Another ignorant new guy question

"Joe Potter" wrote in message
...
Sorni wrote:

You *are* missing the point. Listen to those who know.

Horse manure.

For recreational riding, ride whatever cadence feels comfortable.

Bill "different (pedal) strokes for different folks" S.


Bill, you are correct in that one may spin at whatever cadence one wants
to
on their own bike.

You are dangerous and ignorant if you recommend one not know the feel of
the
bike when one is in the correct gear. This gear and feel is found by
knowing correct cadence and the bike.

The OP said he went on a couple of rides and that trying to concentrate on
his cadence spoiled the enjoyment for him. My advice to him (and him only)
would be to forget cadence and go enjoy his next ride.

Are you recommending the OP destroy his knees?

Of course! Afterall, I'm not only ignorant, I'm dangerous! BWAHAHAHAHHA
{evil laugh.wav}

Bill "but at least I can spell 'pedal'" S.

You are dangerous and ignorant if you recommend one not know the feel
of the bike when one is in the correct gear. This gear and feel is
found by knowing correct cadence and the bike.

Jobst has a point when he notes that in climbs, the rider is almost
always loading the knees beyond what normally happens on the flats.

I've noticed that I can reliably get knee pain on my new commute where
I did not have it before, due to the fact (I think) of more hard
accelerations off red lights than formerly.

My typical practice on the old commute was to ride in only two gears,
fast and less fast... Now I find that I've got to do a mort o' shifting
to keep my knees happy.

But I'm still basically a spinner, even in traffic it's about smooth
and efficient.

I'm perfectly happy at 70 rpm, and I can burst to 120 if I have to, but
the stress of being outside the power band on the low side just isn't
worth it.

--

_______________________ALL AMIGA IN MY MIND_______________________
------------------"Buddy Holly, the Texas Elvis"------------------
in.edu__________

Msn, I am staying out of this one. And you all thought *I* was being out of
lline in that last infamous thread.

But, can't resist. Over five years I have built my cadence speed up - not all
at once, but a bit each year. Personally, I find higher cadences much more
productive - I go at a faster average speed and enjoy the bike more. But,
besides that, pedal how you want.

Most of all have fun and enjoy yourself. Truly, I mean that.


http://members.aol.com/foxcondorsrvtns
(Colorado rental condo)

http://members.aol.com/dnvrfox
(Family Web Page)

Not disagreeing with the overall response, just expounding further on one of
the points raised:

When I'm riding easy, cadence doesn't matter to me one bit.

An exception could be when riding easy as a "recovery ride" (for example if
one had ridden a century the day before and wished to go on an easy spin to
loosen the legs up).

In this case a higher (as opposed to a "high") cadence would be preferred by
most.


Chris Neary


"Science, freedom, beauty, adventu what more could
you ask of life? Bicycling combined all the elements I
loved" - Adapted from a quotation by Charles Lindbergh

"Chris Neary diabloridr" Chris wrote


An exception could be when riding easy as a "recovery ride" (for example if
one had ridden a century the day before and wished to go on an easy spin to
loosen the legs up).


If I've ridden a century the day before, I'm going to be on bed rest and
liquids! grin

Thanks for all the comments from everyone, and sorry if I bungled into a
"religious topic" for some.

Regards,

Hans




--
Posted via Mailgate.ORG Server - http://www.Mailgate.ORG

"Hans Kohb" wrote in message
news:2a26e61b6704f6bcbe90094e0d2704fd.128005@mygat e.mailgate.org...
"Chris Neary diabloridr" Chris wrote


An exception could be when riding easy as a "recovery ride" (for example
if
one had ridden a century the day before and wished to go on an easy spin
to
loosen the legs up).


If I've ridden a century the day before, I'm going to be on bed rest and
liquids! grin

Thanks for all the comments from everyone, and sorry if I bungled into a
"religious topic" for some.

Someone just posted this link on Alt Mountain Bike:

http://www.bsn.com/cycling/articles/cadence.html

Bill "started to read it but my eyes glazed over" S.

Joe Potter wrote:
Are you recommending the OP destroy his knees?

