This is from Jim Richardson's Latest Google Plus Blog Post:
Juiced Cross Current with Roadies Ride.
To date, I have been riding the Juiced CrossCurrent alone, and gauging performance against elite cyclists riding the same route but at a different time via Strava. I occasionally crossed paths with other cyclists, but never rode with them.
Today I got to ride the Juiced CrossCurrent with roadies. Real Roadies. Two Ironman guys wanted training on a mixed route: pavement, dirt roads, and one dirt trail as race prep training. I have a half paved, half dirt circuit that covers many of the same dirt roads that will be in their race. They asked me to take them on that course. The course, and the race, climb up Pine Hill (see prior posts).
Yesterday I took my Specialized Roubaix on a 56 mile hard road ride. I rode in shorts as it was 73°. Even after muscle rollers, my legs were not up to a hard ride the following day. My legs were shot. Today it was 37° degrees and windy. I had ridden with one of these Ironmen before, and no way could I keep up even with fresh legs. I offered to pace them on the Juiced CrossCurrent. I also wanted to see how the battery worked in cold weather.
The Ironmen were riding carbon bikes, with Di2 electric shifting. One had tubeless road tires. Their bikes were likely under 18 lbs. We started out riding together, on a slight downgrade, and I had the Juiced’s power assist at level 2. After a mile we reached the first modest hill, and I tapped the plus button to power assist level 3. The Ironmen kept pace, but it was clear they were working hard.
When we reached the first dirt road, a 6% grade uphill grunt with an S-turn, the roadies fell behind. I slowed the CrossCurrent to try to stay with them, but it was clear that with casual pedaling in first gear, I was going too fast to stay with human-powered cyclists. (Again, not casual cyclists, Ironmen!)
We next had a 1.7 mile dirt road with a -2% grade. The average speed of 20 mph is really only so constricted by the conditions of the dirt. I have ridden this twice on my cyclocross bike, but this was the first for the CrossCurrent. First off, the benefit of the wider tires on the CrossCurrent was felt on the corrugated sections of road. Also, the front shock was a comfort, allowing me to push faster than I ever did on the cyclocross bike. Interestingly, the Ironmen could keep pace with the CrossCurrent downhill.
I have climbed Pine Hill five times recently, using road bike, cyclocross bike, and CrossCurrent. It is always a challenge to just make it up. One of the Ironmen walked his bike. The first time up on the CrossCurrent, I was riding alone, and going for speed. I pushed the pedals and myself. Today, as I was pacing Ironmen riding along with me, I climbed at a different pace. With the pedal assist set on Sport, and the bike in first gear, I stood on the pedals and casually went up Pine Hill. Casually. Not a term a cyclist uses on Pine Hill. The one Ironman still in the saddle zig-zagged up the road, huffing and puffing to stay with what was my much slower speed than on my other Juiced ascent.
For the rest of the ride I noticed the two Ironmen were drafting me. I set the pedal assist on level 1, and pulled while the Ironmen drafted in line. I suspect they were shot from trying to keep up earlier in the ride, and Pine Hill was the crossed Rubicon. I pulled them back towards home, and with 24 miles in, noticed that the battery level still had four of the five indicator lights lit. Riding on level 1 really saves battery, and is fast enough to ride with shot roadies.
After we split off, I still had an eight mile trip to go, and since I was riding alone and not pacing anyone, I cranked the pedal assist up to level 4. I finished with 33.4 miles, and still had two battery life LEDs lit. However, five miles from home, on a bit of a climb, I did have only one LED light, and it was flashing. I assume that was my warning to lower the power assist level, and head straight home, which I did. 33.4 miles is the farthest I have ever ridden the Juiced CrossCurrent. I would like to ride this route again in warmer weather, to see if any effect of ambient temperature on battery life is noticeable.
Another Juiced CrossCurrent ride
This ride I hammered on the bike, no longer trying to keep myself at a level without sweating. I did a 25 mile hilly ride, and used up most of the 10.4Ahr battery's capacity in those 25 miles. I stayed in Sport mode for all the climbing, and assist level 2 for the downhills.
The battery is supposed to have a 35 mile range, and maybe it does. There are five indicator LEDs, and I had only one indicator, or 20% left at 25 miles. It is hard to gauge these indicators, where on downhills, I will get more LEDs lit, and on hard climbs, less. I can show 20% battery remaining while climbing, and then show 60% left two minutes later in a descent. Perhaps the best read is when riding the flats?
Early in the ride I chased down and caught a group of four roadies. I then left them in the dust. One did comment that he wished he had my bike at that moment.
