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Leg power discrepency

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Old 16-02.-2008, 12:45 PM   #46
Fday
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Default Re: Leg power discrepency

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Do I get to test the prototype?
email me. I will see what I can do.
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Old 16-02.-2008, 12:49 PM   #47
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Default Re: Leg power discrepency

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Billsworld,

How long have you been using them? I found that for the first month that anything over a few minutes at a time was just a nightmare. I had to ride pretty much everyday as best I could in order to get any sort of time on the bike and then I couldn't do more than a few minutes at a time before having to relax for about 10 or 15 seconds.

I found that it was easier if I backed off the effort considerably and pedalled at around 65rpm in a biggish gear at around 17mph.

After 6 weeks I was doing "better" and thankfully I was able to pretty much get the cranks positioned correctly without thinking about it. It's been about 12 weeks since I put them on and they're pretty peachy, so much so that I kinda like the way I'm forced to ride.
Today I did a video interview with a "local" rider who has been on the cranks for 6 weeks now. I hope to have the interview up on the site soon. He is now up to 70+ miles on them and is intending to do the Death Ride on the PowerCranks this summer. He finished last year approximately in the top 50 so this should be a good test of what they can do for someone who is already "pretty good" in 6 months, at least for climbing.
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Old 16-02.-2008, 03:22 PM   #48
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Default Re: Leg power discrepency

I thought we got rid of all this spam?
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Old 17-02.-2008, 04:54 AM   #49
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Default Re: Leg power discrepency

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Originally Posted by swampy1970
Billsworld,

How long have you been using them? I found that for the first month that anything over a few minutes at a time was just a nightmare. I had to ride pretty much everyday as best I could in order to get any sort of time on the bike and then I couldn't do more than a few minutes at a time before having to relax for about 10 or 15 seconds.

I found that it was easier if I backed off the effort considerably and pedalled at around 65rpm in a biggish gear at around 17mph.

After 6 weeks I was doing "better" and thankfully I was able to pretty much get the cranks positioned correctly without thinking about it. It's been about 12 weeks since I put them on and they're pretty peachy, so much so that I kinda like the way I'm forced to ride.
About 3 months, and I do ride a 53x12 on the kurt trainer. I also do sprints in that gear with no problems. I bought them because of many old injuries and to basicly experiment a bit. I only race short sprint events on the track and dont ride enough distance to adapt to them in the way that you are supposed to. I am fortunate to have lots of bikes and therefore I have training specific bikes to experiment with stuff. For me they are a training tool that seems to be effective as are weights and riding at 120-220 rpms on rollers. I cant endorse them for you road guys because I dont have much knowledge of endurance riding, but they are good for what I intended them for...Injury problems, hip flexor strength and maybe smoother spin.FWIW, I was ready to hunt Frank down with a hunting rifle after week 1
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Old 17-02.-2008, 04:57 AM   #50
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I thought we got rid of all this spam?
OUCH!!...LOL
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Old 17-02.-2008, 07:41 AM   #51
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Default Re: Leg power discrepency

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Originally Posted by Billsworld
About 3 months, and I do ride a 53x12 on the kurt trainer. I also do sprints in that gear with no problems. I bought them because of many old injuries and to basicly experiment a bit. I only race short sprint events on the track and dont ride enough distance to adapt to them in the way that you are supposed to. I am fortunate to have lots of bikes and therefore I have training specific bikes to experiment with stuff. For me they are a training tool that seems to be effective as are weights and riding at 120-220 rpms on rollers. I cant endorse them for you road guys because I dont have much knowledge of endurance riding, but they are good for what I intended them for...Injury problems, hip flexor strength and maybe smoother spin.FWIW, I was ready to hunt Frank down with a hunting rifle after week 1

