Flowery Post Warning: Becoming one with my bike!!

Me and my Trek 1000 had a little moment during this afternoons ride! It was almost as if we were one! I know that sounds a little out there, but stay with me.

I decided to not treat my bike as something I just climb on and then pump my legs up an down furiously. I began experimenting with gears, cadence and isolating the muscles I was actually using. I really tried to focus on my legs making nice and easy 360 motions on the pedals.

All of a sudden I hit a sweet spot and the effort reduced, and I began holding higher speeds with less effort. I was in a zone!

I am aware of the 360 degree pedalling technique, and never really tried it, maybe that's all I was doing, but this felt more like I was "connected" to the bike. It was strange, and I can't describe it any other way.

I was experimenting on the flats, so the effect of down grades was minimal or nil. In short it felt amazing! It felt better for me to push a big gear with a cadence in the 70's, and occasionally mid 80's. I was usually 90 to 95 on cadence, and I will go there again if that's how I feel I guess. I will never fixate on a cadence again.

All I can say is spend some time getting a feel for your machine! Try everything. Slow, fast, easy, big gears! I'm probably stating the obvious for you expert cyclists, but for me it was a revelation. I thought I was a pretty decent cyclist before, but I think this is really going to make me faster.

It was like when I was flying helicopters and reached a point as a pilot where I didn't have to think about what I wanted the aircraft to do. I just did it and the aircraft responded. It was like being a part of the machine!

That's how I felt on my Trek! Like I was part of the bike and the road or something. Is that weird or what? Unfortunatley I have my last race of the year this Sunday, so I don't have time to really groove this feeling. I will probably revert to the pump like crazy routine during the race!

I'm taking my bike out for a beer later, and need suggestions for her name!! I'm thinking Betty, since she's free apparently. Veronica is now taken!

I never get tired of making an a$$ of myself!