Wintertime = Powercranks Time

If I am going to enjoy my somewhat more ambitious cycling calendar this year, I have got to get a really, really strong base. So for the first time in several years ... the Powercranks are going on a bike, and I am setting up the stationary trainer. Maybe I can ride outside this week ... but I know in the next few months there will be lots of days when I cannot or do not want to be riding outside.

Ever ride with an independent cam left and right crank? Powercranks is like doing one-leg exercises with BOTH legs, and with a brick tied to each foot. But one does get used to them. Heck, back in 2011, I even rode around Mt. Fuji on Powercranks once (from/to Kawaguchi-ko).And it is a lot of fun doing "dolphin kick" rotations as one climbs past other riders. And riding them on the streets one always gets a double take from road cyclists.

If you cannot read the logo, it says "for a good time, call POWERCRANKS"

Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures

I am behind on my training schedule.  What to do?

Get out the Powercranks for some fun while commuting and on the trainer!  The Osymetric cranks are EASY on the legs -- less effort to get through the "dead spots".  I really should avoid them for training, and just use them for events.

The Powercranks, on the other hand, will get the job done.  Stronger legs coming up!  Legs that will shut up when told!  I have not used these since 2011, when they helped me get ready for Transalp.  And eventually I got to the point where I managed to ride around Mt. Fuji using them, with plenty of climbing.

And I finally got the shift lever I need for the Retroshift set up.  So for now the Canyon is an odd beast.  Powercranks.  Right side Retroshift.  And a new Ultegra 6700 rear derailleur and a new 12-30 rear cassette.  If the Retroshift works out, eventually I will move this groupset to the Ti Travel bike, for randonneuring, and put the SRAM Red groupset on the Canyon for speed.

Retroshift with Dura Ace lever.

Riding Powercranks at Mt Fuji

I am at Mt. Fuji since the weekend, staying at a rental house above
the North shore of Kawaguchiko, in the same compound that was our base
for the Saiko JCRC race last November. Since this trip is with my
wife and our dog and so cycling should be limited to a 1- or 2-hour
rides in the morning, I left the Cervelo at home (along with our
younger son, whose part-time job kept him in town). Instead, I am
riding the Powercranks.

On Transalp, I felt a real difference from 2009 in my strength -- both
on the flats and when I wanted to power-up the last half kilometer of
any climb -- and I think it might have been due to commuting on the
p-cranks several weeks in May/early June, building up new muscles. So
I really wanted to try riding them some more -- the more I ride them
the easier it gets! They are still not as much fun as a bicycle with
a normal crank, but with them I get a work out for my leg muscles
quickly.

Return to the site of one of the Novembe 2010 "bike leaning" photo shots.

The momiji (Japanese maple) leaves were red in November.

I've decided to drop the nickname "paincranks" as it no longer quite fits.