So... what with all the snow on the roads today, I figured I'd get the rollers out. And considering some chatter here about some related topics, I figured I try pumping up the tires on the FG to about 120 and seeing how that would go. Last winter I made an attempt, but it was so difficult and awkward just to get going with that setup, I never even got up to speed, or ever bothered again - just used the geared bikes instead (besides, the FG doesn't have a computer, so all I could track was time anyhow).
Today was different. Whether it was making sure the tires were nice and firm, or making sure the length of the setup was correct that made the difference, I don't know, but it wasn't as hard to get going as I remembered. The big surprise, however, was that no matter how fast I pedaled, it always seemed to require about the same effort, namely a LOT.
It took a while, but I gradually got the cadence up around 90. I could slow down gradually, but that didn't make it any easier; rather it just got "mashy-er," so I became afraid to slow down. I could speed up, too, but I was afraid to speed up too much because I realized that coming down from a high-cadence spin could be disastrous if I wasn't able to control it. So I had to just sit there spinning at what seemed to be an efficient cadence, hoping hoping hoping that I could keep it up until the music stopped (I'd put on an LP, and the side was 34 minutes).
The more I rode, the more it seemed like the bike and rollers were ready with a whip if I dared to ease up. They wouldn't let me just ease up; either I was going to WORK or I was a quitter, and they'd let me know on no uncertain terms.
It's surprising, but it kind of makes sense. The current gearing makes nearly 20 mph at 90 rpm; a leisurely 14 mph would require the cadence to slip well below 65, and the slower you go in a gear that's meant for speed, the harder and harder it becomes to speed back up, as I'm sure we all know from experience being in the wrong gear when getting underway from a stop. With a fixed gear on rollers, slowing down means falling into that kind of trap; if you make a mistake, there's no bigger cog to rescue you.
I have a very bad habit of slacking, and have a hard time maintaining an effort on long flat segments, so I think this will be a very useful training setup. Currently it's on a 17t cog. Maybe I'll be able to flip it to the 15t before spring, but I think I should get VERY good at it with the current setup before trying that - anything less than 15mph and I'd run the risk of falling off.