Juiced Cross Current with Roadies Ride.
To date, I have been riding the Juiced CrossCurrent alone, and gauging performance against elite cyclists riding the same route but at a different time via Strava. I occasionally crossed paths with other cyclists, but never rode with them.
Today I got to ride the Juiced CrossCurrent with roadies. Real Roadies. Two Ironman guys wanted training on a mixed route: pavement, dirt roads, and one dirt trail as race prep training. I have a half paved, half dirt circuit that covers many of the same dirt roads that will be in their race. They asked me to take them on that course. The course, and the race, climb up Pine Hill (see prior posts).
Yesterday I took my Specialized Roubaix on a 56 mile hard road ride. I rode in shorts as it was 73°. Even after muscle rollers, my legs were not up to a hard ride the following day. My legs were shot. Today it was 37° degrees and windy. I had ridden with one of these Ironmen before, and no way could I keep up even with fresh legs. I offered to pace them on the Juiced CrossCurrent. I also wanted to see how the battery worked in cold weather.
The Ironmen were riding carbon bikes, with Di2 electric shifting. One had tubeless road tires. Their bikes were likely under 18 lbs. We started out riding together, on a slight downgrade, and I had the Juiced’s power assist at level 2. After a mile we reached the first modest hill, and I tapped the plus button to power assist level 3. The Ironmen kept pace, but it was clear they were working hard.
When we reached the first dirt road, a 6% grade uphill grunt with an S-turn, the roadies fell behind. I slowed the CrossCurrent to try to stay with them, but it was clear that with casual pedaling in first gear, I was going too fast to stay with human-powered cyclists. (Again, not casual cyclists, Ironmen!)
We next had a 1.7 mile dirt road with a -2% grade. The average speed of 20 mph is really only so constricted by the conditions of the dirt. I have ridden this twice on my cyclocross bike, but this was the first for the CrossCurrent. First off, the benefit of the wider tires on the CrossCurrent was felt on the corrugated sections of road. Also, the front shock was a comfort, allowing me to push faster than I ever did on the cyclocross bike. Interestingly, the Ironmen could keep pace with the CrossCurrent downhill.
I have climbed Pine Hill five times recently, using road bike, cyclocross bike, and CrossCurrent. It is always a challenge to just make it up. One of the Ironmen walked his bike. The first time up on the CrossCurrent, I was riding alone, and going for speed. I pushed the pedals and myself. Today, as I was pacing Ironmen riding along with me, I climbed at a different pace. With the pedal assist set on Sport, and the bike in first gear, I stood on the pedals and casually went up Pine Hill. Casually. Not a term a cyclist uses on Pine Hill. The one Ironman still in the saddle zig-zagged up the road, huffing and puffing to stay with what was my much slower speed than on my other Juiced ascent.
For the rest of the ride I noticed the two Ironmen were drafting me. I set the pedal assist on level 1, and pulled while the Ironmen drafted in line. I suspect they were shot from trying to keep up earlier in the ride, and Pine Hill was the crossed Rubicon. I pulled them back towards home, and with 24 miles in, noticed that the battery level still had four of the five indicator lights lit. Riding on level 1 really saves battery, and is fast enough to ride with shot roadies.
After we split off, I still had an eight mile trip to go, and since I was riding alone and not pacing anyone, I cranked the pedal assist up to level 4. I finished with 33.4 miles, and still had two battery life LEDs lit. However, five miles from home, on a bit of a climb, I did have only one LED light, and it was flashing. I assume that was my warning to lower the power assist level, and head straight home, which I did. 33.4 miles is the farthest I have ever ridden the Juiced CrossCurrent. I would like to ride this route again in warmer weather, to see if any effect of ambient temperature on battery life is noticeable.
Another Juiced CrossCurrent ride
This ride I hammered on the bike, no longer trying to keep myself at a level without sweating. I did a 25 mile hilly ride, and used up most of the 10.4Ahr battery's capacity in those 25 miles. I stayed in Sport mode for all the climbing, and assist level 2 for the downhills.
The battery is supposed to have a 35 mile range, and maybe it does. There are five indicator LEDs, and I had only one indicator, or 20% left at 25 miles. It is hard to gauge these indicators, where on downhills, I will get more LEDs lit, and on hard climbs, less. I can show 20% battery remaining while climbing, and then show 60% left two minutes later in a descent. Perhaps the best read is when riding the flats?
Early in the ride I chased down and caught a group of four roadies. I then left them in the dust. One did comment that he wished he had my bike at that moment.
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