First things first, when was the last time you took 20 days off the bike? My ‘off-season’ (aka 2020) officially ended with a full 3 weeks on my bum, locked up in southern France. If you take 20 days off the bike, your sit bones feel it first, especially when you get back to riding on the trainer.
It doesn’t help that I’ve added some weight to bear down on that sensitive area – my scales told me that I was 75.1 kg this morning, or at least 10 kg over the max I’d like to be for the Tour du Mont Blanc 8 months from today. I do feel good that I got my first hour of the 2021 training year in. There’s nothing like resetting the clock at zero to focus on a new objective.
But you are probably wondering what’s up with the QRings. Well, after an hour ‘riding’ with them on the trainer, I can’t tell you too much, but I will say that I felt a difference immediately. I’d describe the new pedal stroke as ‘fuller’, which is normal, since oval chainrings are supposed to kill the ‘dead spot’ of the stroke. In the beginning I felt like I was actually pedalling bigger rings, but that settled down after a bit. I do feel some pain in my bad knee right now, but I think I can chalk that up to the fact that I haven’t been doing anything for 3 weeks and the muscles aren’t there to keep things in place like usual. I’ll keep an eye on it.
I’ll say this much, I was expecting something much more unusual in the feel of these things, probably because of how weird they look when the moto guy takes a shot of them in races.
Finally, I heard today that bars and restaurants will not be open until after the new year in France, which makes me wonder about riding outside. So far there’s no end in sight to our confinement, but I am ready, thanks to France Television – I’ve got all 21 stages from this year’s Tour ready to go, broadcast from start to finish of every stage. Hell, I could just watch the helicopter shots and hold enough motivation till they let us roam free again.
The Vicious Cycle 
I’m so looking forward to riding outside again
Are your friends over there being ‘sage’ and staying inside? I’m impressed at how many of mine are following the rules.
Absolutely! I’m fortunate, I live on a private Domaine that I can walk/jog around.
Yeah, I meant France and specifically your friends who ride bikes. I haven’t seen anyone on Strava on the road in France for the past 3 weeks, although they could be ‘hiding’ those rides 😉
Most of the French pros have gone to La Reunion for a vacation!
Perhaps I misunderstood, by there did you mean UK? If so, as far as I’m aware yes they are.
Knee pain has been mentioned many many times by Q-Ring users. As you know a very accomplished pro said if there really was anything to them, everyone would use them As it stands now, only compensated pro riders and type A personality amateurs are using them (wink wink non nod).
Froome said that they weren’t for everyone, but might be good for long, consistent efforts, like TTs or long mountain climbs. Time will tell I guess.
Wiggins rode them, but then switched back – never heard why. First he switched back only on road races, but kept them for time trials, then I think he went back to standard for both. Not sure what he used for his previous hour record…
And, I think I’m in the same boat as you on the weight. No riding plus lots of time to drink = lots of kilos. What do you think about dry January 2021 for a cleansing and weight loss method? Misery loves company…
I think I could manage that. I’m getting hangovers after one beer now anyway, so it might be time to go dry!
Oh, and since we’re going all in for ‘la misère’, it’s not too late to sign up for the Tour du Mont Blanc…
Still considering it!
Looking at accommodation now…
Dark nights + gloomy days = weight. I am fighting it.
You’d think we could figure this out by now. I mean, the same thing happens every year.
It does indeed. I am letting out a notch in my belt as I write this.
While completing my latest indoor ride watching a virtual ride through Spain I wondered if you’d filmed any of your super rides yet. I guess not. Will have to wait for those. I find them a nice diversion. My weight has never really changed from the 75-76kg +or- .5kg so to try to lose 10kg would be a massive if not impossible challenge.
No, I suppose I’d need to get a camera first! I have a friend whose range is similar to yours in terms of weight gain/loss. I suppose I am, too, now that I think about it, but weight for a TMB or HR is NOT normal. At least I know it’s not impossible because I’ve done it twice before. I wasn’t in my 50s then, though…