Is it me or is it extremely hard work out there on the bike?

willhub

Feels like it, feels like I'm carrying an extra bike, or an extra 10kg, or just really draggy. Proper hard on the legs, and letting off does nothing but make the bike ground to turtle pace unless with a group.

Sort of feels like someone has broke into the wash house in the night and replaced my wheels with heavy 36 spokes antiques with 32mm tyres on and gave me a pannier with bricks in.

Frank the tank

I don't know about hard, it's bloody hideous out there on the bike here.

pb21

willhub wrote:

Feels like it, feels like I'm carrying an extra bike, or an extra 10kg, or just really draggy. Proper hard on the legs, and letting off does nothing but make the bike ground to turtle pace unless with a group.

Sort of feels like someone has broke into the wash house in the night and replaced my wheels with heavy 36 spokes antiques with 32mm tyres on and gave me a pannier with bricks in.

Yep me too, slow heavy bike, multiple layers and freezing conditions aren't conducive to fast riding, either that or I'm going to pieces!

willhub

Well the only difference with me is 2 layers of overshoes, a 36 spoke Abrosio with a 25mm Bontrager that seem awful and full of glass, then a light with battery pack and the winter clothes, can't see how that could slow me down.

daviesee

Quality training though!



Serious answer - Check tyre pressures and clean the drive train.

upperoilcan

I can't stand riding my bike in the winter.

I will stick to running until the spring.

Tom Butcher

I did 3 hours yesterday afternoon - fairly steady, still died on the way back. Was planning to do it on water but had to eat the energy bar I'd stuck in my pocket at 2 hours in though it didn't seem to help. Now I've not done much since July but even so - average speed was down to 16.5 mph by the end of it and that's sticking to the A6 because I didn't fancy risking the lanes because of ice. So yes it does seem particularly hard going for some reason.

willhub

I'm tempted to put my Michelin Pro 3's on to see if that makes a diffo :P

team47b

It's not you it is actually harder, as air gets colder, it gets more dense, from summer to winter it takes about 15% more effort to push through cold air. Also your bearings and grease are stiffer.

willhub

I best inspect my BB, I did have to change out my Ultegra HT2 BB for a Dura-Ace because it was so stiff the cranks could not even do 1 full rotation (no chain on).