Today's bike ride

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californiagirl2012
californiagirl2012 Posts: 2,625 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
As much as I love lifting at the gym I find it so nice to change it up and get outside for exercise. Recently I showed pictures of my backyard run http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/745972-my-backyard-run-lets-see-pics-of-your-pretty-route

My bike route is similar except it goes up hill in the other direction and is more heavily wooded. Even though I have a mountain bike today's ride was on the hilly mountain roads instead the trail. Although it was up and down hills in both directions it was mostly uphill going up and then turning around to come back down. It took 47 minutes to go up and 33 minutes to get back. Even though I don't count calorie burn for exercise I love to see the HRM numbers just to see my HR for various exercises. My average HR for the ride was 132 and peak HR was 175.

Oh and today was fun because I had a big crowd of teenagers all wearing the same shirts going on a hike or something. As I turned a corner and started zooming down a hill a few started clapping and they all started clapping and cheering me on. It was pretty fun. What a nice group of kids. :smile:

I'm trying to get at least one bike ride a week in or a long run outside (at least until the snow hits us here in the mountains). This week I did both.

So I have a question for bicyclists; When you are going down a hill too fast for peddling and getting ready to go up hill when do you start changing your gears? It seems kind of jerky to change gears as you are working up a hill. I don't have those fancy snap on shoes for the pedals and my feet seem to jerk out of the pedal strap when I shift gears to go up hill. Its not a big problem but I'm just curious what some of you do. Obviously I'm not a serious cyclist.

Anyway here's me and my bike today. Yes, I like pictures and I spent the first 50 years of my life hiding from cameras because I was fat so I do intend to keep being a ham for the next 50 years and I don't care what anyone thinks of it. I'm living my dream and not allowing anyone to take away my happy ball. :happy:

bikerideSmallsize_zpsb8027566.jpg

Replies

  • Robyrob33
    Robyrob33 Posts: 45
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    You look great!!! I find that for me it is easier to shift when I am almost to the bottom of the hill. I tend to let the momentum carry me part way up the other side and by the time I need to start pedaling I'm in a low gear, like 6 or 5 even, depending on the hill. Good luck!!
  • Lrdoflamancha
    Lrdoflamancha Posts: 1,280 Member
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    You look great!!! I find that for me it is easier to shift when I am almost to the bottom of the hill. I tend to let the momentum carry me part way up the other side and by the time I need to start pedaling I'm in a low gear, like 6 or 5 even, depending on the hill. Good luck!!

    I agree. I do the same thing. Drop gears on the way down the hill to be ready to peddle up the next hill. And robtrob is right you look great.
  • californiagirl2012
    californiagirl2012 Posts: 2,625 Member
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    You look great!!! I find that for me it is easier to shift when I am almost to the bottom of the hill. I tend to let the momentum carry me part way up the other side and by the time I need to start pedaling I'm in a low gear, like 6 or 5 even, depending on the hill. Good luck!!

    Thanks! For the compliment and for the bike tip! Have an awesome rest of the weekend! :smile:
  • californiagirl2012
    californiagirl2012 Posts: 2,625 Member
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    You look great!!! I find that for me it is easier to shift when I am almost to the bottom of the hill. I tend to let the momentum carry me part way up the other side and by the time I need to start pedaling I'm in a low gear, like 6 or 5 even, depending on the hill. Good luck!!

    I agree. I do the same thing. Drop gears on the way down the hill to be ready to peddle up the next hill. And robtrob is right you look great.

    Thank you too! :)
  • LifeChanged1209
    LifeChanged1209 Posts: 88
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    The important thing to remember is to NOT shift when you are muscling through the hill. Stop pedaling for a second or two when you shift, then pedal. That way you avoid the jerky shift, and your chain doesn't jump the sprocket.
  • DebbieLyn63
    DebbieLyn63 Posts: 2,650 Member
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    You look great!!! I find that for me it is easier to shift when I am almost to the bottom of the hill. I tend to let the momentum carry me part way up the other side and by the time I need to start pedaling I'm in a low gear, like 6 or 5 even, depending on the hill. Good luck!!

    My husband who is a cycling coach, agrees with this answer. And he likes that you are wearing a helmet!
  • CentralCaliCycling
    CentralCaliCycling Posts: 453 Member
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    Shift to a hard gear going down even if too hard to pedal when you start to slow at the bottom start pedaling and the shift up through the gears to attempt to maintain a reasonable increase in resistance in your pedal stroke so that you don't get surprised by to easy (fast) or worse, hard of a spin when the grade starts to get steep. Of course this depends a little on knowledge of the course and length of the downhill and my experience is far great on paved surfaces so an experienced MTBer may have a better take on it.
  • DebbieLyn63
    DebbieLyn63 Posts: 2,650 Member
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    The important thing to remember is to NOT shift when you are muscling through the hill. Stop pedaling for a second or two when you shift, then pedal. That way you avoid the jerky shift, and your chain doesn't jump the sprocket.

    He agrees with this too! Don't shift while you are powering uphill or you will drop your chain.
  • bsix3
    bsix3 Posts: 291
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    Shift to a hard gear going down even if too hard to pedal when you start to slow at the bottom start pedaling and the shift up through the gears to attempt to maintain a reasonable increase in resistance in your pedal stroke so that you don't get surprised by to easy (fast) or worse, hard of a spin when the grade starts to get steep. Of course this depends a little on knowledge of the course and length of the downhill and my experience is far great on paved surfaces so an experienced MTBer may have a better take on it.

    Thanks for the reply...I've always just hope I don't crash into anything!! This is great advice. I needed it as well.

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