Higher or lower gear ???

Johny-B

I've never really taken off road cycling that seriously ( I would just go off into the local woods and spend a couple of hours splashing through the puddles and having fun) but now I'd like to start doing things properly. I tend to use lower gears and stay sitting in the saddle, my thoughts being you shouldn't 'stand' on the pedals. Am i right? Or should i use higher gears on hills and stand up ? Which is better for building leg muscles/strength ? Does standing on the pedals put too much weight/pressure on them? This may sound crazy to you guys that cycle all the time but give a newbie a chance.

Whilst I'm on here, does any one around Sidmouth/Exmouth Devon know of somewhere local to just do basic off roading, nothing too extreme!

njee20

Standing to pedal won't do any damage, but it is more tiring (you're supporting your own weight, as opposed to resting on the saddle).

A combination is useful - you have better explosive power out of the saddle and can move your weight around, so for short, sharp climbs you can put in a few big pedal strokes to get up it, for anything more sustained you'll find sitting much less tiring.

There's no 'correct' gear as such, so I wouldn't focus on that too much. As a general rule a lower gear (and thus a higher cadence - your RPM) will keep your legs fresher, but send your heart rate higher, whilst a higher gear will tyre your legs but keep your heart rate lower.

Johny-B

Thankyou for a quick responce.
Any secrets as to building stronger leg muscles, though i suppose they develop the more you ride.

milko9000

Off bike you can do things like squats. On bike, interval-style training will help and mainly just get out and ride more.

bennett_346

Standing up to pedal is vital for a lot of proper mtb riding.

supersonic

So is sitting, as is far more efficient to sit and spin ;-)

As above, a combo for power and efficiency.

bennett_346

Jumps, trialsy stuff and northshore skinnys etc too, don't sit down for them OP!

paul.skibum

For stamina/strength riding is great but I found a focussed training like regular spin classes paid huge dividends.

If you can find one that is run like a good club road ride you will benefit - the lass who used to run my favourite class in Reading managed to make the class feel like a competitive road ride with friends, I'd find myself challenging to power up hills and sprint for the lines against the other class members - the first summer I started going I went from flagging behind a mate on a loop to leaving him for dead within a couple of weeks.

paul.skibum

Oh and a good class mixes seated and standing pedalling.

giantAstax

I personally tend to mix it a bit but try to mostly spin and stay seated on the majority of climbs. Spinning tends to utilise slow twitch muscle fibres which use less energy whist 'grinding out' in higher gears is more stressful and tiring on the legs and uses fast twitch muscle fibres which tire more easily. Then again I'm not that fit!

Of course the latter typically moves the bike faster which is why most fit cyclists will pull a higher gear whether standing or seated and therefore climb much faster.

Check this out http://www.brianmac.co.uk/articles/scni2a7.htm for more on muscle fibres.

Greer_

I've been getting sore knees from cycling but was told it wasn't my clipless pedals. I was advised to use a lower gear and spin more. It's helped!

stuisnew

Re anywhere near Sidmouth/Exmouth, you have Haldon (trail centre) and Woodbury common on your doorstep (ish).
I like Woodbury, just go up a few times and you'll soon start putting trails together. Drains well which is a bonus in this weather!