Slow then fast? Aka placebo effect?

[mass_biker]

Most of my riding in the “off season” (say late Nov > March) here in the hilly MidAtlantic is on my trusty not-so-light steel “B” bike (Columbus Zona, alum box section rims, rim brakes, all season rubber etc.). And most of these rides are of the solo, zone-2 “base miles” variety. It’s a bike designed for durability, not necessarily speed! This past weekend though, I happened to join up with some of the local gang for a group ride, and grabbed whatever bike was closest and serviceable (said “B” bike above).

On hour 3, heading back over one of the innumerable sharp climbs on the way home, I realized I was turning myself inside out to keep pace with everyone else (all on carbon bikes with disc brakes). On the super steep stuff it was quite an effort, and I was definitely not on the pointy end of things. On the steadier “big ring” grades, it was more manageable, but still a lot of work.

Now, I like to think there is maybe some benefit (whether psychological or physical? Who knows?) to conditioning like this. It may be harkening back to my track and cross country days in high schools of base miles in heavy trainers and race days in racing flats. But on the other hand, is there some other benefit one misses out by not being at the pointy end of things in a group situation because one is weighed down etc?

Anyone else choose to ride a heavier “B” bike in the offseason and then switch to something more race worthy as the seasons change (for those of us not blessed with year-round balmy conditions)? For me it’s always been when Spring (end of March) rolls around, it’s time to bring out the “A” bike, but then again, it does seem with the onset of smart bike apps/race simulators etc., there is no off-season anymore.

Thoughts?

m_b

[fa63]

I sometimes ride my gravel bike on group road rides in the winter. It is a little bit of extra work - about 20-25 Watts more per my power meter. Most of that is due to added rolling resistance from the tires. Not sure if it makes me faster but it probably doesn't hurt

[weisan]

If you continue to ride your "B" bike throughout the "off-season", when you get back to your "A" bike in Spring, on the first and/or second ride you will feel "light and invincible", by the third or fourth ride and thereafter, you will come back to earth and things will feel normal again, and if you are still not at the pointy end of things, I am sorry to say your "A+" bike is not going to get you there.

[GregL]

I ride a heavier, fendered, "disposable" bike during the winter months. I have it set up to fit like my road racing bikes. At the same time, the frame and components are all lower-cost and intended for reliability and corrosion resistance rather than all-out performance. Heavier, more durable tires and wheels so I have less chance of mechanical issues in sub-freezing temps. Lower-level drivetrain components for less cost to replace if/when they get damaged by corrosion. The end result is an extra ~7 pounds over my race bikes.

Those 7 pounds are noticeable, especially at the end of longer solo rides or when riding in groups. Mentally, I try to use the extra heft as motivation. If I can keep up with my fast friends on their lighter, more aerodynamic bikes, I know my fitness is building nicely. I put in 100+ miles this weekend on the "B" bike. Looking forward to less salty roads and moving that fitness over to the "A" bikes. First races less than a month away!

Greg

[.RJ]

Originally Posted by weisan

I am sorry to say your "A+" bike is not going to get you there.

are you saying they are lying to us

[KonaSS]

Watts are watts. Did you put out more to hold on to the fast group on your B bike than you would have if you were riding your A bike? If so, technically you got a better workout. How much......hard to say. Likely not enough to move the needle in the grand scheme of things. But may be a nice mental boost once you bring the A bike out.

Now if you have been just doing Z2 miles all winter...and you were with a fast group lighting it up. That is likely why it felt so hard, regardless of what bike you were on.

[benb]

Sometimes the slower bike just has something about it that makes you feel comfortable and might help.

But you're still going to notice the difference with other people and over longer distances and if the slow bike is heavy you're going to notice it more over hilly long distances.

My All City (near 25lbs) was really comfortable doing intervals for some reason when I had it set up with drop bars. Very slow when you looked at the files. But if the goal was to put out X watts for Y time the bike was perfectly fine.

[prototoast]

If you're riding solo with a power meter, it doesn't really matter, you just go slower.

On group rides, riding a "slower" bike can cut both ways. If you're a much stronger rider than the people you're riding with, this can be a helpful way to give yourself a harder workout. If you're weaker than the people you're riding with, this can also be a recipe for pushing yourself too hard. What this means for optimal training depends on both your own fitness, the groups you're riding with, and what your goals of the workout are.

[benb]

LOL. For the extreme example case this is why I ride my fat bike with family members who aren't cyclists. That sucker really slows me down.

[Turkle]

Originally Posted by benb

LOL. For the extreme example case this is why I ride my fat bike with family members who aren't cyclists. That sucker really slows me down.

I use my Schwinn the same way! (I can't believe how heavy the thing is when I'm loading it into my car!)

[bikinchris]

I had a customer ask me if his new custom titanium bike was really going to b faster than his old steel bike.
My answer was simple. YES, at first because you feel faster, so it will go faster. If you think you're faster, you are faster. Once the newness wears off, you will be as fast as you're will to work for.

[Mark Davison]

Remember that the power required to overcome gravity is proportional to you entire system weight = you + clothes + bike + equipment. A typical male rider might be 175 lbs with clothes, helmet, shoes, and the B bike might be 25 lb with saddle bag, spares, full water bottles, fenders, lights. Total system weight 200 lbs. Each 2lbs that you reduce by going to the A bike will reduce system weight by 1 percent, and you will climb about .01 * .7 faster.

It is revealing to weight yourself and the bike all kitted out before you go on a ride. In the summer I might ride a lighter bike, but I definitely wear far less clothes. You might go faster on the B bike in the summer as well.

Another thing to try on winter group rides is to use lower rolling resistance tires. You could try running them tubeless if flats are an issue. With the same rolling & wind resistance remember that the heavier B bike will be faster downhill, and may be at an advantage on gently rolling terrain.

[GregL]

Originally Posted by Mark Davison

Another thing to try on winter group rides is to use lower rolling resistance tires. You could try running them tubeless if flats are an issue. With the same rolling & wind resistance remember that the heavier B bike will be faster downhill, and may be at an advantage on gently rolling terrain.

I definitely notice this factor. During winter training, I prioritize reliability over speed. Ever change a tire in sub-freezing temps? My winter bike runs Grand Prix 4 Season tires. Summer road bikes run GP5000 tires. Per https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/, there's nearly 5W difference in tested rolling resistance between those two tires (at 18 MPH). Now double that for two tires and I'm pushing an extra 10W through the winter bike at a moderate training pace.

Greg

[avalonracing]

Also a mid-Atlantic rider here. I grab different bikes off the wall throughout the winter just to break up the winter doldrums. If the roads are wet I usually take the gravel bike or a bike without racing tires because trashing a nice tire or changing a flat in the cold sucks. As for the group you encountered, people have all different levels of fitness in the winter. I ride a lot less and don't do any indoor riding but some people train their brains out in the off season. We used to call them "Christmas Stars" or "Winter Olympians" as they will train their brains out over the cold months, peak in April and be burned out by July.