I’m looking for ways to slow me down on training rides so I can ride with my girlfriend and still get a good workout. Are there any products out there that INCREASE drag? I’ve tried adding water bottles full of lead weight (adding about 10lbs to my frame), but that doesn’t do much. Baggy clothing doesn’t do much either, and I’d rather not ride with a backpack or anything that will compromise my stability.
What about the idea of turning bladed spokes 90 degrees? Other ideas?
Do your recovery rides with her or go out and train afterwards… You could always just set up your brakes to drag… but seriously, recovery ride is the easiest…
go with a weight vest, old skool
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get a mountain bike with mtb tires? or a tandem bike 
I ride on my commuter bike with knobby (CX) tires, while my wife rides her road bike with clip-on aerobars. Makes the speed difference much narrower.
Alternately, you can go bike camping together, and you tow the trailer behind your bike. Seriously - we’ve done this, and had lots of fun.
Slow tires. Specialized Armadillos will suck 1mph or more out of your speed compared to the fastest tires. Add some thick butyl tubes, throw in some of those tire inserts that can make anything flat resistant. Inflate to 80psi and that set up will probably cost you 2 mph.
A less precise way would be to set your brake(s) to rub slightly. Loose, flappy clothing, unzipped jersey. Baggy mountain bike shorts. Sit up higher. Bottles everywhere, two on the frame, two behind the seat mounted high and far back. Search the aero threads and do the opposite of any advice given…no wait choose your advice carefully cause some is just bad. Tom A., psycholist, roady, Spackler, Coggan, GregX, cdw give the best. So just do the complete opposite of what they recommend and you might go backwards.
Marry her that will slow you down a bit. LOL… Kidding lower air pressure armidillo tires or cross tires maybe ride th mtn. bike and let her ride the road bike.
Marry her that will slow you down a bit.
Ha Ha…awesome and probably true
I ride on my commuter bike with knobby (CX) tires, while my wife rides her road bike with clip-on aerobars. Makes the speed difference much narrower.
Alternately, you can go bike camping together, and you tow the trailer behind your bike. Seriously - we’ve done this, and had lots of fun.
yes this is good paired with tire liners-------they will rob you of at least 1mph.
You could always strap a plastic bag to your back-----a parachute of sorts
Post a pic of your bike fit and then follow all of the advice offered…
single easiest way would be some 25c knobby tires
run em at low psi
I’m looking for ways to slow me down on training rides so I can ride with my girlfriend and still get a good workout. Are there any products out there that INCREASE drag? I’ve tried adding water bottles full of lead weight (adding about 10lbs to my frame), but that doesn’t do much. Baggy clothing doesn’t do much either, and I’d rather not ride with a backpack or anything that will compromise my stability.
What about the idea of turning bladed spokes 90 degrees? Other ideas?
http://www.biketiresdirect.com/pscmar/schwalbe_marathon_plus_700c/pp.htm
with these:
http://www.biketiresdirect.com/pslsst/slime_self-sealing_tubes/pp.htm
with these:
http://www.biketiresdirect.com/pzfsf2/stop_flats_2_tire_liners/pp.htm
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+1 on the armadillo’s
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Just do a sprint workout, 1-2min hard, 10 min easy
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Get a fixie.
ride with a parachute on
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Ride a MOUNTAIN BIKE. One with dual suspension and big knobbies. That alone will knock 25%-33% off your pace. If that’s not enough, add panniers full of books and a backpack with stuff for both of you.
I just did my usual hillclimb loop with my mtn bike and couldn’t believe how hard it was compared to my TT bike.
I’m looking for ways to slow me down on training rides so I can ride with my girlfriend and still get a good workout. Are there any products out there that INCREASE drag? I’ve tried adding water bottles full of lead weight (adding about 10lbs to my frame), but that doesn’t do much. Baggy clothing doesn’t do much either, and I’d rather not ride with a backpack or anything that will compromise my stability.
What about the idea of turning bladed spokes 90 degrees? Other ideas?
go to your local hardware store and buy abunch of bunji tubing. then tie one end to your bike and the other to your front door. that should do the trick.
As you found out, weight just does not make that much difference, which is why obsessing over bike weight is retarded. You need drag, either aero or rolling resistence. Ride a MTB, fully upright, with about 15-20 psi in the biggest tires that will fit on your bike. I had some 2.5 knobbies that worked great. I used this for rides with my wife, who lasted about a week, and then more often in the following years with my son. If you are a strong rider then it might not be enough if you GF is out of shape, but then you can just ride in the dirt off the road while she rides the pavement. Adjust for pace as necessary.
Chad
