Pootle Power?

Kiblams
Kiblams Posts: 2,423
edited May 2010 in Commuting chat
I have had alot of aches and pains this week and I am not sure what is causing them, I am putting it down to the cold that I am getting.

So today I decided to try riding to work using no more energy than I would if I were walking, on trusty Rusty (SS) as I am sure you can imagine it was very slow accelleration, though I found that I was still getting up some considerable speed.

Has anyone else have a "go easy" day and found that without putting much force into the pedals you still fly along?
HandsomeDog - OrangeCommuter

Comments

  • asprilla
    asprilla Posts: 8,440
    Yes.

    If you concentrate on spinning rather than piston mashing you'll go faster, easier and with less force on the pedals.
    Mud - Genesis Vapour CCX
    Race - Fuji Norcom Straight
    Sun - Cervelo R3
    Winter / Commute - Dolan ADX
  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 27,638
    Dicky ankle atm has forced me into this today. Only an extra five minutes onto the 13 mile commute.
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • Jamey
    Jamey Posts: 2,152
    I always think of this as the biking equivalent of car drivers thinking that accelerating between red lights will get them there faster.

    It does make a difference but nowhere near as much as you think. The overwhelming majority of the time your journey will take is dictated by fate and distance. Effort (or, in a car, the speed you get up to) is probably less than 20%.
    My photography // My helmet cam videos // My bike
  • roundthebend
    roundthebend Posts: 205
    Can someone enlighten me what "spinning" means?
  • Kiblams
    Kiblams Posts: 2,423
    I was by no means spinning, except for the longer flatter sections; I ride a SS remember.

    Spinning is high cadence pedalling, this is deemed more efficient by many.
    HandsomeDog - OrangeCommuter
  • MichaelW
    MichaelW Posts: 2,164
    Spinning is a pedalling style with less force and more revs/min (higher cadence).
    You gear down and spin up. It is generally accepted as the best technique for long endurance rides.
    Spinning style requires cranks of appropriate length (ie circumference) so small riders with long cranks often struggle to their revs up.
    Beginers usually pedal in too high a gear, too much force and too low revs.
  • asprilla
    asprilla Posts: 8,440
    By spinning in this case, I meant pedaling being a circular motion with equal pressure all the way round, rather than putting a lot of pressure into the initial down stroke.

    When I don't think about my pedaling and pootle then I do this automatically and I find my pedaling is generally more efficient and I go quicker.
    Mud - Genesis Vapour CCX
    Race - Fuji Norcom Straight
    Sun - Cervelo R3
    Winter / Commute - Dolan ADX

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