I find that consciously 'ankling', in the 'scraping mud off your shoes' kinda sense helps a lot in those times when it's too steep to keep spinning, you don't want to, or can't, stand, and the section is short enough that shifting isn't worth it.
I hit this point quite often on my '71 Raleigh Competition. Because it's a 5-speed. Because it's got downtubers. (Suntour Symmetrics, which rule.) But mostly because I suck. --Shannon On Saturday, March 14, 2026 at 4:12:25 PM UTC-7 [email protected] wrote: > Aha, James Nestor, that’s how I found that video. Very interesting, and > yet one more rabbit hole to fall into. > > FWIW, by haplessly following links into links, I found the “Roadman” > cycling video blog, and one of the principal’s videos encourages low > cadence, high torque training for more rapid aerobic improvement. > > Now, I resolutely *HATE* “training,” but high torque/low cadence is how I > ride. I must patent a training program involving riding a fixed gear into > NM spring winds. > > Well, at least we’ve dispensed with “ankling." > > > > On Sat, Mar 14, 2026 at 3:24 PM Chris Halasz <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Patrick >> >> This Chris has tried ankling, and has never been convinced of its >> efficacy. I'm reminded how Jobst wrote >> <https://www.sheldonbrown.com/brandt/ankling.html>, bluntly, that "To >> artificially emulate someone's ankle motion or lack thereof, while >> pedaling, is as useless as emulating a walking gait. The study laid ankling >> to rest for a while, but because urban legends have a life of their own, >> rising again at the slightest opportunity, ankling, with its lore, is >> assured a long life.” As for me, who's to say that it doesn't work for some >> people, or like clipless pedals: if you like 'em, use 'em! >> >> As a 'slow-'n-steady' pedaler, I do, however, practice a breathing >> routine that James Nestor <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgD-bUD99gA> >> wrote was used by professional cyclists, whereupon during high and >> sustained exertion one inhales (nasally) for three (or so) breaths (or >> pedal cycles), and then exhales (still nasally, for me, to limit humble >> bees entering my mouth) for something like five breaths (or pedal cycles), >> or at least that's how I remember it, and how it works for me! >> >> - Chris >> > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/fcd981c3-79b6-4718-bd7b-5db651827948n%40googlegroups.com.
