Highest gears don't feel very hard

bartiebat
bartiebat Posts: 97
edited November 2010 in MTB general
Hi, I've a Rockhopper. Excuse my gear ratio explanations(girl!) hope it makes sense! - I noticed when I first got the bike the gears seemed to have less resistance than my old crappy Halfords bike. I'm currently recovering from a broken knee & 3 torn cruciate ligaments (all 4 broken bits having been repaired) so I bought a turbo trainer. Last week the fiz let me use it for the first time & this week she said I can do a gentle 5 mins then increase the resistance for 5, then cool down. I was really disappointed to find hardly any difference between the toughness of the gears on the middle doofer (number 2) compared to number 3. I ended up on number 3 with number 6 no trouble at all & my gentle pace was number 3 number 4. Does that sound right? Bear in mind it only goes number 3 with number 7 max & I have one seriously skinny leg after months in a cast, I kinda hoped it would be much tougher than this. I don't get how properly strong people get a decent work out on a turbo trainer if that's all I get? Do I need to tinker with the chain maybe? If so, how? Oh its one of these http://www.cyclesportsuk.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=1424

Thanks in advance
Kx

Comments

  • toasty
    toasty Posts: 2,598
    Well in max gear you'll be over 20mph, the Rockhopper is made for mountain biking, and offroad you'll rarely be pushing those sorts of speeds for long. You'd be better with a big geared road bike unfortunately.

    A lot of Turbos have resistance settings, although given yours is fluid I'm not sure it will?
    Stumpy FSR 29er
  • Andy!
    Andy! Posts: 433
    bartiebat wrote:
    I noticed when I first got the bike the gears seemed to have less resistance than my old crappy Halfords bike.

    Well that is good news for a start.

    Can I just check you are actually in top gear?

    You should be on the largest ring on the crank and smallest on the wheel.

    If you have Shimano gears you should have both gear indicators over to the left on your bars.

    Any resistance adjustment on the turbo trainer?
    Merlin Malt 2
  • bartiebat
    bartiebat Posts: 97
    Yes Andy, just checked & thats right.
    Damn so after all the deliberating looks like I bought the wrong trainer then :( Aww, don't want a silly road bike, just want super strong legs to help me back where I belong! I'm sure it will help a bit anyway.

    Thanks, at least I know it's not the bike :)
  • toasty
    toasty Posts: 2,598
    Your new bike may also have a compact chainset, compared to the Halfords one. Literally smaller gearing on the front made for offroad. Could you not just use the Halfords one on the trainer? That way you don't have to worry about swapping or wearing out tyres on the Rockhopper? :)
    Stumpy FSR 29er
  • bartiebat
    bartiebat Posts: 97
    Sold it I'm afraid. I have a trainer slick on the back wheel anyhow
  • *AJ*
    *AJ* Posts: 1,080
    Just train for longer....
  • GHill
    GHill Posts: 2,402
    Did you check for turbo trainer resistance? Every model I've seen lets you adjust the contact of the tyre and trainer.
  • El Capitano
    El Capitano Posts: 6,400
    GHill wrote:
    Did you check for turbo trainer resistance? Every model I've seen lets you adjust the contact of the tyre and trainer.

    This. I struggle to push the TT bike on the inner ring (39t) when on the turbo-trainer.
    1 2 3 4 (Dead)5 6
  • bartiebat
    bartiebat Posts: 97
    Not allowed AJ

    Ok cool so just need to find a screw or sonething that drops the wheel closer to the bit it rubs on. Ok will have a play. Thanks again :)
  • El Capitano
    El Capitano Posts: 6,400
    I've got one of the older Fluid Ops Trainers. There is a spring loaded lever (that you really have to watch your fingers with!) that you 'step on' once the bike's wheel's locked in, that puts the roller, under some pressure, against the tyre. I would imagine I could spin out the gears with the roller not in correct contact.

    Edit: Just had a look-see at Elite's website (http://www.elite-it.com/) and although I can't find your exact model on there, it would appear that one of the similar ones has different mounting locations for the fan/roller dependant upon your wheel size. Might be worth having a look at the instuction manual to see. ( http://www.elite-it.com/english/pdf/man ... _fluid.pdf Page 16)
    1 2 3 4 (Dead)5 6
  • Andy!
    Andy! Posts: 433
    never used one of these but what happens if you increase the tyres pressure? does it put more load on the roller?
    Merlin Malt 2
  • El Capitano
    El Capitano Posts: 6,400
    Andy! wrote:
    never used one of these but what happens if you increase the tyres pressure? does it put more load on the roller?

    Good question. With mine, the higher the pressure of the tyre, the less rolling resistance you'll get between the tyre and roller. Lower the pressure and the tyre deforms against the roller and increases the resistance. It also bu**ers up the tyre... :wink:
    1 2 3 4 (Dead)5 6
  • Andy!
    Andy! Posts: 433
    that is the way I would expect it - just like riding with a flat. But then I would expect some proper resistance adjustment too.

    but if there is some sort of system in the roller mechanism that responds to the wheel being moved closer then it could be reversed.
    Merlin Malt 2
  • El Capitano
    El Capitano Posts: 6,400
    Mine just has a huge spring that pushes the roller against the tyre. No adjustment. But then it's well over 10 years old now.
    1 2 3 4 (Dead)5 6
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,708
    Alternatively find a cheap Outer chainring with more teeth and put that on while you build your leg strength up - not idea but cheaper than a new trainer or bike!!
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • Andy!
    Andy! Posts: 433
    any way to check the resistance fluid is in it?
    Merlin Malt 2

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