this post was submitted on 29 Jun 2025
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Cities do lower average speed significantly, but 30k in 3 hours is indeed very slow.
Hard to diagnose from afar, but I'd say take a look at shifting technique and pedaling cadence. It's actually not so easy at first to know when to shift and which gear is right (until it becomes second nature and you never think about it again.)
Pedaling speed should be viewed as somewhat of a constant (try to aim for 60rpm at first, maybe?), and your job is to pick the gear that feels comfortable for that cadence in a given situation.
I'll try to focus more on my shifting! Thanks for the advice :)
One question - for hills, for example, which derailleur has more of an effect? For example, on a big hill, am I better off being in 1st gear on the chainring and 3rd out of 8 gears on the cassette, or 2nd gear on the chainring and 1st gear on the cassette? Which do people usually use?
Cadence is also a personal preference, lower cadence is more based on muscle power (50-70 rpm) higher (90 rpm+) put more load on your cardiovascular system. In time you'll drift towards what feels natural for you Going up hill try experimenting with the cadence. You'll quickly discover what cadence you feel is efficient for you
In regards to your gearing question, it is hard to tell, it's about ratios between the number of teeth on the cassette and chainring. Find an rpm you like, adjust gear until you find that rpm
Hard agree on the last sentence, just find a rhythm that feels right and adjust gears so you can paddle that on your current incline.