Friday, August 24, 2007

Saving rubber and also flip turns

Does anyone else have a problem with getting their heart rate up on a bicycle trainer? Man it has never been easy for me. Because of the Valdora’s extreme set up I can only run a Forteza low profile tire, which while bombproof on the road, is shredded down on a trainer after a few hours and Mistress complains of rubber shavings all over her house. My Giant, which I use for the trainer, when its not loaned out, has a sturdy Continental. But that brings me to the question on how tight do you set the bike wheel to the fly wheel of the trainer. To much and you might as well be riding in sand, not enough and the wheel skips and loses tension in the crank.

I have actually asked ‘experts’ on what is proper tension on the rear fly wheel and this is what I have been told many times. Clamp bike into trainer. Spin the back wheel. Adjust the elevation screw on the fly wheel until it stops the back wheel. Tighten screw a quarter twist.

Yesterday I used my Giant and was in my hardest gear, standing up and pedaling as hard as I could for five minutes to get my HR into zone and while I sweated my ass off, I couldn’t sustain the effort in my legs or maintain the elevated HR when I sat back in the saddle. My HR stayed in the 1-teens and 120’s.

Any comments would be appreciated.

Mistress called today after her Masters Swim. She was excited that her TT 100 meter is 1:10. I am excited for her too, though I reminded her mine is 2:06, asked her to, “Take a sip of Shut-the-hell-up juice.”

Which of course she had none on her and she proceeded to make fun of me and taunt me that she can do flip turns and I can’t and all sorts of stuff. I took it all in stride because I know that the dog puked on the carpet and I left it for her to clean up when she gets home at 1pm.

Right now I am going to hit the treadmill for 10 and this weekend, camping and riding hills in Tucson.

9 comments:

Brent Buckner said...

Mistress is a speedster!

Directions for my CycleOps Fluid2 trainer said to twist elevation knob until flywheel contacts tire, and then to turn knob two more complete revolutions.

Wednesday I had trouble pushing my heartrate into zone 4; some days are just like that. Maybe the cooler indoors demands more from your legs than usual to push your HR up. I use 10 to 15 minutes for warmup, not 5.

21stCenturyMom said...

You left the dog puke for your wife to clean up? ON PURPOSE??!!! Dude... that is just.so.wrong.

The Big Cheese said...

...I took it all in stride because I know that the dog puked on the carpet and I left it for her to clean up when she gets home at 1pm.


That, Sir, is the best.

LBTEPA said...

I felt a bit sorry for you about Mistress' blitzing 100m - until I read about the dog puke.
Long may she razz you about your slow swim! (only a very teeny bit slower than mine BTW LOL)

Spokane Al said...

I don't have an answer for your heart rate issues but you may want to consider the Continental Ultra Sport Hometrainer tire made exclusively for riding on trainers. It will keep the shredded tires to a minimum.

Here is a link:

http://www.tri-sports.com/coulspho.html

Wendy said...

Yay Mistress!!!

Iron Pol said...

My trainer instructions also indicate two full revolutions past stopping the tire.

Fe-lady said...

Where are you guys camping? I guess you are here already....hope you don't get rained out, else I will have to say "told you so"...
Hills? In Tucson? Naw...but we DO have the mountain! :-)

Tony said...

I have actually asked ‘experts’ on what is proper tension on the rear fly wheel and this is what I have been told many times. Clamp bike into trainer. Spin the back wheel. Adjust the elevation screw on the fly wheel until it stops the back wheel. Tighten screw a quarter twist.

Comm,

although a little unorthodox I always spin the wheel by turning the cranks 3 and a half rotations, then I raise the fly wheel until it fully stops the back wheel, and then I tighten the screw by a half twist, then losen it up by a quarter twist. It works perfect every time.