Finding the Right Gear: A lessons in Moving Forward

Decades on the bike have taught me a great deal about performance, persistence, preparation and the art of moving forward.

Some lessons come from the races themselves. Others emerge from the miles, through experience, reflection and observation. In this series, I share a few of the lessons the road has taught me, and what they might mean for life on two wheels and life on two feet.

Finding the right gear

Gears move us forward. We apply effort, generate force, and the right gear helps turn that effort into moving forward.

Oftene use metaphorical gears in all parts of our lives, too. We gear up for things, choose a gear, find a gear, miss a gear.

I often see people struggling to create forward momentum on a bike. Sometimes the gear is too low. The legs spin, the heart rate rises, the muscles burn. Sometimes it’s too high. The legs struggle to turn, the heart rate rises, and cramp becomes a risk.

Either way, when you’re in the wrong gear, moving forward comes at a cost. And sometimes that cost is enough to make you stop pedalling.

Economy of effort

Here’s a truth: there is an economy of effort within forward movement.

Ask yourself: what’s the gear that matches the effort I have available right now and will move me forward in the most economical way?

Finding the right gear at the right moment is an art. That moment is shaped by so many things, both internal and external. How you feel, your level of fatigue, what’s happening around you, what lies ahead and how much you have in reserve all play their part.

A gear that works at 100 miles may be too high at 500 miles when you’re tired.

It’s an art on a bike, and it’s an art in life.

You have more options than you think

Here’s another truth: we often have more gears available to us than we think. And the amount of tension we apply to a gear is within our control, too.

So don’t be afraid to gear up or gear down.

Sometimes you’re capable of turning a bigger gear and generating more forward force. At times gearing down preserves your momentum, allows you to recover and gives you the capacity to keep going.

Moving forward doesn’t always mean applying more effort. Sometimes it means recognising what you have available to you and making the best use of it.

If forward is the goal, find the gear that moves you towards it in the most economical way for that moment.

Forward is a moment-by-moment art.

Know that you have a choice. Use it wisely.

My goal as an ultra-cycling coach is to make you a stronger, more efficient cyclist. It’s also to make you a better cyclist that can handle and adapt to the demands of time and distance.

If you’ve got a big ultra-cycling goal or challenge, let’s talk.