You resisted that urge for a full week. I only managed two days.... and Walnut Creek is only a 30 minute drive from my house. Frank's saving grace was that after training and having to walk upstairs backwards to get a shower the thought of walking downstairs wasn't too appealing. LOL I knew years ago that I had a problem with muscle balance and power discrepancy between legs and after more than a decade off the bike I noticed it was even worse and getting worse by the month after I got back on the bike. The irony was it seems as though the leg I thought was the stronger is actually the weaker....
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Old 17-02.-2008, 08:22 AM   #52
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You resisted that urge for a full week. I only managed two days.... and Walnut Creek is only a 30 minute drive from my house. Frank's saving grace was that after training and having to walk upstairs backwards to get a shower the thought of walking downstairs wasn't too appealing. LOL I knew years ago that I had a problem with muscle balance and power discrepancy between legs and after more than a decade off the bike I noticed it was even worse and getting worse by the month after I got back on the bike. The irony was it seems as though the leg I thought was the stronger is actually the weaker....
I had torn an ACL a while ago and then powerlifted for about 8 years before the repair. This has left me with some imbalance between hamstrings that my masage therapist pointed out. I then ruptured a disc and have been focused on sorting out the imbalance problems. They become glaring on PCs. I also do most of my weight training one leg at a time. I cant credit PCs for all the progress, but it seem to be getting better. I am in the Northeast and have only done a few outdoor sprint workouts outdoors. It feels odd being on the road after doing all indoor work, but my power numbers are near PBs. I may never be a guy who sings the benifits of PCs from the hill tops, but I call it like I see it. Sorry for the spam Alex. Your aces in my book mate
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Old 17-02.-2008, 11:29 AM   #53
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Default Re: Leg power discrepency

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Today I did a video interview with a "local" rider who has been on the cranks for 6 weeks now. I hope to have the interview up on the site soon. He is now up to 70+ miles on them and is intending to do the Death Ride on the PowerCranks this summer. He finished last year approximately in the top 50 so this should be a good test of what they can do for someone who is already "pretty good" in 6 months, at least for climbing.
As promised:

Bobby Escay PowerCranks interview
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Old 17-02.-2008, 03:03 PM   #54
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First one to complete the Deathride on Powercranks.... Hmmm. That's it - I'm starting at 3am!

... but that initial descent into Markleeville is going to be f'ing freezing!
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Old 18-02.-2008, 06:56 PM   #55
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I've listened to Bobby Escay interview. This guy is amazing, first ride ever with PC's :40 miles That's something I would have said impossible from my own experience (and also from some others). 70 miles+ after 6 weeks , that's another record breaker, I must say. I do this mileage now without problem but it took me at least 8/10 weeks to get there.
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Old 19-02.-2008, 05:40 AM   #56
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I've listened to Bobby Escay interview. This guy is amazing, first ride ever with PC's :40 miles That's something I would have said impossible from my own experience (and also from some others). 70 miles+ after 6 weeks , that's another record breaker, I must say. I do this mileage now without problem but it took me at least 8/10 weeks to get there.
I think some of his achievement can be expained by the fact that he was learning them with 2 other friends, so there was a little friendly competition going on as to who could do something first, etc. Doing the "learning" alone is a lot harder I think.

His 40 mile ride the first day, aside from being a "mistake" can be explained in by the fact it was a somewhat hilly course, so there would have been a fair amount of coasting (resting) on the downhill segments. But, 70 miles after 6 weeks is by no means a record breaker. I know of at least two people who have done 100 mile rides on their THIRD ride. And, I think most (but, not all) people are capable of doing such a ride at the 4-6 week point in the learning curve but few try.
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Old 19-02.-2008, 09:39 AM   #57
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Default Re: Leg power discrepency

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First one to complete the Deathride on Powercranks.... Hmmm. That's it - I'm starting at 3am!

... but that initial descent into Markleeville is going to be f'ing freezing!


Park at the bottom of the hill.
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Old 19-02.-2008, 04:54 PM   #58
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Default Re: Leg power discrepency

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Park at the bottom of the hill.
You could do that I guess but I like to start and finish at the start and finish....

... besides, I like to support the Firefighters in the area and buy the beer from their little "beer patio" fund raiser tent - I don't want to drink and ride back to the car.

Since you seem to be from that area, what time of year do the high passes tend to open? I know there's a CalTrans page that finally tells you when they are open but I'd like to plan ahead a little.

Sorry for the complete thread hijack there....
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Old 20-02.-2008, 03:05 AM   #59
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Sent PM.
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