Newbie Question: Trek 1000 8 Speed Sora Shifters 2005 year

[vchu7105]

I've been riding mainly by myself for about 3 weeks. I have a Trek 1000, 05 model and I rode with a club for the first time this past Sat and did 40 miles and on every hill I fell behind. I had to have the guy behind me push me with a hand on my back when ever I fell behind mainly on hills or behind on Drafting. I was able to keep up on Flat surfaces. I didn't have all the gear which I just purchased, Shoes and Cleats, and cycling shorts and shirt. I wanted to know the diffrence between an 8 speed, 9 speed and 10 speed? What was the main reason I fell behind on hills? Was it cause of the shoes and cleats and having an 8 speed bike?

 

[CrankHead71]

it's not the bike or the gear. you have been riding for only 3 weeks and really it's inexperience. as you get more rides in, you will start to build up your riding legs. how to use your gears to your benefit. you will learn when to come out of the saddle and attack hills. it's good that you riding with a club, get with the experienced riders in the club and soak up as much info as possible. good luck

 

[RapDaddyo]

There are only three things that are hard to do on a bike: climb hills, pedal into the wind and go fast. You've simply encountered the first hard thing. The way to get better is to do some climbing. Try to settle into a steady pace and cadence and maintain it up the hill. My observation is that most new riders climb in too large a gear, thus at a low cadence. Try climbing in a gear that puts your cadence somewhere between 75 and 100. Your heart rate might be a bit higher but it's easier on your untrained legs. Over time you'll get stronger and the hills won't seem so hard. Good luck.

 

[frenchyge]

It's not the bike, it's the engine. I rode a '99 Trek 1000 8-spd for the first 5 years and got dropped during the first few group rides, like you. Mine doesn't even have the carbon fork and seatpost, and aero wheels like the new ones (it's 100% puuuuu-re aluminum, baby ). After a while I got faster, and learned to *savor* blowing past the guys on the $5K bikes.

Push that thing to its potential -- it won't hold you back. I used mine in a TT just this weekend, and it did just fine.