The concept is simple: To get stronger over the winter, crank out your training on a heavier bike, and you’ll improve your power so you’ll be flying once you get back on your light bike in the springtime.
Some riders do this by using heavier wheels (or a heavier winter bike). Some carry weight, wearing a heavier pack or even a weighted vest when they ride (the latter makes breathing difficult and isn’t really recommended). Over the years, there have even been specially-weighted products (like iron filled water bottles) to add weight to your frame.
Rock Bar Storage & Training is one such product. These cylindrical cases are designed to be fastened to your frame. They’re actually quite handy for carrying odds and ends from repair tools to snacks and such. You could even slide a couple of Red Bulls in there, if you were so inclined. But that’s not really how these are designed to give you wings
These durable bags are specially designed to accommodate weighted training. The Rock Bar case is available with two weight pouches, like really hefty bean bags, of 3.5 pounds each, which slide into the case that is then fastened beneath the down tube and/or the top tube for training purposes. The metal-pellet filled pouches are sealed with Velcro, so you can fine-tune how much weight you want. (I’ll note that this system is far superior to the weighted water bottles, which sheared off bottle cages.)
For climbing, the company recommends establishing your cadence and preferred gearing on a long climb. Then insert one pouch into the Rock Bar and train on the climb for a few weeks, working up to being able to ride that same cadence and gearing with the weight. Once you hit that mark, add more weight. When you hit 7 pounds, try to increase your cadence to go faster.
[Want to fly up hills? Climb! gives you the workouts and mental strategies to conquer your nearest peak.]
For punchier training such as short climbs, intervals, and sprint training, the company recommends warming up for at least 15 minutes without the weight and then strap on a Rock Bar weighted with 5 pounds or more and train as usual.
For fixed gear bikes like track cycling, just increase the weight to make your work out sessions harder.
My Impressions
Full disclosure: I was not super keen to test the Rock Bar. I’m not a weight weenie, but I very much try to not carry unnecessary weight. So strapping 5 to 7 pounds on my frame to go for a ride sounded as fun as towing yard waste to the dump.
0 Comments