It's not the cadence that hurts knees. It's the load on the knees.
High loads are hard on the knees. While these are generally associated
with low cadences they don't have to be. One can pedal at a low
cadence and go slow and not put a high load on the knees and everything
should be just fine. The problems come when you try to go fast at low
cadences and so have to press very hard on the pedals. That's where
knee problems associated with low cadences happen.

Also, some people can take take higher loads than others depending upon
their conditioning and upon other factors like arthritis, past knee
injuries etc. which tend to reduce the load one can tollerate.

As for the OP, I'd still recomend a higher cadence than 40. You're
likely in too high of a gear. You don't have to go up to 80 rpm's
right away. The more you ride, the smoother your stroke gets and you
will eventually find higher candences *easier*. Just try to keep it
on the high end of comfortable for now and don't worry about always
being over 80.

--Bill Davidson
--
Please remove ".nospam" from my address for email replies.

I'm a 17 year veteran of usenet -- you'd think I'd be over it by now

Bill Sorni writes:

An exception could be when riding easy as a "recovery ride" (for
example if one had ridden a century the day before and wished to
go on an easy spin to loosen the legs up).

If I've ridden a century the day before, I'm going to be on bed
rest and liquids!

Thanks for all the comments from everyone, and sorry if I bungled into a
"religious topic" for some.

Someone just posted this link on Alt Mountain Bike:

http://www.bsn.com/cycling/articles/cadence.html

Bill "started to read it but my eyes glazed over" S.

....as they should. No evidence or proof is given for the prescribed
cadence levels in that article. For a so called scientific journal,
Cycling Science is loaded with anecdotal old saws. People with bad
knees have bad knees, something that can be made palpable by bicycling
and for the reasons I mentioned in the earlier response.

As I said, cadence is the new cult that replaced ankling of years
past. New rider age is increasing, as are the number of weak knees.

Jobst Brandt

Palo Alto CA

Eric S. Sande wrote:

You are dangerous and ignorant if you recommend one not know the feel
of the bike when one is in the correct gear. This gear and feel is
found by knowing correct cadence and the bike.

Jobst has a point when he notes that in climbs, the rider is almost
always loading the knees beyond what normally happens on the flats.

I've noticed that I can reliably get knee pain on my new commute where
I did not have it before, due to the fact (I think) of more hard
accelerations off red lights than formerly.


Hills are hard, they say. We folks in Orlando, FLA could not find a real
hill if the world depended on it!




My typical practice on the old commute was to ride in only two gears,
fast and less fast... Now I find that I've got to do a mort o' shifting
to keep my knees happy.


I also use two gears almost always. I want a new (or newer) road bike, but
the wife wants to know why. I tell her that I have only 6 gears in the
rear; -- she wants to know how many gears I would use on a new bike.

I need a different track on this issue.


But I'm still basically a spinner, even in traffic it's about smooth
and efficient.

I'm perfectly happy at 70 rpm, and I can burst to 120 if I have to, but
the stress of being outside the power band on the low side just isn't
worth it.


I have to be a spinner. In the 6 months of cycling (plus diet) I have lost
from 275 to 217 and I can now walk 4-5 miles without pain. I also have been
taken off all the meds that my Doc had said I would take all my life!

I think cycling played a big part in all that. And, I think peddling
correctly helped keep me cycling.

(note: got no science study on this one --- but have called the University)
:-)

--
Regards, Joe

Terry Morse wrote:

Joe Potter wrote:

You are dangerous and ignorant if you recommend one not know the feel of
the bike when one is in the correct gear. This gear and feel is found by
knowing correct cadence and the bike.

What is a "correct cadence", and how does one know it when one sees
it? What are the benefits of using this cadence?

Are you recommending the OP destroy his knees?

How does a specific cadence choice destroy one's knees?
--
terry morse Palo Alto, CA http://www.terrymorse.com/bike/

It does not.

However, if one is going around trying to go fast at 40 rpm then I will tell
you he is in a gear that is to hard for him. If one can keep 60-70 rpm up
on a flat streach for many minutes as a beginner --- then he is probably in
a gear that is high enough to be safe.


--
Regards, Joe