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Whats better for a higher average speed?
Killing yourself on the way up a climb, resting and taking it easy going over the brow and resting on the rest of the descent. Or, taking it easy on the climb getting to the top with fresher legs and putting a good effort in on the descent and getting some good speed up?
I know in theory for fitness thrashing yourself on the climbs is better, but does it make for a higher average speed?
Your opinions if you please,
Cheers
Best option is to ride at a constant effort.
You spend longer climbing than descending so climbing is where you can make up most time - pedalling over the top on to the descent is important as well
Pedal hard on the up, but don't kill yourself, then continue pedalling on the down.
Depends on so many other factors that it's really impossible to answer.
I rarely do a lot of pedaling on the downs, so very little benefit in being a bit fresher at the top - speed wise
Off road: Pedal as fast as you can going up, and good technique and line choice on the way down to go as fast as possible.
On road: Pedal as fast as you can going up; pedal as fast as you can going over the top; pedal as fast as you can along the flat; pedal as fast as you can going down; Repeat.
On road, tempo.
Our fast club runs are often slower than the steady/tempo ones.