Are you a Spinner or a Grinder?
Thanks to the good weather that the UK has experienced this summer, I was fortunate to be able to spend a lot of time in the saddle cycling around Scotland. During these trips I got to considering how I was approaching the many challenges that appeared around almost every bend, namely hills! In cycling there are two main approaches to climbing a hill – spinning and grinding and, while both have merits, everyone has their own preference. In layman’s terms, spinning is where the cyclist selects a lower, easier gear and pedals faster, although it can be tiring after a while. Grinding on the other hand is where a higher gear is chosen, and the cyclists has a slower cadence but has to put more effort into turning the pedals. Many cyclists when they first start are grinders, and stop when tired or the incline is too steep, awhereas most pro cyclists will opt for spinning to keep the cadence (of their pedalling) more consistent. This year I have been pushing myself to be a spinner