chiltonp

I am a releative NOOB to cycling and have been riding about 3 months. Last night I was running late to the Tuesday night group ride and just had time to throw on the wheel and go, didn't really have time to give my bike the once over. The first 9 miles, (or the easy part) kicked me in the balls last night. I'm by no means a strong rider but I usually average about 17.5 and stay with the main group. On the way out last night I was dropped by the main group, then dropped by the girls group, then dropped by the fat girls group. I was struggling to get up to more than 15mph, I felt as If I couldnt catch my breath and my legs were dead. I was absolutely dead. there is a point about 9 miles out were the ride usually regroups beofre the hills start. I told myself I would pedal out to there and turn around as I felt I could not even handle easy climbs tonight. Something was seriously wrong!

The ride regroups at the top of a short but steep hill, I struggle to get up the easy hill and see the main group waiting on the guy with the nice bike who utterly sucks, (that'd be me). I galnce at my computer and on the way out I have averaged a ghastly 12.9 mph. While im still on the incline I unclip, and take my hands off the bars, (still stradling the top tube). At that point I notice when my bike should roll slightly down the incline it stays in place. I then look down to notice that my left front brake is not properly alligned and has been rubbing on the rim fairly hard for the first 9 miles. I noticed a little more drag at a couple stop lights but was to busy trying to catch up to notice it. At this point I am spent from pedaling a bike with essentially one wheel for 9 miles. The group goes on and I stop and eat a gel and sit in the grass for about 10 minutes, fixed the brake and on the hilly section home I averaged 18.2.

Anybody ever make this mistake, more than anything I was just embarrassed. I never knew a brake rubbing could have som much effect on my speed. Lesson learned.

bbgobie

Captain obvious says: Um, yeah, when a brake rubs, it slows you down...
Sounds like you had a great workout!

crydee

You didn't notice it even rolling out of the parking lot? Surprised no one pointed it out for you either. The sound of brake pad on rim is pretty distinct

Revtor

even a tiny bit of drag adds up!!! rolling resistance is the biggest thing slowing us down (after wind resistance)

hahaha.. sorry. brakes are designed to add massive amounts of rolling resistance!

as was said - at least you got a great workout! you're the better for it.. might even get a new nickname with your group for that one : )

ripperj 

I was amazed at how much more effort a rough (chip sealed) road required.

tekhna

About a year ago I did an experiment where I found about a mile section of smooth pavement that then hit chipseal. I'd make sure I was well warmed up, watch my average speed on the smooth, and then hit the chipseal. I'd lost about 1.2 mph everytime. I tried it in reverse, starting on the chipseal and hitting the smooth pavement, and I'd gain about 1.2 every time. That's a whole lot!

genejockey 

A local climb here recently got a fresh coat of asphalt. After about 25 yards, you'd start hearing a sound like ripping velcro, as you continuously peeled your tires off it. Last week, I rode it again for the first time in a month. It had lost its stickiness, and I did the 4.4 mile climb about 3 minutes faster.

cmyke

Whenever I reattach my front wheel, I make sure to press and hold the brakes while I'm flipping the quick release closed. This ensures the wheel is centered between the brakes.

genejockey 

That, and/or give the wheel a gentle spin after you've closed the QR - any resistance should be obvious.

DataJunkie

I spin both wheels before I head off. Not to mention testing my brakes and seeing if anything looks out of order.
However, I tend to think my brakes are rubbing when I am performing exceptionally badly.

platypus

When I'm going up long climbs, I'll often open up the brakes (an advatage of Campy, since you can do that at the levers) just to make *sure* that I can't have a brake dragging. It's mostly psychological, but I take whatever help I can get!

waterrockets 

You're going to be even more embarrassed when you realize that it wasn't rolling resistance causing your troubles

G-Whacker

I've never done anything like that
Not at all (last month when a spoke broke and caused oddly uniform rubbing on the back wheel, for miles, and I thought I just sucked. Especially not then!)

recursive

So, it turns out that was actually a story about brake resistance.

milchad

"then dropped by the fat girls group"

I had to laugh on that one... I'd love to see the look on your face as fatties went riding by and you still didn't know WTF the problem was.

KevinF

Didn't Lance Armstrong have a brake-rubbing issue on a Tour de France stage at one point as well?

Raerfani

How did you fix it?

NYJayhawk

The only thing that I did close to that was forgetting to pump up my tires before I took off on a century. The ride looped back through the start area at 50 miles, and I got my floor pump out of the car to top off my tires. I'd done the first 50 at about 80 psi rather than the 120 rear/110 front I normally go with.

Nothing like having a brake on, but I still would have gone a little faster with full tires.

banerjek

I had an experience like that. I was riding a buddy's bike and was just killing myself to keep up with him which surprised me since I thought I was the stronger rider. However, it was about 40 miles before I discovered the problem. The rest of the ride was much easier.

xfimpg

Oh I think we've all been through that... welcome to the club!

Fixitman

Reminds me of when I swapped tire brands I misread the tire pressure and was running them at the minimum presure for about a month. On one ride a guy commented that I must like the cushy ride as my tires were so low. it was after that I re read the side wall ... oops.

RT

Brake resistance is futile. You will be assimilated.

CranialCrusader

I always make sure I tighten down the brake adjustment knob before I take off on a ride (front and rear) because my pads wear during every ride. I need the extra resistance so I don't completely annihilate the group.



I'm serious!

CranialCrusader