Tried to take me out again, and 13.5mph average.
#201
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Since I have been riding a single-speed mostly since late last year, I have been doing steep climbs at low rpms. 50 teeth on front, 19 teeth on back right now. Was doing a lot of walking up one regular steep ascent, but since the weather got warm and there is more of an audience I have been standing on the pedals up the hill. It takes a lot more out of me than if I go up it on a multi-speed bike or walk it up. Have no idea if it is good training or not. One thing for sure is riding makes me feel a lot better than watching television.
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#202
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What I found when I was riding a single speed MTB on a regular basis is that I was developing a brute strength fitness on climbs that was different that I got with my geared bikes. Low-rpm work has always been a part of my cycling diet, and my joints are accustomed to it. However, some people develop knee pain from that type of effort.
Also in my experience athleticism is bad for humans, it wears them out before their time. Keeping it at about 2/3rds throttle makes your car and your body both last a lot longer than it will at full throttle.
#203
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I ride habitually in very high gears and don't get knee pain. I don't generalize from this what other people can do or should (not) do.
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In my experience knee pain is not caused by weight and work, it is caused by poor form and posture. I weigh over 200 pounds usually. I did have knee pain when I was younger and had not taught myself how to walk correctly or do much else with proper form and posture, but once I started using my body correctly and developed and used the muscles to hold things in proper alignment and posture I had no more problems with knee pain.
Also in my experience athleticism is bad for humans, it wears them out before their time. Keeping it at about 2/3rds throttle makes your car and your body both last a lot longer than it will at full throttle.
Also in my experience athleticism is bad for humans, it wears them out before their time. Keeping it at about 2/3rds throttle makes your car and your body both last a lot longer than it will at full throttle.
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If I had to go by most of the people I know with knee problems, it's because they played football in high school. And I'm not claiming that's any kind of representative sample. I've also known people who have had shrapnel blast their knee apart and stuff from your basic car crashes.
Let's not pretend all of it is explainable from repetitive injury for whatever reason. Also, congenital defects are definitely a real thing.
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