Early spring slump

[Ti Designs]

I've concluded that it's just part of the training cycle as I've hit the same slump every year for the past 10 years, but let's see what y'all have to say...

Every year I get on my fixed gear around September. It starts in a 42x17 and progresses to lower gears as the rides start seeming almost reasonable. If I'm keeping up going down hill with people on geared bikes, and my tights don't burst into flames, it's time to drop down the gear. Most years I get to the 42x19 before I start gearing back up again. 42x19 is never a reasonable gear when riding with people on geared bikes, but it's the leg speed part of the training plan. By January I'm doing 4 hour base mileage rides 4 times a week and starting to gear the fixed gear back up, getting ready for the switch to my road bike. The change over to the road bike is like going from an economy car to an F-1 car, there are big gears there just begging to be used. My first ride out I gave myself 2 minutes in the big ring - I've got a 55 and I know how to use it. It was great! I responded to small attacks with some real speed, knowing that I only had a minute to play with the big gears (had to save some big ring time for town lines later in the ride). A week later and I'm struggling with the bigger gears. More to the point, my quads are screaming at me all the time, and it doesn't stop when I get off the bike.

Each year this happens. My road position is different from my fixed gear, I've got more setback and the reach to the hoods is longer - letting me get my body weight over the pedals. Here's the funny part, three weeks after the slump hits, it's gone - I can push big gears again, my quads stop hurting, the speed returns... I know that I'm not using my glutes at this point, I went out climbing for 2 hours on Saturday and didn't feel a thing back there. It may have to do with adapting to the road bike position, but concentrating on form does little to shorten the slump.

[dreadpiratetim]

Economy of spin? On my fixie I know how much power to dole out, and what's sustainable. I have to, because there's no bailout choice of going to a lower gear. Coasting also isn't an option for recovery.

On the geared bike it's easy to go harder for short (30 sec to 5 min bursts) because I know I can bail... I can shift to a higher (lower?) gear to take some pressure off my burning quads and I can even freewheel.

So making the shift from fixed to geared involves multiple changes, and not just in gearing but also in riding style. I've never thought about your particular issue, but I think I subconsciously pay more attention to the terrain on my fixie than with gears... the consequences of "getting it wrong" are much higher.

I suspect a power meter could help you sort it out... you're doing more "interval" type riding when you first get on your geared bike compared to more "steady state" riding on the fixie. But it's just a hypothesis... Can't wait to hear what others think!

[davids]

Don't you think it's your changed position?

I feel a bit funny suggesting this to the guy who fitted me, but what you're describing sounds just like what I went through during my first rides on the Nove - My position wasn't night & day different, but you'd moved me enough so that I was using my quads a lot more - And they let me know it! But after a few weeks, my muscles had adjusted to the new position and the pains disappeared.

[Len J]

you spend the winter training your muscles in one position, and then you expect them to operate exactly the same in a different position. Your Crdio transfers, but your muscular strength doesn't all transfer.

Why wouldn't you have the same psoition on both bikes....if your goal is to build strength for the geared bike? You may have to give up optimization on the fixie but you will feel stronger on the geared bike.

Len

[Kevan]

the double century isn't going to happen for me this year. Next week I'm on the road doing business travel. Then in May, I'll be doing more travel in Europe for close to 3 weeks of business-expense dining. It's going to be brutal getting back into riding shape with my pals upon my return, let alone prepare myself with lengthy mileage rides before the mid-June ride date. Also, there’s that nagging family obligation feeling…

[93legendti]

These double posts are making me crazy!

[93legendti]

Phil Mahre, the great American skier did not believe in summer dry land/cross training. He said that the only thing that got him in shape for skiing was skiing and whenever he tried the dry land stuff during the sumemr he was still sore the first 3 days of ski trainign camp so what was the point?

So I wonder, if you're position on the fixie is different from your road position (cranks different too?) and it takes you 3 weeks to adjust after getting back on a geared bike, other than training your heart and lungs, what is the fixie really doing for you?

If you love the fixie, at least keep the same position as your road bike. You'll still get the benefits without the 3 week "slump" which seems to be an adaptation period.

Caveat, I'm one of those types of riders whose position on different bikes has to be nearly (if not 100%) identical. I feel every change/deviation and it leads to aches and pains.

[stevep]

too much fixed gear.
happy legs.

no variety.
plus lose the 55.
it never helps.
never.

[Ti Designs]

Why wouldn't you have the same psoition on both bikes....if your goal is to build strength for the geared bike? You may have to give up optimization on the fixie but you will feel stronger on the geared bike.


