Sunday, June 20, 2010

100 Minutes on The Hour

So Drummroll decides its time to mix it up the week after the Black Fly.   Off on Monday, the TNTS on Tuesday w/the boys, a hard strength & core training session on Wednesday, an up tempo hilly ride on Thursday and then 100 minutes on The  Hour on Friday.    The Windsor Hour that is ...... a SS fixie Drummroll picked up over a year ago.   A basic, no frills steel fixie with a flip flop hub that you can pick up for like $300 shipped.

It had been a while since The Hour got out of the garage and the nuances of the SS quickly reminded Drummroll of his Weds strenghth training workout (can you say sore hammies?).  The cool thing about the fixie is that on a 100 minute ride, you pedal for 100 minutes.  There is no coasting.  Any attempt to stop pedalling almost rips your legs off (the same way the spin bike might if you've been there, done that).  In some ways, it's like riding for 100 minutes and maybe getting in the equivalent of a 120 minute ride on a "regular" road rig.

It is a track bike by nature so you don't wanna be attempting the Rte 20 hills or Gulf Rd but it is a great workout on the rollers along and near Rte 5 on the east end of The 'Cuse.  

If you get an opportunity to try a fixie, you should give it a go.  Some pros train on them periodically to smooth out their pedal stroke and to provide a "riding/functional strength" type workout.  If you get your hands on one, give Drummroll a shout,   Afterall, it's fun, it might make you a better cyclist and imagine, you might even enjoy yourself in something that is familiar yet new at the same time.

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