So I’ve been training almost exclusively on PowerCranks since February. I’ve actually had them for three years now but I’ve always given up on them by about the time I start racing. This year I decided to really focus on using them for all training, and even some training races. These cranks have an independent clutch in each arm so that they are essentially disconnected from each other. That means that the foot that is behind, has to pull up on its own and not get a free ride from the foot pushing down on the front crank. So it’s kind of like doing one-legged drills, but with both legs, all the time! They also make things you take for granted on normal cranks much harder. Like riding out of the saddle, bunny hopping, and taking tight turns at slow speeds.

So I’ve been riding these things since February and have gotten up to three hours straight on them (though the last 1/2 hour was torture). So I figure it’d be OK to use them in a Bogus Tuesday nighter. The ride to and from is flat and the “race” itself is only 35 minutes. How bad could it be? Ha! I hung with the lead group to the top of Corrals, but when we hit the start of the next climb, my hip flexors were blown! I dropped off the front group and just suffered for the next 25 minutes. Bill Reed caught me and started up a conversation, I was in so much agony I almost swore that I’d never use these things again. I finally made it to the forest service sign, in a pretty pathetic time, and then turned around and rode home with Bill. It was nice to chat with him once we were on the flats and I enjoyed the draft he provided while I limped home.