My winter is broken up into the components of a strong season - leg speed on the fixed gear, power at the gym. The fixed gear is a different beast, it's set up around leg speed. There isn't a whole lot of power work when spinning a 42x19, it's all cardio it's all spin. Power work is at the gym where my routine is based on very specific directions and ranges of motion. I know there's going to be some adaptaion to the road position, but it's not as sudden as you would expect. The first ride on the geared bike I feel great (could be that the fixed gear weighs 8 pounds more...). A few days later my quads have nothing, what I can push on the machines at the gym is way down, and I hobble around all day at work...

As for setting up the bikes the same, as much as I would like for it to work that way, it doesn't. My winter fixed gear is set up for pure leg speed. Try holding 130 - 140 RPMs on a road position set up with enough setback to push bigger gears. Later on in the season I'll be switching over to my track bike, which is also very different. I know my quads will be screaming at me for a week when that happens, but it's the price I expect to pay.



Steve,

The 44/55 with the 12-25 cassette is a lower gear set than my 42/53 with an 11-23, it just looks more impressive. My chain hasn't made it to the right side of the cassette yet this year, but it will - trust me. As for too much fixed gear riding, there's no such thing...

[stevep]

yeah? well i just got a 58-11 to match up with my 39-25 fixed bike.

beat that you criminal.

right now i cannot ride either bike for shiite...accomplishing the same end result as you.

i also bought swoops old 60t* in case you try to up me.
* he went to a 61..." im was always running out of gears..." was his comment.

[Ti Designs]

yeah? well i just got a 58-11 to match up with my 39-25 fixed bike.

That's not a fixed gear, you're cables rusted solid in the gear you left your bike in and yer too cheap to spring for new ones!


I also have a 58-11, but it's for my tandem. I also have a 30T 1" pitch BSA chainring, but I made it into a clock. If this turns into a pissing match, I have a machine shop and plenty of aluminum...

[Len J]

but your post gives me the impression that you don't think your fixed position at 130 rpm is building any muscle recruitment....I think it is...maybe different types, but still muscles. When you go to the geared bike, do you immediatly try for power? If yes, and the only power work you've been doing is lifting, I'm not surprised you have an adaptation period. If you are saying that you have no leg speed when you switch to the geared bike, I'd say that's based on position....and using different muscles for speed on the fixed than on the geared.

It seems to me that the only thing (or maybe the largest thing) portable from the fixed gear to the geared bike is the cardio work.......I'm sure some of the fixed gear muscular workis portable, but I don't think it's as much as it would be with the same position.

What am I missing?

Len

[Too Tall]

Actually I was wondering about overgeared work and lower rpms...pure strength work on the bike. You do hit the gym...good...at leasy you don't have to mess with that :) I hate the gym however stairs are a prescrition even I'll resort to for the adaptive effect.

[Ti Designs]

It seems to me that the only thing (or maybe the largest thing) portable from the fixed gear to the geared bike is the cardio work.......I'm sure some of the fixed gear muscular work is portable, but I don't think it's as much as it would be with the same position.

What am I missing?

You nailed it. Cardio work and base mileage work on the fixed gear, power work at the gym, but I've been turning different circles and pushing weights in a straight line. It takes time, I do this every year. As I get older I start to question what's an early season slump and when I never get any faster - hasn't happened yet... My one program adaptation for this season is to extend the high cadence work to the road bike. In years past my team would have what we called "tempo thursday", where we would go as hard as the Tuesday hammer ride, but limited to a 42x17. It was funny to watch 'cause even the strongest riders would attack and go nowhere. I don't remember having spring slumps back in those days. Now all I need to do is find a dozen other idiots in this area who are willing to ride in the rain at 150 RPMs while I play gear police.

It's good to see that nobody on the forum told me which performance enhancing drugs to take...

[chrisroph]

ti, there is always (at least for me) an adaptation period when going from the fixed to the coaster. The fixed is great for winter and early season work, especially when coupled with gym work. It promotes suppleness and power, which are vitally important for a good season. The fixed makes you ride fairly easy on the flats, spin like a madman on the descents and grunt like a pig going uphill. This winter, coy and i did a lot of winter fixed gear work on hilly routes. It helped develop a comfortable easy spin, the ability to climb well in larger than normal gears, and no ability to push any kind of gear on the flats. Transitioning off of the fixed, out of the weight room and on to big gears on the flats takes some time to adapt. You want to try to retain the spin and climbing power you have gained while also developing the ability to ride fast, efficiently and comfortably on bigger gears over longer distances. So how do you accomplish this? Depends on a lot of things. First, you need some patience. The adaptation takes time. I suggest continuing to ride the fixed once a week or so. If you like to ride on the track, that is great. Also, you might consider some on the bike power work. I like to do 5 x 5-10 minute efforts in a 53x15, 16 and 17 over rolling terrain. Do some group riding and mix up the gears a bit. Do some spin ups in a low gear to maintain leg speed. Do some racing. Mostly, understand that for most people it is normal to feel a little out of sorts during the transition phase from fixie to gears.