Definition:
Anyone ever called you a "masher?" Do you "mash the pedals?" I know I'm a masher and proud of it. Mashing the pedals means using brute force and sheer leg strength to drive the pedals. Lots of times when you're doing this heavy mashing, you've got your bike in a higher gear, and you're cranking more slowly and with greater force.
This is in contrast to "spinning" which means driving the pedals lightly at much higher RPMs. Usually, your net speed is the same, but with less fatigue, according to many experienced cyclists.
Examples:
"Wow, I'm worn out. That was a long ride with lots of big hills, and I was mashing the whole way."
