Yes there is, the variation in speed (and therefore cadence) within the pedalling stroke is higher in the low inertia uphill situation, so there will likely be a corresponding difference in force application.cyclightning said:Â If cadence and power output are the same pedaling up a hill or on the flat, then there is no difference in terms of pedaling dynamics.
I think it depends what you're trying to accomplish. Steady-state riding (isopower, i.e., the same watts in all conditions) isn't the best pacing strategy for most people on hilly courses anyway, so I would go more by feel than by watts in terms of pushing yourself on climbs the way you do on flats. When I'm riding my ~20-min test loop, I invariably put out more watts on the rises than I do on the flats or dips because that's what feels best to me. But I feel as though I'm working equally hard the entire time, even if the watts show otherwise.Originally Posted by jcm01
First post here...gotta start somewhere. So glad this thread came up. This is something I have often thought about. Like the OP, I too feel a big difference riding at X watts on the flat vs. a hill. Sometimes if I'm doing an interval, I look forward to an upcoming hill because it feels so much easier. When I hit the hill, the effort level drops, the leg burn diminishes...it's just much easier. I guess my remaining question is: if it feels physically easier on the hill, does that mean it's less beneficial? For example, if I'm doing an interval at 240W on the flat, should I bump it up to, say 260W on the hill in order to keep the effort level the same?
Not necessarily. You may climb at a different cadence than you ride on the flat, but some of us climb at the same cadence. For example, my preferred climbing cadence is exactly the same as my preferred cadence on the flat or downhill. There is nothing inherent in a climb that argues for changing cadence, it's just what some choose to do.Originally Posted by Manu3172
I feel exactly the same,
I able to hold 260W for an hour on a climb, but I tried on a flat part, it was just impossible!
Maybe on a climb, the effort is more constant (it is just about the grade). On a flat road, it is rare to have perfectly constant conditions (wind, road, etc.).
Also as said before, the pedal inertia isn't the same, to be efficient in a climb, the legs have to work almost 100% of the time to maintain a good constant speed.
Also the legs frequency is not the same, it would be interesting to try at the same frequency.
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