Originally Posted by
Tango1
So I’m attempting to go all in this year and learn to be a road cyclist - a lot of which involves training in heart rate zones. I’m having a heck of a time trying to keep in an easy Zone 2 pace simply because the gearing feels so tall but obviously it’s a case of rider not the ride.
I’ve discovered riding almost exclusively in the 52 ring actually works pretty well and every time I drop down to the 42 it feels like I have lost a lot of momentum - I usually end up walking shortly after downshifting. I’m also using 6 gears in the rear so I’m feeling pretty limited.
I was hoping those of you familiar with riding vintage / classic bikes might have some tips for a newbie to the sport? I usually end up riding at 150-155 bpm for my 60-90minute rides so far and it doesn’t feel bad I just can’t seem to ride anywhere near 130 bpm.
...at this point in time, almost everything I do with regard to fitness "training" on a bicycle is intervals. When I'm doing intervals, my goal is to do four or five minutes at max heart rate and breathing, then back off for a minute or 90 seconds, then hit another interval of 4-5 minutes, then back off again. Repeat for at least 5 intervals. Max heart rate and breathing is just short of puking. If you need to stop and puke, you went past your current maximum.
This has always worked well for me, and I did similar intervals back when I ran, using a jump rope to max out, then coasting for a minute or two, then back up with the jump rope.
I've talked to at least one guy who's a pro in the kinesiology and performance field, out at Davis. He referenced a couple of recent research products for me (which I long ago forgot about), that seem to indicate that this maximizing your heart rate beyond what a lot of what you read tells you is the "proper rate" for you, (calculated using age, etc,), might have more benefits in maintaining fitness, circulation, O2 utilization capacity, etc . But you do need to make sure your current physiology is healthy enough that maxing out this way won't unexpectedly kill you. Anyway, that's what I do. It seems to give me the most bang for the buck, on rides around here of about two hours or so duration. I stretch at the turnaround, too.
With respect to your question about 52/42, and your feeling that the 42 isn't working well for you, you might want to experiment with a larger small ring than your current 42. What you have now used to be called "alpine" gearing. For flatter crit courses using older bikes, it was not at all unusual to see something resembling half step gearing (you can Google it...there are plenty of references that explain it online). So your small ring is now only a few teeth down from the 52, like a 47 or a 48. It gives you a narrower overall range, but a closer set of options that allow you finer tuning in selecting a cadence. And you'll probably find that you stand up on the pedals more.
Anyway, that's how I approach it, personally. It works for me, but be careful if you decide to try it. Get cleared first in terms of any possible underlying medical issues, and ease into it. I kind of agree that all the heart rate monitors and stuff are a distraction, so I don't use them, and haven't for a long time now. It frees me to listen to what my body is trying to tell me, even if it is complaining a little.