Tuesday, February 05, 2008


Super Secret Training


Oh yes, it's so freakin' super secret. It entails riding my fixed gear...a lot.
Riding a fixed gear, is good for anyone, but it's particularly beneficial for someone who forgoes gears entirely. I've been rereading Joe Friel's Mountain Biker's Training Bible and assessing my strengths and weaknesses. I've determined that my strength is my ability to spin like a blender on puree mode. My weakness is strength. It might seem weird but I can't push very big gears compared to my single speed brethren. Not like a Skip Brown, Paul Simoes, or Marko and Jesse Lalonde anyway.
To remedy this deficit I have upped my gearing to 70 inches (42 X 16) on the fixed gear (the same gear which Jesse won Chequamegon on...off-road) . Oh that's a wussy little light gear you say? Not when you ride up stuff like the Arlington water tower hill on the way to work, believe me, that hurts enough for Mr. Chicken Legs here. To get the benny's of the fixed gear you must spin more than you mash, I let the terrain not my gear dictate when to grind. I like to be able to spin out pretty good on flat ground without going anaerobic.

Now the secrets out, so you and your gramma can heckle me when you pass me during Root 66 races this season yelling "where's your sweet fixie now douche bag?".

The real secret is in the recovery food...Peanut Butter and Jelly and Chocolate Covered Peanuts and Marshmallows.



3 comments:

Andy, R&D said...

I smell a ruse...
what's with the logs?
is your secret training
really chopping, splitting
and stacking wood??

Anonymous said...

Oh NO!! Tom now I know your secret. I sometimes cann't believe the suff you can find on the internet. Hey, Tom this is paul simoes. hope all is well, and you should slow down a little you were flying!! at the end of last year.

Big Bikes said...

Yup, there's a little "Rocky IV" in my winter training regime.

Paul, glad you found me. I think I could use a couple of your secrets. I have no idea how you churned that huge gear over on your rigid SS at Bradbury.

Hope to see you out there a bunch this season.

-t