Anyhow, for those who are interested this fellow has agreed to keep a log of his use for at least three months and it looks like he is another well above average kind of guy, like Skyman. Maybe there will be two new users who see no benefit. Maybe it is all placebo effect. Oh my Goodness, what will i do? The dissenters can’t be right, can they?
i am not sure i get the connection between doing well at riding them right off and seeing/feeling a benefit. i got on them and rode 100 miles the third day i had them, and the more i rode the more the potential benefit of them was sorta revealed. i would encourage skyman to get tomorrow and go one way 50 miles and then turn around and ride home. no cell phone, either. in any case, guys who are fabulous swimmers still do and value drills, do they not? i know very good xc skiiers still ski with no poles, and similar.
Most people report riding on a trainer is harder than on the road. Two reasons I think. One, no coasting on the trainer and two, the bike moves under you differently on the road, especially when out of the saddle.
I am really impressed on your no fatigue report. Push yourself, see what it takes to fatigue those puppies. Try that 100 miler ttn suggests or go 50 miles at a 100 or 110 cadence. Let’s see where you are really at and how we can make you better.
I find my hamstrings tend to tire well before my hip flexors. Does this mean my pedal stroke is in correct or could it just be a result of running and cycling making my hamstring the most used muscles?
I sure wouldn’t try and diagnose what is “the” proper muscle group to tire in order to determine if your pedal stroke is “correct” or not. I’m not sure there is such a thing as a “correct” pedal stroke, unless more information is given. “Correct” for a sprint may be very different from “correct” for a 40K TT, which may be different from “correct” for a 40K TT followed by a run, which may be different from “correct” for a half-Ironman, which may be different from “correct” for an Ironman.
As you alluded, it could just be that all your running/cycling is hitting those muscles hard. It could be you use those hamstrings relatively excessively in order to decrease the load on your hip flexors. It could be your hip flexors are just well developed compared to your hamstrings. It’s hard to know. Is your bike position one you have been adapted to for a while, or is it a new one? Is it a good one for you? There’s just lots of variables to consider.
The most used muscles should be the ones who have the most endurance. However, it takes time for this to all “equilibrate” so to speak so I suspect all you are seeing is, with PC’s, you are using your muscles differently than before and, specifically, these muscles a little (or a lot) more than the others. Most people feel it in the HF’s but about 25% seem to feel it in the hamstrings.
This feeling should go away with more time. I wouldn’t worry about what it says about your “pedal stroke” other than being reassured that things are a changing.
If this persists, despite what seems like having developed a good PC endurance, then I think I would look at your bike position.
Hopefully as I clock more PC miles my Endurance will improve - also I do sometimes find that I can feel my calf’s tiring when trying to spin at a high cadence .
I thing is is just a matter of gaining more endurance, but If the hamstring tiredness does persist what should I look for position wise that would cause the hamstrings to tire - saddle too high or too low? or position too stretched out or too cramped? I am guess it would either be saddle too high or position too streched?
Regarding position, I am not sure but my first guess would be saddle too low or too far back. This would require you to lift the foot, using a lot of the hamstrings when they are near end contraction, when they are the most innefficient at contracting.