Do compacts make you soft?
Comments
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daviesee wrote:True. But if you are already in bottom gear and your mates are dropping you, how are you going to catch up without increasing that power?
You won't, obviously. No argument there.daviesee wrote:That power comes from strength. Stamina dictates how long you can maintain the effort but you need the power in the first place.
Power is the rate at which energy is transferred. Not to be confused with strength. As said before, the 'strength' demands of cycling are actually very low.daviesee wrote:You don't know that until you are at the top. I have had to get off and walk before.
Because you could no longer sustain power output in the gear you were in - which is a fitness issue, not a strength issue.daviesee wrote:Let's just agree to disagree.
We can do that if it makes you feel better. Doesn't alter the fact that you're wrong though. Lots of discussion on this topic in the training forum - suggest you do a search and have a read.0 -
Wow, and I was only musing. I don't actually read the training blog, but will from now on. Anyway, I've been training over the winter, weather allowing, on the old heavy bike, with the old higher gears. Once spring actually arrives, I'll be back on the modern machine, complete with compact. I'll post then if I actually feel to have more strength, stamina, pace.................................................uphill of course.0
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I think not having the lowest gear(s) and climbing the hills anyway makes you stronger (for the pedantic I don't necessarily mean literally stronger in the actual leg muscles). Then when you go somewhere with bigger and better hills a compact gives you options. If you always run with the lowest available gear then you have to be disciplined enough not to use it.So................do compacts make you soft? Do they serve any purpose at all?
So, 'yes' and 'yes'.
Paul0
