Background
I’ve had PC’s now for three years. First year was exclusive use. Second year half season exclusive use, half season regular cranks only. All races every season on conventional cranks
Year 3, all long and hard rides on regular cranks in tri position, bolted to the aerobars. All bike commuting miles (works out to around 6-7 hours per week in 30-60 min sessions) at 85-100 RPM on PC’s.
Here are my observations:
When you go exclusive use, you tend to overcompensate with hamstrings and hipflexors. This makes you a stronger runner. Over time, your quads also get “detrained” for proper biking. After around 70K of hard riding on regular cranks, my quads would start feeling like jello. This is because my pushing muscles (quads and but had lost fitness). My quads were actually visibly smaller.
Simulate Racing in Training
I always say that you need to simulate racing in training and train on the stuff you will race on. If you race in the heat, train in the heat, race on a tribike = train on tribike, race in wind = train in wind etc etc. Race on conventional cranks = train on conventional cranks.
Losing Quad Power ?
I did see huge value in powercranks after year 2, but felt that there was something missing.
I was losing quad power, so this year I decided to get the best of both worlds. I needed to be more specific and do long and hard rides in the tri position with regular cranks. PC’s would be reserved for “drill/synchronization/timing” work with a secondary benefit being additional training load on the hamstrings and hipflexors, helping both a “full pedal stroke” and my run foot turnover.
During one bike ride per week, I would do a very specific “weight” set, where I would ride uphills in the aero position in a huge gear at 50-60 RPM and then the next hill again aero at 90+ RPM in a small gear…all aerobic. Race day, I combine big gear and big RPM, but not in training. First hill works the push muscles, second hill the pull muscles at high RPM. The hills were around 2-5 min long and would last for around 1-2 hours. I felt I needed to strengthen my push muscles again, as I had started softpedalling with the quads from the previous years on PC’s.
The Evidence
This year, I had my best season yet on the bike. I could push and pull very well. I could keep up with big “engines” on the flats and into headwinds and could climb well (always my strength). Wind did not bother me. I split 2:27 and 2:28 on two very hilly, hot and windy half Ironman bike courses and then 2:23 and 2:15 on two flatter ones. I did top 10 bike splits in all my . My Ironman LP bike split was 5:40, where I held back big time to ensure that I finished the run out of the med tent (it worked as I did an LP PB).
Use in moderation
I am increasingly convinced that the PC’s are a great training tool, but like anything good, they should be used in moderation. You have to work your pull and push muscles in fact, working the push muscles is where you gain your power, working the pull muscles is where you maintain your momentum between strokes.
I’d like to get the input from all you other PC users and I am sure, Frank will have his views !