I have been racing for quite some time but have always had the same problem. For the first 5 miles or so during training rides my quads hurt like they are being beat to death, then they feel fine for 7 or 8 miles, then they start to die again for the rest of the ride. This doesn't happen during a race at all but I can't swim 1500m before every ride. The shop i go to suggested a faster spinning pace. but I've been training at 80 rpm for a month and I still have the same problem.
yeah speed up your cadence. depending how tall you are. i'm 6'3 and spining at around 100 to 105.
First question: have you been professionally fit on your bike? Your body posture could be putting a lot of stress on your quads.
Second question: how even is your peddle stroke? You may be pushing down but not pulling up.
-As I approach upper 90's I begin to bounce and have to shift up.
-No I have not been fitted to my bike, but i been continuously tweaking it for months and have gotten it so nothing is strained or hurts when i make transitions.
-Are there little tricks to get the up and down pull even? I do both but i can't really tell how evenly I am doing it.
Spud,
I was just thinking about you yesterday on my ride. I had changed saddles on my bike and forgot to adjust the height as they are quite different. Anyway, my saddle was too low and my quads were burning on the ride. A rough estimate of how high your saddle should be is too sit on your bike in a trainer and place your heel on your peddle, at maximum extension your leg should be straight. If you have push your leg out than you are too high and of your knee is bent than you are too low.
Too answer your question about knowing how to pull. There is a drill that you can do to practice. One leg peddling. You should be on a trainer it spin bike and peddle with only one foot. Try to keep it as smooth as possible.
Also, try to engage your glutes when you peddle. Please let us know if anything helps or doesn't help.
Spud, what you are describing might be that you lack the habit of pedalling at a high cadence. I started taking care of my pedalling strokes at spinning classes a few years ago, and it really helped me being able to spin around 100's efficiently (I have always been more of a power-pedal-masher). When you are sprinting as fast as you can, or simply pedalling at a higher cadence than what you are used to, you have to train your buttock to not bob/bounce/throb by forcing your pelvis to stay on the saddle as much as you can. This will be hard to do at first. When you up your cadence, reach the point where you bounce, and try to focus on keeping your butt on the saddle for a minute or two. Lower your cadence, and repeat. It might feel like it's burning your psoas and glutes, but you have to train those to maintain higher rpms. Hope this helps!Originally Posted by Spudzooka
"Cyclistes, fortifiez vos jambes en mangeant des oeufs mollets" - Pierre Dac
Thanks everyone for your input as i have found that the problem is... a combination of everything mentioned. I went to my bike shop, because the weather has been too gross the ride on the days when i have time get out, and looked at some trainers. I wound up not liking trainers so i tried out rollers, after about an hour of getting use to it (spectacular crashes and flailing for something to grab that wasn't there) I found that it works on all my bad technique problems. I was forced to maintain an even power stroke or else disaster. When i ride on the street i have a good tempo then i forget, and in an attempt to catch back up with the tempo i was pushing my quads really hard. On the roller if i dont keep a 90-100 tempo I loose stability. During my 20 continuous ride everything except my quads were sore. And even that short practice transfered great to my long road rides, no more uneven rides.
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