[waltaz]

I SS 85% of the time, +/- a few percent, running 32:18. Haven't been on gears in over two months. Yeah, it's a great workout and fires up the legs when you're up hammering, blah, blah, blah...

So I'm on gears on Sunday, enjoying the plushness and ability to spin a bit, and we finish the ride climbing up Sunrise Trail. Now the last couple times have been on the SS, which is brutal. But I'm able to spin it this time in 22:28 or 22:34. And I start cramping at the first switchback, then again at the pain-in-the-ass 'S' curve, then lock up real good on that last little steep part from the main saddle to the traverse over to the the HH downhill.

Today, my quads are fried - really sore. Much more so than after hard SS riding. So WTF? It seems the smaller ratio, staying seated and spinning more work the quads differently than hammering in a tall gear. More focus on the lower, inner quad.

Anyways, whatever. God, I feel like Dirdir, blabbering like a freaking idiot...

 

[IBIKEAZ]

I think it's more about the bikes. Your SS is probably 5-8 lbs lighter than your geary. SSing also uses more body weight for leverage when you are standing (a little less legs). When you sit and spin on your geared bike, you use your legs in a different manner (different muscle groups get worked harder). I will be experimenting with this soon as my new FS geared Sycip 29er will be done next week (I'll post pics when it's done).

 

[AZ Mikey]

When I started riding SS it was my hamstrings that were tight. My quads are feeling a bit worked after riding my big bike up Mormon and National this weekend. I think my quads hurt more because I usually pedal in squares rather than circles.

 

[Dirdir]

What is the saying ....

Anyways, whatever. God, I feel like Dirdir, blabbering like a freaking idiot...

Clean your own windows before breaking those of others.

 

[en are es]

Is it just me or... is it only in the AZ forum that such discussions can (and will) occur?

It depends a lot on how you pedal. Standing up I can get no pedal bob out of a single pivot bike, but hammerind down obviously will give me that pedal bob. On a SS I tend to just hammer when I pedal, pushing down and leaning, using my body weight more. Most people are the same. Its not neccesarily the differnce in the bikes as much as it is how you pedal. Try smooth strokes, on your downstroke dont hammer, go in circles not "up, down" as I notice quite a few people do. Your quads are just exhausted becuase usually they dont do much, if anything for the most part, now your forcing them to do work? Poor quads.

 

[Paul B]

I always found the SS was harder on my everything than my geared bike. Mostly my back, which mean probably mostly my hamstrings.

Maybe it's the fast circular spin vs. the slow square grind motion?

p.

 

[Dirdir]

Maybe it's the fast circular spin vs. the slow square grind motion?

p.

I think you may have just discovered the secret technique of "The Move". Been trying to figure it out for years. Thanks man.

The Move

From the episode The Fusilli Jerry. "The Move" refers to a complex sexual technique invented by Jerry that he shares with George with the promise that if George can master it he'll "never be alone again". Elaine's on/off boyfriend, Puddy, uses it on Elaine, leading Elaine to chastise Jerry for sharing intimate secrets with Puddy, a hallmark of male-bonding. The entire technique of The Move is never shared with the audience, leaving the audience to fill in the gaps themselves.

 

[waltaz]

I think you may have just discovered the secret technique of "The Move". Been trying to figure it out for years. Thanks man.

The Move

From the episode The Fusilli Jerry. "The Move" refers to a complex sexual technique invented by Jerry that he shares with George with the promise that if George can master it he'll "never be alone again". Elaine's on/off boyfriend, Puddy, uses it on Elaine, leading Elaine to chastise Jerry for sharing intimate secrets with Puddy, a hallmark of male-bonding. The entire technique of The Move is never shared with the audience, leaving the audience to fill in the gaps themselves.

Another thread trashed by Dirdir...

 

[Dirdir]

C'mon Ah-nold, you can't really tell us you wanted to know if SS was harder...you just wanted to brag that you ride SS 85% of the time, up one of the steepest trails in the valley

I think Dirdir brings up a good point, there are certain moves that just shouldn't be shared, one of them being correct pedaling styles - yet he accomplished it through a Seinfeld MET-A-PHOR..simply brilliant IMO.

DHF'r

Thanks brotha. That's what I'm talking about. And Walt, I seem to recall something like this in your OP:

Anyways, whatever. God, I feel like Dirdir, blabbering like a freaking idiot...

You are the one destroying threads with statements like that. You started it. Na, na, na, na, na. Nonetheless, I will address your question, if you could call it that, with this answer:

Answer to OP's Question of "So WTF?" -

I have noticed that no matter which bike I am riding, whether it is my single speed, my 5X5 Turner 5-Spot trail bike, or my beach cruiser, I am always faster than Walt, and my quads always hurt less than his. It seems my superior fitness and riding skills allow me to go faster, and have less pain, than Walt. So, WTF?

PS: Real Answer - It looks like single speeds work different muscles differently than multiple speeds. I bet several factors cause this result, including, inter alia, that these are different kinds of bikes.

 

[2xPneu]

Kick the SS up a notch and take away the freewheel for even more quad work.

FG will be the hardest on the quads, primarily because you're legs are moving all the time with no rest possible. Add to that the (normally) shorter cranks run on a FG which removes the extra bit of leverage most SS roders have as they (normally) run longer cranks, the shorter cranks make your legs work a bit harder on climbs.

Add to that the normally higher gearing run by FG compared to SS, as FGs have to be able to go downhill at a reasonable pace without spinning out.

Add to that the fact that most FGs are rigid, and you've put in a body-beating to go along with the quad work.

It's the most fun you can have on two wheels!