Well, I guess I might have done an experiment that at the moment, do not like the results.
At the prodding of a person, who said shorter cranks will make one a faster runner, I made some changes from the 200mm cranks I have used for years
both in racing and training.
About 18 months ago I changed my 200mm powercranks to 175 on the Velotron. I noticed for the same gearing I could not push above about 260 watts, compared
to the 300 watts I did with the 200's with the same gearing but did not think much about it.
I then changed my race bike to 175's in the end of May, after hilly races like Napa and Auburn. Raced the rest of the season, all but one was pretty flat, and did not think much about it.
Bike times stayed about the same, running times get a little better, so I assumed it was from the shorter cranks.
I normally did 1 hour trainer rides in the Velotron around 6 days a week with the powercranks. Around the end of last year I changed this to 90 minute rides.
I raced HITS Napa last Sunday. A very hilly bike and run course. The last few years I biked around 1:15 and ran around 43. Well, this year I got a huge shock. My bike totally totally sucked!
I did over 1:23. I was getting passed by folks on the hills like I was walking. I was pushing as hard as I could but nothing was happening. I then got onto the run and even though I stopped 3 times
to mess around with my timing chip that was digging into my ankle, I posted my best even run on the 10K, even though it was really hilly, with a sub 39 time.
When I got home I had a number of folks call after seeing my bike time and asked if I was bagging the bike, or if I was holding back for the run. I was just in shock asking what happened. I had checked
my brakes before the race so they were not rubbing. If I was too tired my run would have been terrible it would seem also.
So I went back and looked at some data. I noticed at Donner, a super hilly race, my bike time was slower than in the past. I remember saying to a friend I was racing with that my bike just did not feel right.
I then thought about I was not able to really push beyond 260 watts sitting on the Velotron.
So I started thinking. For a flat course, I really did not see any difference. But on a hilly course, when I was used to the leverage that longer cranks gave me, did I lose this with the shorter ones?
So I put my powercranks back to 200mm and on the first day, I was able to go up to 300 watts with no real issues at the same gearing and cadence. I just put the 200mm cranks back on my TT bike
and will see how I do at the Folsom and Auburn race in May, both which are hilly.
I am also asking what happened on my run. Taking off over 3 minutes for a sub 39 10K and being like the 10th fastest run at 58 is nuts. All I really changed is going from like 6 hours a week on the powercranks
to 9.5 hours a week. Could the extra training on the bike with the powercranks have helped my run at much?
Shall be interesting in my next couple of races with the longer cranks back on to see how my bike and run times are compared to the past and other racers.
So has anyone else tried shorter cranks and then said maybe this was not for them?
.
Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net
Boom Nutrition code 19F4Y3 $5 off 24 pack box | Bionic Runner | PowerCranks | Velotron | Spruzzamist
Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep
At the prodding of a person, who said shorter cranks will make one a faster runner, I made some changes from the 200mm cranks I have used for years
both in racing and training.
About 18 months ago I changed my 200mm powercranks to 175 on the Velotron. I noticed for the same gearing I could not push above about 260 watts, compared
to the 300 watts I did with the 200's with the same gearing but did not think much about it.
I then changed my race bike to 175's in the end of May, after hilly races like Napa and Auburn. Raced the rest of the season, all but one was pretty flat, and did not think much about it.
Bike times stayed about the same, running times get a little better, so I assumed it was from the shorter cranks.
I normally did 1 hour trainer rides in the Velotron around 6 days a week with the powercranks. Around the end of last year I changed this to 90 minute rides.
I raced HITS Napa last Sunday. A very hilly bike and run course. The last few years I biked around 1:15 and ran around 43. Well, this year I got a huge shock. My bike totally totally sucked!
I did over 1:23. I was getting passed by folks on the hills like I was walking. I was pushing as hard as I could but nothing was happening. I then got onto the run and even though I stopped 3 times
to mess around with my timing chip that was digging into my ankle, I posted my best even run on the 10K, even though it was really hilly, with a sub 39 time.
When I got home I had a number of folks call after seeing my bike time and asked if I was bagging the bike, or if I was holding back for the run. I was just in shock asking what happened. I had checked
my brakes before the race so they were not rubbing. If I was too tired my run would have been terrible it would seem also.
So I went back and looked at some data. I noticed at Donner, a super hilly race, my bike time was slower than in the past. I remember saying to a friend I was racing with that my bike just did not feel right.
I then thought about I was not able to really push beyond 260 watts sitting on the Velotron.
So I started thinking. For a flat course, I really did not see any difference. But on a hilly course, when I was used to the leverage that longer cranks gave me, did I lose this with the shorter ones?
So I put my powercranks back to 200mm and on the first day, I was able to go up to 300 watts with no real issues at the same gearing and cadence. I just put the 200mm cranks back on my TT bike
and will see how I do at the Folsom and Auburn race in May, both which are hilly.
I am also asking what happened on my run. Taking off over 3 minutes for a sub 39 10K and being like the 10th fastest run at 58 is nuts. All I really changed is going from like 6 hours a week on the powercranks
to 9.5 hours a week. Could the extra training on the bike with the powercranks have helped my run at much?
Shall be interesting in my next couple of races with the longer cranks back on to see how my bike and run times are compared to the past and other racers.
So has anyone else tried shorter cranks and then said maybe this was not for them?
.
Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net
Boom Nutrition code 19F4Y3 $5 off 24 pack box | Bionic Runner | PowerCranks | Velotron | Spruzzamist
Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep