Just got a new-to-me used bike for when I go out to the bars. Took me about an hour to bike home and boy was I feeling it the entire way. Not sure if I talked myself into it believing it or if it's even true, but are the front shocks sapping my power? Or am I just that out of shape?
For context, I currently have an ebike that I use to go to work, errands, and when I want to go out on long scenic rides (would turn the pedal assist to low). My ebike is a pedal assist, no throttle. I would often go on multi-hour rides so I figured picking up an acoustic bike shouldn't be that much worse but uff-da.
by trevaftw
3 Comments
Try locking out the shock.
How far is your commute that took an hour?
Unlikely it’s the shocks. I’d check the tires for proper inflation and brakes for alignment. I’m in the same situation (ebike on low -> acoustic wore me out). Turns out the biggest issues were my tires were severely under-inflated and my break pads were rubbing ever so slightly. I’m still not able to ride as much as I do on my ebike bc I’m out of shape but those adjustments helps *a lot*.
https://silca.cc/pages/pro-tire-pressure-calculator
I used this calculator for a ball park estimate and then upped it a bit from there, never going over the tire’s marked max pressure. It took me a few tries to find a sweet spot.
I don’t think 10mph is super slow, especially for your first time on an acoustic bike in awhile. Shoot, sometimes my rides are about the same because I live in a hilly area. You should try locking out the shocks on your next ride though, I can definitely feel it when I forget to do the same on my hybrid.