The most amazing thing happened...

akcc05
akcc05 Posts: 336
edited March 2010 in Training, fitness and health
There is this local hill just under 2 miles top to bottom with some crazy steep sections that I can hardly get myself over with 39/25 combo, low cadence etc...Today, at the end of my third interval rep, I looked down and realized I was in the "wrong" gear and had done that damn climb with 39/23 and a new PB. I did think I was maybe about 1mph faster but didn't think any further.

I then did the 4th rep in 39/23 again without much trouble. My quasi training (I don't race, just fast club rides) must have paid off!!!

Has this ever happened to you guys?

Comments

  • Bronzie
    Bronzie Posts: 4,927
    No
    It's a Lifestyle! -+-+- Coggan Training Levels
  • Infamous
    Infamous Posts: 1,130
    The other day going up a short 13% section, put it in 39-21, was with my mate so put the power down and thought "this is harder than normal" so I looked down and I was in the big ring.
  • BigDarbs
    BigDarbs Posts: 132
    Yes, similar... and it actually changed my approach to riding and racing!

    When I first started racing mountain bikes in 1989 - 1990 there was a local hill that always assumed was a granny ring ascent. I never tried it any other gear. Then one day a friend of mine came out with me, powered up the climb in his middle ring and rode off over the hill!

    When I commented on this he said I was only doing it in my granny ring because I assumed that was the only way to do it plus I was not prepared to push and try a different gear. After that day (Over 20 years ago!) I always ride on feel now, when training hard or racing, I push as hard as I can in the gear I am in... whatever that gear is!
  • Sam Kennedy
    Sam Kennedy Posts: 32
    There is a climb I have to do every morning. It's a touch under 3% and half a mile long.
    Normally I do it in 52x23 or 52x21, but the other day I ended up doing it in 52x17, I didn't realise until I got stopped in traffic, and looked down to see which gear I was in.
  • Splottboy
    Splottboy Posts: 3,695
    Look inside your saddle bag, I've put some Kryptonite in there, Super Cyclist!
  • Scrumple
    Scrumple Posts: 2,665
    The other day I was pedalling so hard I took off. Just like in ET.

    I got about 10 feet in the air then crashed back down.

    Mental.
  • Airwave
    Airwave Posts: 483
    Infamous wrote:
    The other day going up a short 13% section, put it in 39-21, was with my mate so put the power down and thought "this is harder than normal" so I looked down and I was in the big ring.
    I've done this near the end of long rides a couple of times when my brain has stop functioning.Trying to go up 25% hills&thinking i'm knackerd,looking down to see i'm still in the big chainring after coming to a near halt :roll:
    TT photos http://www.flickr.com/photos/steverob/
  • bristolpete
    bristolpete Posts: 2,255
    Scrumple wrote:
    The other day I was pedalling so hard I took off. Just like in ET.

    I got about 10 feet in the air then crashed back down.

    Mental.

    laugh out loud funny - crazy stuff. Wish I'd seen that. Did you have a hoodie and a basket with a green monster in it on the bike...?!?!?
  • Scrumple
    Scrumple Posts: 2,665
    bristolpete wrote:
    laugh out loud funny - crazy stuff. Wish I'd seen that. Did you have a hoodie and a basket with a green monster in it on the bike...?!?!?

    Where do you live Pete? - maybe I could show you?
  • Infamous
    Infamous Posts: 1,130
    Airwave wrote:
    Infamous wrote:
    The other day going up a short 13% section, put it in 39-21, was with my mate so put the power down and thought "this is harder than normal" so I looked down and I was in the big ring.
    I've done this near the end of long rides a couple of times when my brain has stop functioning.Trying to go up 25% hills&thinking i'm knackerd,looking down to see i'm still in the big chainring after coming to a near halt :roll:
    I've also done the opposite, going up a very tough climb behind someone fast, in the lowest gear but had to keep looking down because it felt like I was in the big ring... I wasn't.
  • ColinJ
    ColinJ Posts: 2,218
    akcc05 wrote:
    There is this local hill just under 2 miles top to bottom with some crazy steep sections that I can hardly get myself over with 39/25 combo, low cadence etc...Today, at the end of my third interval rep, I looked down and realized I was in the "wrong" gear and had done that damn climb with 39/23 and a new PB. I did think I was maybe about 1mph faster but didn't think any further.

    I then did the 4th rep in 39/23 again without much trouble. My quasi training (I don't race, just fast club rides) must have paid off!!!

    Has this ever happened to you guys?
    Yes! I once did the climb from Littleborough (near Rochdale) to Blackstone Edge at a speed that I could normally only dream of. I thought that I'd become some sort of climbing God. It was only when I stopped for a drink at the top that I realised that I'd had a strong tailwind most of the way up... :cry:
  • freehub
    freehub Posts: 4,257
    Last Sunday I broke my front mech, so I was stuck in the big ring, so half the ride in the peaks I had to do the climbs in 50-23, in macc forest I had to get up this 23% beast on those gears, was abit slower, but my knees where not liking me for it.

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