Do you spin, or hammer?

[mtnbikerfred]

I'm with FF. I grab low gears even when flat-pedaling. If I know it's a short climb, or a steep one that levels out after a bit, I'll stand up and hammer then spin out the rest.


Oh, BTW. Jeff? Allison? Cee? you're all BAAAAD!!

[CeeDubb]

Originally Posted by mtnbikerfred

Oh, BTW. Jeff? Allison? Cee? you're all BAAAAD!!

What? What'd I say?

I just calls 'em likes I sees 'em...

[J_Sims]

Originally Posted by mtnbikerfred

I'm with FF. I grab low gears even when flat-pedaling. If I know it's a short climb, or a steep one that levels out after a bit, I'll stand up and hammer then spin out the rest.


Oh, BTW. Jeff? Allison? Cee? you're all BAAAAD!!

[jasonmason]

I'll definately hammer out at least the moderate hills - I get bored just spinning madly at going what feels like slower than if i just pushed. If the climb's really long I'll eventually work down into spinning though, not that I want to, just so I can keep going!
Yeah, I'll never win a race with leg reps, but there's something fun about seeing just how small of a sprocket I can climb a hill in...

[53-12]

Normally, push the big gear as long as a can. Although, I do spin much more now on the mtb than I ever did on the road, where I was an unapologetic anti-spinner.

[jeffj]

On the bike, I spin, but I'm easily distracted....

[PacMan]

So on the "Meadowbrook Trails". when you were pushing your bike up the climb, it was in the middle ring??

Just kidding dude

I usually spin an "easier" gear on long climbs and try to hammer out the shorter climbs in a bigger gear. SS'ing has really helped me in the "bigger ring climbing" department.

[allison]

Case in point for spinning vs. mashing...

When we did the cool & easy 50 we ran into a group of mebbe 6-8 cyclists going through Pendleton. Went back and forth with a few of them. Justin and this tiny little ball of muscles chick started mashing like crazy up the hill, and soon the rest of the other pack jammed up and started chasing. I remained seated in an easier gear for about 2/3 of the climb and started reeling them all back in. I stood up for the last bit and ended up passing everyone but Justin and the first chick.

[tkblazer]

i spin on the uphills and save the energy for the DH

[Evil Chocula]

No, but I was in the middle gear when I cleaned the rock garden that ate your rotor

Originally Posted by PacMan

So on the "Meadowbrook Trails". when you were pushing your bike up the climb, it was in the middle ring??

Just kidding dude

I usually spin an "easier" gear on long climbs and try to hammer out the shorter climbs in a bigger gear. SS'ing has really helped me in the "bigger ring climbing" department.

[CeeDubb]

Originally Posted by allison

Case in point for spinning vs. mashing...

When we did the cool & easy 50 we ran into a group of mebbe 6-8 cyclists going through Pendleton. Went back and forth with a few of them. Justin and this tiny little ball of muscles chick started mashing like crazy up the hill, and soon the rest of the other pack jammed up and started chasing. I remained seated in an easier gear for about 2/3 of the climb and started reeling them all back in. I stood up for the last bit and ended up passing everyone but Justin and the first chick.

Well...yeah! Weren't you wearing your "I'm the Goddess of Spin" jersey?

I think I know the exact hill in Pendleton you were talking about. Were you the one that passed me while saying, "Keep at it, Wuss Boy!"? That wasn't very nice.

[allison]

Originally Posted by CeeDubb

Well...yeah! Weren't you wearing your "I'm the Goddess of Spin" jersey?

I think I know the exact hill in Pendleton you were talking about.

haha! No, I was going quite incognito... just a white/light blue sleeveless jersey.

It was the first bit of climbing after descending right inside the base and then turning left.

[Pilas]

Spinning saves your legs on long distance races or rides. However, it is an ability that needs to be trained.
During my base period, in the early season, I do a lot of 3-4 hour rides on the road at around 100 RPM at a moderate intensity. Also, on short rides mid-week, I like to do spin ups, which are 30 second intervals at around 130 RPM, on a very easy gear and 5 minute recovery in between.
I started to do these workouts 3 years ago and I have evolved from a "masher" to a "spinner". It really helps to delay the muscle fatigue on your legs.
Having said that, there are situations in which I think is better to use a hard gear. It is easier for me to clear technical sections in a slightly harder gear than I would normally use. Also, if the climb is rocky and bumpy, a harder gear helps.
Long and smooth fire road (or road climb) = spin low gear.
Tecnichal or bumpy climb = hard gear, lower cadence.
When I'm riding my SS= put my head down and turn the pedals...

[PacMan]

Originally Posted by Evil Chocula

No, but I was in the middle gear when I cleaned the rock garden that ate your rotor

Touche

I'll still take my 4 trips up the mountain with no pushing though

[JoeTruth]

[SIZE=3]Is there a 3rd option or does it have to be mashing vs. spinning? If so, that's my signature style.

[/SIZE]

[STP]

Originally Posted by LBmtb

I try to have a balanced mix. Middle ringing climbs is good for momentum and speed. Lower gears are good for recovering or really steep stuff.

That's it! And once in awhile or every ten minutes, stand up and work some other muscles in your legs (when the terrain is somewhat allowing...).

Also, when I'm riding, I'm moving all over the seat. In the middle ring I'll switch to a faster cadence when I move up on the nose. They rhythm switch helps break up the drudgery. Also, moving up on the nose of the seat works a different set of muscles (or at least works them differently...) in your legs allowing you to recover and rest the muscles that you were using pushing back against the back of the seat. About every thirty seconds for this particular exercise. This is just a theory passed on to me, but it works for me.

On the really sick steep S/T, I'm with LB on spinning, because often, you'll be at the bottom of the cassette in the middle ring and if it gets rocky or steep, you can't go no lower, but if you're climbing it in the granny and 2nd or 3rd on the cassette, at least you can drop it down.

Also, you use less muscle ATP spinning up the hard sections vs. mashing everything you've got. Save the middle for the fireroad climbs and moderate hills.

[mp3]

Spin early in a long race (7+ hours) and mash at the end. I've tried it the other way around and it doesn't work.

[MOSH1DH]

I like to spin, the truck tires on the way up. and HAMMER it on the way down. when I'm not doing that I do a mix of spinning, hammering and walking it to the top.

[1x1clyde]

I mash.

[Pain Freak]

Being just slightly older...people of my age have less fast twitch muscle fiber, so it's virtually impossible to maintain the same cadence of say a 25 year old, so we have to train/ride differently. We just don't have as many options. That being said, I'm a wanna be spinner in a mashers body.