
:: obvious, and no one would be debating them.

Interesting.

::
:: Techniques for small performance improvements may be useful for
:: racing, but they don't automatically translate into techniques for
:: raising fitness levels.
::
:: Pro riders have trained to perfection (at least compared to us
:: slobs) and look to very small effects to get any kind of edge, some
:: of which (many?) are psychological.
::

So basically, you either have it or you don't. All those magical training
techniques are just fine tuning.

:: There is a variation in individual physiology, even if you're just
:: interested in that slight competitive edge, you're better finding it
:: for your own body and/or level of fitness.
::
:: Higher cadence, as a rule, trades off aerobic demand against
:: long-term muscle fatigue, there's no single optimum cadence, it
:: depends on the duration of the ride and terrain. It's better to get
:: good at listening to your body. Cycling is a highly
:: "self-optimizing" activity -- your body will figure things out on
:: its own.
::
:: Slavish cadence counting or adherence to rigid styles makes riding
:: tedious. Tedium makes riding less fun. Less fun means less riding.
:: Less riding makes for slower development.
::
:: Hill climbing is only one skill to be learned, it's not the be all,
:: end all, part of cycling, competitive or otherwise.
::
:: Pace is much more important than cadence in hill climbing. The trick
:: is to know just how hard to push before "blowing up". This is
:: surprisingly difficult to learn and is not a function of cadence.

That's so very true! And not blowing up is tricky too, because you might not
blow up on this hill, but on one that comes along many miles later. The
affects of climbing a lot of hills on a long ride can be cumulative. I
would offer that highing in a high gear (low cadence) on a lot of hills
will hasten the point of "blowing up". Also, riding hills at *very* high
cadence would probably do the same thing.