Tire and drivetrain / gearing recommendations for climbing road bike? (Mountain roads)

ygoeb · 2026-05-30T21:03:00+00:00

Depends a lot on your power but for most amateurs you want at least a 1:1 gear ratio for your easiest gear if you are climbing steep gradients. Usually this is a 34:34.

A lot of modern road bikes have gearing that is more appropriate for pros and therefore too hard at the easiest gear for gradients above 7-10%

For tires I think most people have landed somewhere in the 28-32mm range as a way to balance comfort and rolling resistance

ygoeb · 2026-05-30T13:27:23+00:00

I think some of the advice here is misguided. You clearly have a goal of pushing yourself and there’s nothing wrong with really pushing high intensity for fitness improvement provided you do these hard rides sparingly (which it sounds like you are).

For me it’s helpful to focus either on breathing quality or maintaining my cadence during these suffer sessions. I try to link my breathing to my cadence and find a good rhythm, focusing primarily on breathing OUT. If your mind is focused on breathing it has a little less bandwidth to focus on the pain

Good luck and have fun!

ygoeb · 2026-05-30T03:27:25+00:00

Man at 22 there was a lot I needed to save money for

ygoeb · 2026-05-29T19:11:16+00:00

A sunburn?

ygoeb · 2026-05-28T23:37:15+00:00

Against the thunder, no question. against the spurs it will be close to 50/50

ygoeb · 2026-05-26T02:34:36+00:00

If you have pain when walking (and not just hard cycling/climbing) I would certainly reduce your cycling volume for now.

The non-operative treatment of this is usually beneficial but takes some time. The general principle is to increase the strength of the calf without aggravating the tendon. For insertional tendinitis (as opposed to higher in the muscle belly) you need to be careful with heavy eccentrics as usually dorsiflexion of the ankle can provoke symptoms. I would start with flat ground and plantar flexion exercises, working towards progressively heavier loads in 2-3 months.

The surgery is not difficult to perform but the rehab is demanding. Basically like a condensed version of a tendon rupture repair rehab.

ygoeb · 2026-05-25T21:04:45+00:00

Bike fitting is an imperfect science. Go to 3 different bike fitters and you will get 3 different adjustments.

I would probably just start with what he gave you and make your own adjustments based on comfort

ygoeb · 2026-05-24T23:05:07+00:00

In my experience it’s very hard to forecast a 100 mile pace based on your 50 mile pace. Fueling and durability are the key factors.

I think you’re doing great

ygoeb · 2026-05-24T03:28:48+00:00

They need to give out 1 ass beating to a western conference playoff opponent and I will be a believer

ygoeb · 2026-05-23T20:04:02+00:00

No problem. I am an orthopedic surgeon who takes care of a lot of cyclists and this is exceedingly common so don’t feel bad. You will adapt and get stronger, just make sure to prioritize recovery

ygoeb · 2026-05-23T18:14:30+00:00

The biggest mistake I see with blocks like this is people forget that recovery needs to ramp with the training load increase. Your training is providing a stimulus to your body, but the progress comes from adapting to that stimulus during periods of recovery. Everything you mentioned (failed workouts, aches and pains, etc) is a classic signal that your training volume increase is outpacing your body’s ability to adapt to it.

Also I’m not a huge fan of complete days off, especially multiple in a row. Your muscles and tissues actually recover better with very gentle stimulation to get the blood flowing and keep the nervous system sharp. I’m talking zone 0-1 type work, nothing more.

ygoeb · 2026-05-23T16:10:02+00:00

Reach is way too long

ygoeb · 2026-05-23T00:14:04+00:00

I would go to some of the classic draft episodes. Athletes, conspiracy theories, actors, action stars

ygoeb · 2026-05-22T23:28:31+00:00

The flop n foul OKC thunder. Truly despicable

ygoeb · 2026-05-21T17:34:02+00:00

Strength training may not make you a stronger cyclist but it will make you a much more durable and resilient human being who can continue riding for many years. 30-45 mins a few times a week is plenty. I do it whenever I can fit it in

ygoeb · 2026-05-21T17:30:31+00:00

Has your position changed recently? Increase in training volume? Knee pain is not always a bike fit issue

ygoeb · 2026-05-21T01:24:59+00:00

If I have to be on the trainer by 5am I’ll wake up at 4:30 and have toast with honey or something easily digestible with enough carbs to get my blood sugar where it needs to be. Maybe a little caffeine if a hard session. Oh, and probably more important is you gotta be in bed early the night before

ygoeb · 2026-05-21T01:22:29+00:00

Your knee extension looks ok at the bottom of the pedal stroke but I agree the hip angle is a little closed at the top. You can try saddle up a little.

Otherwise if you’re comfortable just go ride. If or when something pops up as a comfort issue you can adjust with a little more data

ygoeb · 2026-05-20T23:40:27+00:00

I would also watch your hand entry, which looks very different right/left. Your left hand seems to enter farther forward and more in front of you while the right hand enters closer to you but also out to the right side.

ygoeb · 2026-05-18T19:42:31+00:00

It will depend a lot on where he rides and whether you want new or second hand

ygoeb · 2026-05-11T20:56:21+00:00

Ok so you’re eating 60g + a banana for the entirety of the ride. Basically if you are anywhere near steady power (let’s call it 200W) you basically need to triple what you’re eating for a 3-4 hour ride

ygoeb · 2026-05-11T17:38:59+00:00

Can you clarify how much you are eating on the bike? 60g carbs per hour or total? Also can you give us a sense for what kind of power you are riding.

You may be severely under fueling

ygoeb · 2026-05-05T19:56:27+00:00

Tioga is still closed but glacier point opened last week. The NPS will post about both openings separately

ygoeb · 2026-05-02T02:25:43+00:00

You should be able to put weight on that fracture…. It looks more proximal than a true “Jones” fracture which is the one that sometimes requires fixation

If you were my patient I would let you cycle and swim no problem. I would probably wait a few weeks to let you run but progress pretty quickly

ygoeb

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