Originally Posted by
kckulp
This was my first week on the machine. The bike is too small, cheap and not sized correctly so my technique is agreeably not what it should be. My cadnence was also not ideal. This is not like riding an ordinary bike, so it takes some getting used to. There's a HUGE dead zone at the top and bottom of the stroke especially at the low range. I am a solid B/B+ rider and competitive triathlete. Surprised you can diagnose my fitness level from that clip.
The shot in the clip was a ramp up to a target RPM, not a timed shot. Don't know the answer how much power it takes to spin up. We're curious about that and are hoping to add a power meter to the system (bottom bracket? Garmin Vector pedals?). Currently only using a cycling computer w a magnet on the main wheel to read rpms.
Last year the builder left the front suspension on the MTB. We convinced him to lock it out for this year. Will engineer some type of a fix for the front end.
Yes, I'm sorry...I should not have spoken like I could ascertain fitness from that brief clip, and your explanation of the dead zone shows why; I don't know how the transmission works, and all I could see was the uneven cadence. I'm sorry to have offended you.
I think looking at the transmission, then, should take precedence over all else, since you're losing a huge amount of power in those dead zones. Next, I'd focus on cadence and power, and then start looking at the bike. I really believe that for 2mins of riding, the bike won't make any difference, provided you're getting the leg extension you need and have room jump out of the saddle for the last 10-20 seconds during the sprint.
I am, clearly, assuming that maximizing flywheel velocity is the goal; is that correct?