PowerCranks Update

So here is an update on my PowerCranks review. How have the PowerCranks helped so far?

Garage Training

Riding in the garage is no fun in the winter; however, lack of daylight, business travel, playtime with the kiddos and freezing temperatures require it. I’ve been more dedicated to riding in the dungeon (garage) this winter than ever before, largely due to the PowerCranks. I ride early in the morning (5:30 a.m.) when motivation and energy are often low. Busting out a workout of 5 minute VO2 max intervals when you don’t have much energy is tough; however, I find it much less difficult to throw my spandex-covered-legs over the PowerCranks bike early in the morning. I keep the ride interesting by mixing in one-legged pedaling (which is much easier to do on the PowerCranks since I can keep both feet clipped in), high cadence work (particularly difficult on PowerCranks) and “dolphin pedaling” drills (as barely visible in the iPhone video captured above). Side Note: Doing the dolphin pedal past other riders on the road is pretty fun too – you get lots of double-takes.

Muscular Endurance

In the past I would normally find that the aching in my leg muscles would often make completing intervals difficult (much more so than running out of breath). After more than a month on the PowerCranks, I find that my legs are doing better in hard and or long intervals. Might be the placebo effect, but it’s almost as if my legs are more efficient now.

Raw Power

I’ll do another threshold test in about a month, but I’m holding wattage levels in intervals that I’ve never done before.

A couple weeks ago I did a pretty brutal hill repeat workout – 36 repeats up a 1/2 mile hill (between 4%-6% grade). I consistently managed 325 watts to 350 watts on every repeat (at a weight of ~148 pounds). This is a hill I regularly climb (it’s the hill that I take up to the ThinkCash offices) and I’ve never managed to keep up those levels for anywhere near 36 repeats.

So far . . . so good