Do you spin, or hammer?

[Evil Chocula]

Hey Guys,
I come from a road riding background... been MTBing for 3 years now. Lately, I've found myself using my middle ring, rather than my granny while climbing, particularly technical climbing.

I've always been a "spinner", and I'm curious if others find spinning or "hammering" to be their preferred peddeling technique on the MTB.

Thanks!

[allison]

I'm a spinner.

Er, I like to spin when I pedal. Justin hammers. But, that's just because he's got a good blood doping regimine.

[J_Sims]

Originally Posted by Evil Chocula

I've always been a "spinner",

Thanks!

This would be tooo easy

[genusmtbkr5]

I hammer most climbs. Spin only to get breather on some of the longer climbs.

[FoShizzle]

I either hammer, or coast.....spinning is for stationary bikes

[CeeDubb]

Originally Posted by allison

I'm a spinner.

Er, I like to spin when I pedal. Justin hammers. But, that's just because he's got a good blood doping regimine.

This whole post is just too easy.

Allison's a spinner and Justin's a hammer...

[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.

[OMR]

Coming from a road riding background, I tend to be a spinner. When I was racing NORBA, I found most riders were trying to hammer all the time and I would spin past them on the hills (that's where most races are won)... When I was training, I found that road riding actually made me a fast rider.

I gave up road riding 10 years ago and only recently started riding it again with the purchase of a new carbon frame road bike (light & fast!!!). I was, however, surprised to find that I had lost the high cadence ability that I use to have... of course the 29erSS hasn't helped matters much. I now find that I have a lot more power from mashing the peddals... but I am trying to go back to more of a spinning technique in hill climbing. I can still get up the hills fairly quickly....

OMR

[DeeZee]

you have no choice........

[xhuskr]

generally spin, unless on a SS......saves me for longer climbs (so I tell myself)

[guero]

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.

kinda what he said, but my mix is unbalanced. im sure if i had someone 'coach' me on better climbing techniques i'd really benefit. (i know the first thing is to cut back on the beer, it sticks to me like jose sticks to tah-kill-ya)

[Burner]

I'm more of a masher, but I actually feel like mashing is slower (for me).... along the lines of what OMR said, I've found that in the past when I have had the patience to spin more and train that way is when I've been the fastest. I enjoy the SS too much to train that way right now though. Since I'm not a racer, it doesn't really matter, I just mix it up... usually SS during the week and gears on the weekend (but I still tend to mash on the geared bike).

I've actually been thinking of making a conscious effort to spin more.

[CeeDubb]

It's mostly spinning for me. I'll hammer when the mood strikes or how aggressively I want to attack a climb.

On longer stuff, spinning will expend less energy and you'll generally tool up the grade faster than the mashers will. I've learned that from the races.

One person described it to me this way:

"Pushing big gears all the time may make you a powerhouse, but it's the equivalent of doing leg presses all day. You can't win a race that way."

[mechmann]

the fastest method, the one that i use, is to spin with a massive gear! that is where my blood doping helps most!

[Shuga]

I kick back and play wit EL MO, sometimes I gots ta yell at the 'rents ta hammer. I think pops spins and moms hammers.

[Evil Chocula]

Originally Posted by mechmann

the fastest method, the one that i use, is to spin with a massive gear!

Thanks for that tip.... maybe I'll get in touch with Barry Bond's trainer and see if he can help me get to that point

[Wrecker]

I'm a spinner--don't do leg presses AT ALL. But, I have passed some (out of shape) guys that try to mash when they sit at the side of the road to catch their breath.

I think the key is to find your max beneficial cadence, max strength with lowest Hr; although, on really long climbs, a faster cadence saves the muscles a bit (unless you're superman, like OMR or Justin, Jose, Gene, whomever)

[dhmike]

i'm spinner on climbing, for myself i think i save energy.

[foofighter]

since i started riding i've always been a spinner...but nowadays i'll mix it and get up out of my saddle and hammer it up a short climb and then crest and go back to spin mode.