Cycling tips

[alfa pint]

I've just moved jobs and homes. I used to run to work (3 and a bit miles each way) but the new job is nearly 5 miles and it's a little extreme to run both ways.

I've got a road bike with decent thin tyres, but I'm not used to cycling at all. It's a 14 speed claud butler with toe clips. I'm struggling to work out which is the more efficient way of cycling on the slopes that I'm finding - is it better to drop the front cog onto the smaller one for the hill before working my way up the back ones to maintain cadence or the other way round?

Cheers for any help.

[alfa pint]

dome said:

I think it depends on personal style-I tend to have a higher cadence than most of my mates when cycling at the same speed. I've always gone with the idea that your correct cadence should initially feel a bit too fast-this puts less strain on your legs for climbing. Then again I use SPD's and try to follow the pedalling in a circle idea. Works for me...

I am contemplating buying spds. I've only got one of the old fashioned toe clips on the bike, as I've used it a bit for riding around a busy city centre and needed to put a foot down. But my current route is pretty safe and isn't going to cause any concern.

Any tips for spds please, from those in the know? I get really frustrated getting overtaken by mountain bike riders with spds on when I'm on a road bike and should have a large edge.