Will Cycling Up Hills in Big Gears Hurt My Knees?
Question: A friend tells me that I can improve my climbing power by riding a steep half-mile-long hill in the big ring at a slow cadence. Wouldn’t that ruin my knees? – Jerry S.
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What Climbing Cadence is Best for Knees?
QUESTION: I’ve heard that it’s better for knees if you spin a lower gear on climbs rather than mash a big gear. Why is it harder on the knees to pedal at a slower rpm? What about pedaling slowly when out of the saddle? — Jim M. RBR REPLIES: Good questions! The important element here…
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How to be “On Form” for a Big Event
Question: I would like to do a century ride in about two weeks and have done some moderate base training but not as much as I’d like. I did a 77-mile ride three weeks ago and felt pretty good (average speed 14.5 mph). Did just a few rides in the meantime and rode 70 miles…
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Anti-Aging: Nine Old Friends from Paris-Brest-Paris
By Coach John Hughes My club had a party for anciens et anciennes (veterans) of Paris-Brest-Paris (PBP) as well as rookies. I talked with nine old friends, some dating back to the 1990s, now all in their 60s and 70s. I had moved from Boulder to the mountains and hadn’t seen some of my cycling…
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Is It Necessary to Build an Aerobic Base?
Question: When I started cycling in the late ’70s, coaches were of the view that building an aerobic base was very important – and specific. Training outside of the aerobic zone interfered with aerobic development and should be avoided at all costs. Does this compartmentalized view still hold up, given the increased knowledge we have of…
